FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template
Former England boss Terry Venables said Tuesday that he would have picked Paul Gascoigne for the World Cup finals-even if the maverick midfielder was not fully fit. Glenn Hoddle, Venables’ successor, stunned football by axing the most talented English player of his generation, claiming the troubled 31-year-old Middlesbrough midfielder was simply not fit enough. Since then there have been startling revelations about Gazza’s off-field behaviour, including his own confession that he was drunk just a few hours before Hoddle told him at the weekend that he was out.
But Venables said: “If we are talking about a decision based purely on Gazza’s fitness then I would have taken him in a squad of 22. “We are told he was 65-70 percent fit, although I believe he was more than that. Obviously he hasn’t done himself any favours and there may be things that went on that we don’t know about. But it is not as though you have got to pick a squad of just 12 at this stage. I would have taken him, watched his progress and been prepared to put him on the bench or even in the team depending on how he developed.”
“Maybe it would not have mattered if he had not played at all in any of the first round matches. But there would still have been time to get something out of him. The further you go in a big tournament like the World Cup or Euro 96 the more you need players who can make a difference in a match. With Gazza it might not be a huge difference but he still has the ability to do something special when you need it such as a tight 0-0 game when you are looking for something to happen.” Venables, who signed Gascoigne for 2.2 million pounds (3.5 million dollars) for Tottenham from Newcastle in 1990 and made him an automatic selection for Euro 96 in which England reached the semi-finals, added:
“I believe Gazza was still our best player when we qualified for the World Cup against Italy back in October. Glenn and I are different managers, different people. I don’t know him very well but he has a job to do and he has got to be single minded. His only aim, even though he’s got a long contract with England, has now got to be in the short term and that means winning the World Cup or doing everything possible to give us a chance.”
“He clearly believes it’s a better chance without Gazza and obviously if we don’t do well there will be criticism of him. But managers have to make tough decisions and I’m sure he’s thought about it long and hard. I know Gazza feels very low about what’s happened. I hope he will be able to make a comeback and react in the right way. Of course I know him very well and I know how much playing for England means to him. I can only comment about Gazza’s situation on the facts we have been given and if it’s about his fitness I would have been a bit more patient with him.”
“I’ve read the stories about the players having a party during the training camp but it’s only Gazza who is mentioned in the newspapers. Players have to have a break when they are together for a long time like that or they will go up the wall. I know Gazza had not had a drink until that party for 11 days. These boys work hard and have to have a release now and then.”