TV Heartache

I watched a repeat of Channel 4's 'Surviving Gazza' last night, and I'm sure as all those who managed to catch it would agree, it made for pretty traumatic viewing.
The nations favourite, a legend, showman and entertainer, Gazza was clearly very ill. The family's plight to help him was always going to be tough one.
We all remember the heroics and tears of Italia 90 and have watched with interest as his career took him to Italy and Scotland - the move from Tottenham to Lazio and from there Glasgow Rangers.
As usual it's the private life of Gazza that has dominated the papers with his drinking, drug taking and brawls hitting the headlines.
But last nights documentary showed the other side of the story, his long suffering family pouring their hearts out especially ex-wife Sheryl who I reckon has seen some sights over the past few decades.
The children all seemed pretty well grounded although it did look like Regan his youngest son had had enough of the drama. I don't blame him really considering the up bringing he's had. You can't be totally one sided about it but the footage of Sheryl in tears made me think she was being honest about the whole thing, heavy drinking and violence and the follow on lack of a dad around resulted in a bad few years for the kids as well.
In the programme Gazza was allowed to spend some time back at the family home yet within a couple of weeks - of erratic behaviour - he was off, a small argument had escalated into a falling out and he left.
Firstly to go on tour with Iron Maiden ( bad move considering their rider has as much drink on it as Threshers has on it's shelves and probably enough gear to keep Shaun Ryder happy ). Secondly holed up in a hotel room somewhere in Europe.
So the decision was made to track him down, and when they had the whole family travelled to Portugal to confront him - either he tries to sort himself out or that's that.
Having found him in a hotel room looking a total wreck and after his hurls of abuse the family decided to go home, upset but relieved.
The show ended with Sheryl saying there had been no contact with Gazza in the last three months.
He is now in the Second Chance clinic and is under the supervision of Peter Kay ( come on not that Peter Kay, he's not in Phoenix Nights !). This Peter Kay is the man who has tried, with some success, to sort out a number of high profile footballers. He was the man who recently chaperoned Joey Barton on his release from jail. I came across him while on my UEFA B course a few seasons back. He gave a speech about drink and drugs in football and the help that is now on offer to players ( I still say on offer to all top, well known, well off players but the truth is Joe Blogs on peanuts in the lower leagues may not be so lucky and if he's not it's game over ).

On that same UEFA B course and during that same speech Paul Davis, ex- Arsenal and England player and now an assessor on the coures , mentioned to Peter Kay that he had a friend who needed help quite badly. Peter Kay's answer was, as he tells all
"Tell him to ring me if he really wants to help himself ".
I recently saw a comment in a newspaper from Mr Kay referring to Gazza's situation saying " I have been waiting for that call for six years ".
I didn't realise at the time that Paul Davis was talking about 'Gazza'
Lets hope this rehab, maybe his last chance, does the trick.

I asked my wife her opinion and she said of Gazza " Complete loser, had everything, not strong enough". Wow, don't mess eh !!!.
I think, great player and national institution but the drink has made him in to a bad Dad which is, as I have seen with friends of mine, the final straw!.

I also used to see a physio friend of mine while I was at Northampton called John Sheridan, he was the Tottenham physio when Gazza was there and aided his recovery from injury and subsequent move to Lazio. He always said " He is one in a million a real diamond".
Only time will tell if he becomes one again.