Ex-soccer star’s life is in danger, warns agent

DPA/London

Former England midfielder Paul Gascoigne “needs immediate help” after his battle against alcoholism worsened, according to his agent.

Terry Baker told BBC Radio 5 Live that Gascoigne had been slurring his words and shaking at a charity event on Thursday.

“He won’t thank me for saying it but he immediately needs to get help,” Baker said.

“Whatever’s happened to him in the five or six weeks since I saw him before Christmas, he is not as well as he has been.

“His life is always in danger because he is an alcoholic. Maybe no one can save him - I don’t know. I really don’t know.”

Gascoigne excelled in spells with Newcastle, Tottenham, Rangers and Lazio, with his famous tears in the semi-final of the World Cup in 1990 making him a household name.

But since he stopped playing, the 45-year-old has had a continuous battle against alcohol and in 2008, he was sectioned twice under the Mental Health Act.

Gary Lineker, the former England striker who played with Gascoigne for Tottenham and for his country, said via Twitter that he was hoping his old friend would sort himself out.

“Lots of you asking for my thoughts on Gazza’s plight,” he said. “I can only hope he finds peace somehow, but fear those hopes may be forlorn.”

Baker said Gascoigne has been shaking and slurring his words during the charity event.

“He wasn’t in the condition he’d been in for the last two years. He was slurring a bit,” he said. “I phoned the organisation and said it was possibly best we didn’t put him on but he was insistent he had some new jokes and he was going to be in tip-top form. He was fairly upset but insisted he wanted to go on.

 “When he came on the stage, we sat him down and he just started shaking. He’s always a bit nervous on the stage, but he just started shaking uncontrollably.

“I swear to you I have never seen Paul drink in all the time I’ve known him, until very, very recently. He has definitely been clean for most of the last two years, absolutely for definite. He has made huge massive efforts to get his life on track and it’s just gone a bit wrong at the moment.”

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel called on the Professional Footballers’ Association to act to help Gascoigne. “This is not fun watching,” Schmeichel tweeted after a video of the charity event was posted on the website of The Sun.

 “Gazza needs help. Come on PFA and (chief executive) Gordon Taylor, time to step up. We are all responsible for how we live our lives. But that doesn’t mean we can’t step in and help.”