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Bye-bye 'Boro Switch to Everton gives Gascoigne new chance
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) -- Former England midfielder Paul Gacoigne, whose once brilliant career was ruined by injuries and personal problems, is changing clubs again. The 33-year-old Gascoigne, popularly known as "Gazza," signed a two-year deal with Everton on Monday after being granted a free transfer from Middlesbrough. Gascoigne, who still had a year to run on his contract at Middlesbrough, will be reunited with Everton boss Walter Smith, his former manager at Glasgow Rangers. "It's a big gamble for this club to take me on," Gascoigne said at a Goodison Park news conference after passing his medal exam. "Hopefully I won't let them down. Everton is a massive club. It's going to go places." While many have written Gascoigne off as a wasted talent and spent force, he said his main ambition is "to prove all you guys [media critics] wrong, for a start." "I've worked hard the last couple of weeks," Gascoigne said. "Now it's up to me. They've given me the opportunity to prove I can still do it." Widely considered the most talented player of his generation, Gascoigne never fully realized his potential, his career overshadowed by problems with injuries, weight and alcohol and what he called his "off-field antics." Asked whether this was his last chance to prove himself, Gascoigne said, "That was said two years ago. I'm 33 now. My footballing's always going to be there. My brains are in my feet. As long as I stay fit, injury free, I can't see any reason why not." Even though he wasn't picked by England for the 1998 World Cup the Euro 2000 championships, Gascoigne said he still hopes to return to the national fold. "I want to prove to everybody I can still do it," he said. "The target is still to get back into the England squad. It's my ambition to get back and play for England. I have been given the chance again and I intend to take the opportunity with both hands." Vice chairman Bill Kenwright said Everton considered several players but Gascoigne was top of the list. "It was very important to get a headliner in here," he said. "But you don't sign Paul Gascoigne for that. The driving force was Paul's passion." Gascoigne's signing comes less than a week after Nick Barmby left Everton for cross-city rival Liverpool in a 6-million-pound (US$9 million) transfer. Other recent departures include Scottish internationals Don Hutchison and John Collins. Everton Independent Supporters' Association spokesman Ian McDonald hailed Gascoigne's arrival in Merseyside. "Walter Smith is no fool," he said. "He knows Gazza inside and out and he knows what he's capable of. He will be great for team morale; he will boost ticket sales and he will pay for himself with bums on seats." After spells at Newcastle, Tottenham and Lazio, Gasgoigne helped Rangers to the Scottish league title in 1996 and 1997. "He's a tremendous kid who unfortunately has a penchant for attracting bad publicity, but no one who knows him well would say he's a bad person," Smith said. "He just lets himself down now and again. "He's never been long at one club because it's always difficult for someone with his mentality to have continuity in his life. He loses the spark when he has been somewhere for more than a couple of years." Smith sold Gascoigne to 'Boro for 3.45 million (US$5.1 million) in 1998 after three years at Ibrox. But his time at the northeast English club was beset by injuries, suspensions and continued problems in his personal life. "We feel it is in the interests of both Middlebrough and Paul Gascoigne that we agree this move," a Middlesbrough spokesman said. "We feel it is just time to go our separate ways." Gascoigne started only nine league and cup games and ade two appearances as a substitute for Middlesbrough last season. He did not play again after breaking his arm against Aston Villa on Feb. 14. He sustained the injury by elbowing Villa midfielder George Boateng in the face as they challenged for the ball. He was later banned for three games by the Football Association for the incident. Smith said he believes Gascoigne, England's most skilled player for much of the 1990s, can still produce. "Looking at Euro 2000 it became evident just how much England -- and other countries -- could do with a player like him," Smith said. "He has the ability to stamp his authority over a game in the same way Zinedine Zidane does. "Not many can reach the very top level, but Gazza could and did. He could play in any company. It's just a shame that other parts of his personality prevented him from fulfilling all his potential." Click here for a Paul Gascoigne factfile.
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