Paul Gascoigne: 'Jamie Carragher Is Out Of Order For Salah Comments'Football Legend 'Gazza' Sits Down For Exclusive Interview |
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In an exclusive interview with Card Player, England football legend Paul Gascoigne says that ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher is out of order for calling Mohamed Salah selfish.
‘Gazza’ also thinks Liverpool are unstoppable under Arne Slot after making Real Madrid look average in the Champions League.
The Newcastle United icon also had some stern words for Eddie Howe, saying he could be in trouble if his former club don’t qualify for European football next season…
Key Stories:
On General Football and Premier League
Q: Let’s start with Pep Guardiola. He signed his new contract, didn’t he? And now Man City have lost six of their last seven. What’s going on?
Paul Gascoigne: He’s got the players. If he wanted to buy players, he’d just buy them. But then he had the scratch on his nose and I didn’t know what it was! I don’t know what went on.
Q: He said he’d done it with his fingernail, didn’t he?
Paul Gascoigne: Yeah but it goes right up here (to the top of his head)! He’s got something on him. So what happened is, it will eventually come out, what’s happening in the dressing room. Because I’ve watched that Netflix documentary about Man City when they won the treble… and he’s such a nice bloke. He’s having a go at them (players) and he goes down on his knees and starts letting them know how much he loves them all, saying ‘I love you.’
I was thinking ‘Wow.’ And to think where I am in my life now, and where he is, I’ve played against him, wow! Good on him. All the clubs he’s managed, Bayern Munich, Man City he’s had money to spend, he’s worked with great, unbelievable players.
Q: He’s talking about a squad rebuild now, isn’t he? He’s going to splash the cash. Do you remember when Fergie booted the boot at David Beckham? You think something like that might have happened?
Paul Gascoigne: Might have done, yeah. Because I went to see Fergie. I was brave enough to go and see him after not signing for him. His hairdryer is actually in his office, unbelievably.
I was at a Manchester United game two years ago or something, and I’m just sitting at the side of my agent, and a guy came up to me and told me Fergie wants to see me in his office. Honestly, I was nervous. So I went in to see him and I honestly just looked at him and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. He said ‘you still should have f**king signed for me!’
Q: Now that obviously the Premier League is 13 games in, it’s looking like Liverpool might be running away with it after beating Man City.
Paul Gascoigne: I watched the highlights against Real Madrid and they made Real Madrid look like an average team. They’re playing unbelievable, they’re top of the league. It was a very big game at the weekend with Man City. So that was huge. Liverpool just seem unstoppable.
And that manager (Arne Slot), well done to follow Klopp. Klopp did really well with Liverpool, but to follow him, he’s off to an unbelievable start.
Q: Do you think he can take Liverpool to even higher heights than Klopp?
Paul Gascoigne: I think he could. It’s one of them though. You’ve got to have money if you want to really do really well in this Premier League. Because money is talking. It used to be the players.
Like I said before, you can get some players on 300k-400k a week, they can’t even trap a f**king bag of cement. Crap!
And I think ‘what if I played against him?’ This is the opportunity for Liverpool to win the league. Especially with Man City, they’ve been beaten five times in a row, obviously it’s confidence levels, or something’s going on in the camp, people are not happy. They’ve got injuries as well. It’s a case of just pulling together and just getting a few games on the run, winning games.
Q: What about Arsenal, do you think they’ve got a chance?
Paul Gascoigne: Yeah, definitely. Mikel Arteta, I’m so proud of him… even though I played for Tottenham. It’s unbelievable.
I always thought it was a bad idea for Frank Lampard to become manager of Chelsea after just playing for them. He likes managing players he just played with. And I felt sorry for him because I like Frank. He’s a great guy, a great player.
But for Arteta, the way he’s turned that team around, because he wouldn’t want to go anywhere. He nearly won it (Premier League) last season. He’s got them playing great football and he’s got some quality players. I’m proud of him, Arteta.
Q: Did you see Frank Lampard got the Coventry job?
Paul Gascoigne: Yeah, I seen that. I started laughing. I said, ‘he must be desperate for a job.’
Years ago when I was playing, I was asked to see if I wanted to do an interview to be the manager of York. And I said, ‘Oh York, I don’t live far from there, because I’m from Newcastle.’ And I said I’d think about it. He said, ‘Well, I need to know, because there’s 80 managers wanting that job.’
I said, ‘I’ll just leave it mate, not interested.’
On Mo Salah And Carragher’s Comments
Q: Last time we spoke about Mo Salah a bit, you said you thought he was a bit off the boil, but maybe he heard what you said, because since then he’s been making it up to you, hasn’t he?
Paul Gascoigne: You know what, I swear to god, I’ve watched Liverpool a few times. It was only till the last game, I thought it was a new young kid! Completely different, forgot he got his hair cut.
But the last few games he’s been great and that goal he scored on the half volley when the keeper was coming out. Wow. I scored one similar against Celtic. But Salah has turned it on again, so he probably wants a pay rise!
Q: His contract is up at the end of the season. Jamie Carragher had a go at him, calling him selfish for not signing a new contract, but Salah says he hasn’t been offered one. So do you think Carragher’s jealous?
Paul Gascoigne: Yeah, probably. People like that though, I wouldn’t respond if I was Salah. I wouldn’t even bother responding to what Jamie said, you know?
It’s Salah, there’s a lot of people like him. Look at PSG, an unbelievable team that they’ve got, but Messi even wanted to go to America. Another one, Ronaldo, a top class player who went to Saudi Arabia.
When a player comes to the end of his career, money talks. But Salah, he’s quality, now he’s turned it on again. So whatever I said worked.
But a quality player, sometimes when that ball is at his feet it reminds me a little bit like Messi just sticks to his foot and he works back for his team, which is good, so I think Carragher was out of order calling him selfish.
Q: What about hypothetically then if Salah does leave Liverpool at the end of the season? Do you think they might go and try and get Marcus Rashford?
A: It would be a big move for him as well from Man United to Liverpool. Salah, if they sell him and he leaves, they’re gonna need two players to replace him. That’s the difficulty you’ve got.
On Man United and Spurs
Q: What about now that Man United got rid of Erik Ten Haag?
Paul Gascoigne: I mean he did well hanging in. But honestly, if I was a good manager, the last job I want is to follow Alex Ferguson. No way. Follow Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, no way. That guy Slot, Klopp obviously did really well. So for him to take over and what he’s achieved so far, it’s amazing.
He’s left now, and the new guy’s come in, so I felt for him. But listen, once you’ve been manager over in England, you’re always going to get another manager’s job. Once you’re manager of Arsenal, or Man United or teams like that, you’re always going to get another managerial job. Always.
Q: You said before that you thought Harry Kane should have gone to Real Madrid instead of Bayern Munich. Do you think Real Madrid might try and buy him from Bayern Munich next summer now?
Paul Gascoigne: Could do, it depends where his missus wants to go. I think his missus talks and that’s where he goes. She runs the show. You wouldn’t turn around, turn down Real Madrid for Bayern Munich.
I’ve got nothing against him though because they’re a quality team. Unbelievable. Harry Kane, if he wanted to come back, he probably has got the first option to go back to Tottenham anyway. But he could go to Real Madrid for just like a couple of years.
Q: What about your ex-team Tottenham then at the moment? They’re very inconsistent aren’t they. What’s going on with them?
Paul Gascoigne: Sometimes they just rely on Son too much.
Q: Do You think they should look to cash in on him?
Paul Gascoigne: I think that unless he wants to, if he’s had enough, if he wants to win something then let him leave. But I think he is settled at Tottenham.
Quality player by the way as well. I went to Tottenham’s training ground, that’s amazing. I’ve never seen a training ground like that. And the stadium was just unbelievable as well.
Q: They’re a bit of a weird team cause their goalkeeper Vicario played an hour with a broken leg last game. Have you ever stayed on the pitch when you’ve been injured?
Paul Gascoigne: A couple of times. I was playing in the quarter finals of the FA cup and on the Friday I did my hernia and told the gaffer I was struggling. I’d ripped my hernia.
Then on the Saturday we had a game and the gaffer said just to try the warm up. And I went to the warm up and I did the other side. So now I’ve ripped a double hernia. So he rang the doctor and he came down and gave me eight injections. Numbed it and then I gave the first goal away and I’m gutted.
And then I set up the equaliser and then I scored the winner. There was about 10 minutes to go, then the numbness wore off, so I stood at the half way line. We’d used all of our subs, I was keeping onside and then offside, and then about 5 minutes ago I looked at the time, and I said to Terry Venables, ‘ambulance, quick.’
I managed to get fit for the Arsenal one and scored that goal against Seaman.
But Tottenham cannot just rely on one player. Look at Manchester City’s reserves team. They could win the league if they wanted to. So Tottenham have got to build on it.
Q: Ruud van Nistelrooy, some people thought he was going to get the (United) job, but now he’s got the Leicester job. He did alright as interim manager of United. Do you think he can keep Leicester in the Premier League?
Paul Gascoigne: Probably, yeah, I mean I kept on seeing pictures of him and I thought what’s he doing, he must be just making an appearance at Man United. Obviously they never told us at all and then nothing is said about him, and a couple days later he was on about it again.
That’s a decent start for him I suppose. Now he’s come back as Leicester manager and that’s good because he seems like a nice guy doesn’t he?
Q: Do you remember playing much at Old Trafford? In those days you had kind of brand new stadium but now it seems to be falling apart doesn’t it? It’s got a hole in the roof. Apparently they found some dead rats under the seats.
Paul Gascoigne: Fergie wouldn’t be happy about any of that because he wanted everything spotless. He always had all the players when he arrived at Man United or even at the training ground, the players had to say hello to the staff and ask them how they were.
Look at Man City, not far from there, in their stadium and their training ground. Man United have got to start upping their game a bit in that department as well.
On David Coote And Referees/VAR
Q: Did you see the referee scandal? David Coot, he got caught up doing a bit of Charlie.
Paul Gascoigne: Oh, did he? Pretty good on him. He will probably have to go through rehabilitation if he wants his job back. He will go through that, and I wouldn’t wish it on anybody like that.
Because I remember me, 19 years ago, when I was on it. I went psycho, it was horrible and then obviously I got sectioned by my dad. He sectioned me and it was the best thing he ever did. So obviously with him, if he wants his job back, then he has to do it, you know?
Q: But what do you think about the referees in general in the Premier League? Do you think it’d be better if we had foreign referees?
Paul Gascoigne: I don’t even know why we’ve got referees, with that VAR. You can imagine, you’ve got two linesmen, you’ve got a referee, you’ve got a fourth man there, and you’ve got one on the touchline. That’s five officials. Five and then they go to the VAR. It’s ridiculous.
And it takes ages as well. One of the reasons I really hate VAR is you can beat five players, score a worldie, and then someone’s got his toenail in an offside position.
Or you’ve been playing half an hour, you’re warm. And all of a sudden, VAR. And if it’s a cold day as well, you’ve got warmed up, it’s a cold day. And then it’s f**king VAR.
VAR takes five to ten minutes. I’ve seen players, as soon as they start the game again, they’ve gone. And I’ve seen about four or five of their hamstrings have gone, or their calves. And it affects the whole momentum of the game. It’s ridiculous.
And then all of a sudden, all it’s going to do is either cause a cheer or a boo and then that can cause violence in the fans. Our football’s gonna end up like American football, stopping every few minutes. Why do we have referees anymore? That’s what I look at.
On Newcastle United
Q: Should we talk about Newcastle for a bit?
Paul Gascoigne: I liked the idea of Eddie Howe being the England manager. I’m from Newcastle and it’s unbelievable. The fans work every day just to buy a ticket on a Saturday. There’s probably about 50,000 waiting on the waiting list for a season ticket.
When you score a goal at Newcastle, you think you’ve scored a goal in a cup fight, man. It’s incredible. They’re nice people up in Newcastle. So Eddie, I bet his wife would be loving up there as well.
And another one, just give him a few bits of money because the money’s hard. And the players are starting to use what he’s done really well, you know? Newcastle can perform really well.
Q: It’s a shame they’re not in Europe this season, isn’t it?
Paul Gascoigne: Yeah, I know. The fans will be gutted.
Q: If they don’t [get back in next season], will Eddie be in a bit of trouble?
Paul Gascoigne: Probably. I mean, I remember when Graeme Souness was manager. I’m in my apartment in Jesmond, and I think it was Thursday, or Friday night it was, or something like that.
My phone rings and it was Graeme Souness. He said, ‘Gazza, where are you?’ I was just up the road from the restaurant he was at with his wife. He wanted me to come and see him as he wanted a word with me.
I felt sorry for him. I went to the restaurant and I saw him sitting there and I sat next to him. I asked him what he wanted. He asked me how to win the fans over.
I said, ‘You’ve got to win every f**king game! Win every game, 5-0, and you’ve got a f**king chance.’ I said, ‘Good luck tomorrow.’
Q: You think they didn’t like him because he was Scottish?
Paul Gascoigne: I think it was because he dropped Alan Shearer. You don’t do that. Ruud Gullit did that as well. You can’t do that to a legend. That would have hurt Shearer.
I know he gave me a bollocking for what I said last time, but quality player and you don’t do that to players of his status. He’s a guy who’s able to lead well. Absolute legend of the club.
But I was surprised when Steven Gerrard left Glasgow Rangers for Aston Villa. That was unbelievable. I love the way he is now, so good on him.
Anyhow you don’t want to be in a position where you leave because the fans like him. He’s a nice guy, Eddie, as well and he’s done well with that team he’s got and he was only a young man when he went there anyway. So it’s a case of giving him money to spend, because I’m sure he knows what he’s going to spend it on, different areas around the pitch where he needs the back up or improvement.
Q: They’ve got Calum Wilson back from injury now, which is a boost, but then I think Arsenal are trying to buy Alexander Isak.
Paul Gascoigne: Oh are they? See what I mean? That’s why teams like Newcastle have got to stay well and get qualified for the Champions League, they’ve got to qualify for Europe because these players will leave. He’s the perfect example, when the right back from Man City, Kyle Walker. When he left Tottenham. He said he wanted to win things and he went to Man City and won everything. I’m sure on his days off he catches f**king pigeons, he’s quick as anything.
Q: They’re saying he’s starting to lose at this pace a little bit.
Paul Gascoigne: He’s been caught out a couple of times, but you know, bless him. He’s late 30s or something like that.
On England/Tuchel
Q: What do you think Thomas Tuchel, the new England manager, obviously a German in charge of England. It’s a bit controversial isn’t it, but maybe it’s for the best.
Paul Gascoigne: I don’t know. I cannot say Germany want an English manager, I cannot say Spain want an English manager, I cannot say in Portugal that they want an English manager. Imagine Italy, with an English manager, not a million years, not one of them countries would take an English manager.
You’ve got to give everyone a chance, but when I was playing for England, I wanted to play for an English manager. I wouldn’t like to play for a foreign manager, no way. You want to play with your own blood. And I was fortunate, I had Bobby Robson, Terry Venables, so I was fortunate in that way.
On His Career And Topics Outside Of Football
Q: You played against some of the world’s best players in your time, like Maradona. Were there any superstar players back then that you thought were overhyped, didn’t deserve as much hype as they got?
Paul Gascoigne: Carlton Palmer. Sorry Carlton.
Q: Well it’s the classic quote, he covered every blade of grass on the pitch, but only because his first touch is so bad.
Paul Gascoigne: Yeah, because his first touch is so bad. Carlton was so funny with me, he said, ‘Gazza, you play at Lazio, and we’re playing for England.’
He said, ‘I’ve got a problem.’ I said, ‘What’s your problem?’ He says, ‘Well, tonight Gazza, I’m going to f**king work so hard for you. And I’ll get the ball and I’ll give it to you and turn it on. I’ll keep you entertained. I’ll get that ball.’ And he went on for about half an hour.
I said, ‘What’s the problem?’ He went, ‘I’ve got Roma coming. Juventus coming. And Sampdoria coming to Wembley tonight to watch us play. So I’ve got to do well. So turn it on and I’ll keep winning the ball.’
And he wasn’t even on the fucking bench! He was devastated he didn’t get picked.
But yeah, some of them players can be overrated, but I have played with some quality players, you know. There were only two I was disappointed with. When I was signing for Lazio I was wondering which players they had. They had Michael Laudrup and Hagi, and there was another player. Three world class players.
When I got there I was wondering where all of the amazing players were. They’d left. So, I felt right b**tard. I thought, ‘shit, they’ve left because of me.’ So I had that feeling that they had all left because of me. Because Michael (Laudrup) went to Barcelona to make money. But I got to play with Brian (Laudrup).
Q: You told a story about how you were turned down by the UK version of I’m a Celebrity. But would you reconsider now that you’re watching it?
Paul Gascoigne: Well the editors said you had to see a psychiatrist. So when I first got asked, obviously I’d just come out of rehab and I wasn’t in a good way anyway. And the second time was similar to the same. The third time it was an agent.
The money they offered was good, but my agent at the time wanted the same money as me, so that was another reason to turn down. And then the last two I didn’t get picked.
But after those first few shows I’m like, ‘Oh, God, I can’t do that, because I’m fucking petrified of it and I’m claustrophobic and I hate heights so I’d probably get voted for everything.
I think I would be up for it, yeah. I don’t know about the parachute jump, but I’d love to do one.
Q: Have you seen any of Vinnie Jones doing his wildlife show?
Paul Gascoigne: Yeah, I went to his place. What a place he’s got. I mean, he’s got acres and acres of land. He’s got about four houses which he’s all doing up.
He said, ‘Gazza, come on my show for five, just five minutes of chat.’ F**king had us there for an hour and 20 minutes, talking and talking.
Vinnie, God, give us a lucky fish. It was supposed to be fishing, he was just talking. He’s got a magnificent place. It’s a beautiful place he’s got because he loves his fishing and hunting and that, you know, good on him.”
Q: Did you see any of Jake Paul against Mike Tyson?
Paul Gascoigne: Yeah, I watched it. I don’t believe it, 58. And Jake Paul, I mean Tyson was struggling with his knee. Incredible. I wouldn’t like to take a punch from him.
I always said to people when he was in his prime, if someone said to you, ‘There’s a million quid, cash, but you’ve got to last one minute with Mike Tyson, you wouldn’t.’
Good on Tyson, you know. He turned up at my 40th. I didn’t know. I was in my own town and someone said, Mike Tyson just turned up.
Q: If you ever had a celebrity boxing match who would be your ideal opponent? Gary Lineker?
Paul Gascoigne: I didn’t really fall out with players, you know? It wasn’t worth it, I was too busy enjoying my football and all that.
I’d fight, he’s a nice guy but got on my tits a few times, that guy from Family Fortunes. The Italian guy [Gino D’Campo]. I’d like to take him on, Family Fortunes, yeah. I’d love to get him in, because he fucking winds me up actually. He tells jokes and it’s not the best, because he’s a great dancer and a chef or whatever. But yeah, I’d love to get him.
Q: What about darts at the moment? Luke Littler etc.
Paul Gascoigne: I like darts, yeah, I play it. I played Phil Taylor in one of those ones where he used to practice. I f**king swear to you, I went, ‘what’s this guy like?’ He went on his knees and he hit the bullseye.
That young kid, Luke Littler, the 17-year-old. Crazy. He’s gonna be top.”
Q: If you were at the peak of your powers now, footballing wise, what Premier League team do you think you’d most suit playing for?
Paul Gascoigne: It didn’t matter what team I played for, I always performed. Pep [Guardiola], you know, he’s calm and that. I remember him and Jose Mourinho, when I met him, he said, ‘God bless you Gazza, I would have loved to be your manager.’ Peter Reid said the same.
But he’d be a nice man to play for, you know. That’s why I felt a bit sorry for Gareth [Southgate] at the end, because I didn’t feel like they were playing for him. When I played football, I always played for the manager and the fans.
Q: Jude Bellingham said something about, it’s nice to enjoy my football again, under Lee Carsley. He said he kind of felt like he was made a scapegoat.
Paul Gascoigne: Look at the pressure I had f**king coming back from the World Cup in 1990. I still performed. I just tried to take it like water off a duck’s back, you know, for me because I got followed so much.
It was like the 90 minutes on that pitch was made for my convenience. I enjoyed every f**king minute on that pitch.
Q: Do you think it was worse back in those days in terms of the press?
Paul Gascoigne: I think so, yeah. Because now you’ve got the WAGs. Some of the WAGs are more famous than the players which is a bit shameful.
Q: Have you met Jude Bellingham? He replied to your tweet on Twitter. He said, ‘Big up Gazza.’ But I don’t know if you’ve ever met him in real life.
Paul Gascoigne: I’ve seen him in Wembley in the dressing room. He seemed like a nice guy. I want to watch him play Jude Bellingham. I only got to see him for five minutes, but he scored. He’s a quality player.
I saw him when he was at Real Madrid so there was definitely f**king something going on with the manager, because he didn’t perform for England. I thought, well, he didn’t seem that good. And I watched him again for Real Madrid and he was outstanding. I thought wow, this kid’s good. He maybe doesn’t want to be playing somewhere that he’s not happy. If he wasn’t happy in England, then obviously he’s not going to perform.
Q: I don’t know if you saw Ed Sheeran on Super Sunday, because they were interviewing the Man United manager on the pitch with Gary Neville, and then Ed Sheeran came walking in, but the manager looked a bit pissed off.
Paul Gascoigne: I did the very first soccer aid. I’m in the dressing room, we’ve got Robbie Williams and I know everyone. And there’s a ginger guy next to me, and I didn’t realize he’d been number one in f**king charts for six weeks.
I went, ‘What’s your name?’ He went, ‘Ed.’ I went, ‘Oh, what do you do for a living?’ All the lads thought that I was f**king having it. Then they told me it was Ed Sheeran.
He said, ‘I’m number one in the charts.’ I went, ‘Oh sh*t, sorry, mate’.”
Q: Did you start singing his song?
Paul Gascoigne: Yeah, I started singing his song. I was like, ‘ain’t no sunshine.’ And he sang it. And Robbie sang it as well. And then I had Rod Stewart and all singing it. Amazing.
Yeah. I was so embarrassed. I didn’t really listen to the charts. That was embarrassing. But what a f**king singer though.
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