Walter Smith has put his job on the line like no other manager before him and handed Gascoigne yet another lifeline. If Bryan Robson at Middlesbrough has had enough of him, I really have to doubt Smith's ability to produce better results. Robbo was a great supporter of the wayward one through the years and while Gazza may be more "afraid" of Smith, it will all inevitably come down to his ability to motivate himself to deliver his best. I see this as not a courageous decision, but a huge gamble that could easily see both Smith and Gascoigne far away from Goodison Park before Christmas.
Obviously, Gascoigne was a talented player once, who delivered on his potential in a very unpredictable and inconsistent fashion, even at his best. His indiscretions, weaknesses and inability to play for 90 minutes in a true British fashion were all overshadowed by occasional sparks of genius and short lived gemstones of play that perpetuated an "Come back Gazza, all is forgiven" approach. He was arguably the best-known footballer in the world not too many years ago, perhaps even the best player in England for a period. But he was also the greatest waste of talent of his generation and history will mean very little to Everton's quest for Premiership points in 2000/2001. It is ironic that a player who has been transferred for millions several times in his career can actually beg the question: Is he worth the free transfer?
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