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ADL Daily - Gazza the man for Garforth as Wilkinson insists Wednesday investment is close
Wednesday 29 September 2010
The man often dubbed as the most naturally-gifted England player there has ever been, but also as the most troubled English footballing icon, Paul Gascoigne, has been appointed first team manager of non-league side Garforth Town.
In a remarkable move, the West Yorkshire outfit’s owner, Simon Clifford, has taken a sizeable gamble in persuading the paradoxically much-maligned and much-loved Gazza to take on the post and give him the chance to once more work within the game he seemingly cannot live without. Gascoigne’s last job in football, as manager of Kettering Town for just nine games in 2005, ended bitterly as the club’s Chairman alleged he turned up to training inebriated. Businessman Clifford, who plans to do away with a number of his business projects in order to set up a charity in November, believes appointing Gazza will be good for the club, the man himself and others who suffer with mental disorders like the former England midfielder has. “I want Paul to be an inspiration to someone who might have depression or problems in their lives. Because Paul had difficulties with bipolar disorder or alcohol doesn't mean he doesn't have something to offer the world. Everyone will get a lift from him. I wanted a bit of fairy dust and I just thought he deserved a chance. I think he needs to be busy and have focus.” Garforth play their football in the Evo-Stik League Division One North.
Sheffield Wednesday Chairman Howard Wilkinson has revealed the truly parlous financial nature of the club in stating receivership would be just around the corner should he walk away from the South Yorkshire side. Wilkinson’s revelation comes after he and the club’s chief executive, Nick Parker, were the brunt of Wednesday supporters’ frustration after their 1-0 home defeat against Southampton at the weekend. The Owls have now lost four matches in succession and fans are clearly not happy about the way their club is being run. However, Wilkinson, who managed Wednesday from 1983 to 1988, insists he is working tirelessly in a bid to find potential investors in the club, and whilst somewhat bizarrely comparing his efforts to the Chilean miner crisis, is convinced success might not be too far away. “How close are we to investment? We're that close. But it's like those miners in Chile. They're told they're going to get out in November, but they won't believe that until they climb out and see the sun in the sky.”
Meanwhile, in Germany, FSV Mainz 05 continue to take the Bundesliga by storm. After winning five out of five before Saturday’s encounter at Bayern Munich they were already top of the table, but now, following a sixth consecutive league win in the Allianz Arena, people are starting to believe Mainz could be genuine title contenders rather than simply a team who just got off to a flyer. Sami Allagui and Adam Szalai got the goals in a deserved 2-1 win to conquer Bayern on their own patch. The reigning champions on the other hand are struggling terribly and not having Arjen Robben available has clearly hampered their start to the season - they have scored just five goals in their six games and not found the net in three of them.
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