Paul Gascoigne wishes he could give Wayne Rooney a cuddle and
put a smile back on the face of the under pressure Manchester
United striker.
Gazza, writing in the Daily Mail, says: "It's been a few years
since I was part of the England squad, but I wish I was with them
now. Just so that I could give Wayne Rooney a cuddle.
"When he came off on Saturday, he sprinted over towards the bench
and I'd have liked to have been there to throw my arms around him.
I felt heartbroken for the lad.
"Football was my escape. Whatever troubles I was experiencing, once
I got out there with a ball at my feet, the smile soon returned.
Nobody could hurt me out there, I could express myself and I felt
safe and happy.
"Wayne doesn't look happy and I just want to see him smiling again,
looking like he's enjoying his football. My advice would be to 'get
that cheeky grin back on your face, son, and get your head up, the
form will come.'
"I don't accept that he has a hangover from that World Cup red
card. He is at the best club, with the best manager, in Sir Alex
Ferguson, to deal with these growing pains.
"Please let us not forget he is only 20 and, because he doesn't
rely on pace, he could have another 15 years left at the top if he
avoid injuries.
"I know about the pressure that comes with having ability. Diego
Maradona would have a series of poor games and then conjure
something amazing to remind the world he was special.
"Wayne is just a game or two from delivering that sort of moment,
either with a goal or a free kick or a pass that opens a defence.
He hasn't lost his touch, he's just out of touch."
