Paul Gascoigne asks: ‘Where was the intensity?’ after England’s draw with Ireland

Gascoigne, 48, appeared 57 times for England and over 400 times for professional clubs around Europe but after he retired in 2004, has struggled since with alcoholism and personal problems.

Former England footballer Paul Gascoigne has said the current team under Roy Hodgson lack the passion he was famous for, and that he cannot bear to watch much football these days because he misses playing so much.

Gascoigne, 48, appeared 57 times for England and more than 400 times for Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio and Scottish club Rangers. He retired in 2004, has struggled since with alcoholism and personal problems, and is promoting this week a new documentary, Gascoigne, about his life and career.

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“I hardly try and watch games because I still wish I was playing,” he said in a BBC radio interview. “I cannot handle watching players getting lots of money and not putting 100 per cent in. The fans paid for my house, my car, my holidays – but I’ve seen players score a goal, even for England, and just walk back,” to restart the game.

“There are young kids there seeing that and thinking it means nothing to score goals. I don’t like that.”

He took up that theme in an interview with the Daily Mail where he said of England's widely criticised goalless draw with Republic of Ireland on Sunday: "Where was the intensity? Where were the characters in this England team? Nowhere.

“I would be in the England dressing room with Bryan Robson and Terry Butcher and they would be screaming ‘nobody comes into my house and takes anything’.”

Another England player of that era, Kenny Sansom, was reported on Sunday to be a homeless alcoholic.

Gascoigne said he had tried to assist his former teammate.

“I can’t help him, no one in the world can help unless he puts his hand up and says he needs help,” Gascoigne said.

England’s next game is away to Slovenia on Sunday. Hodgson’s side sit top of Euro 2016 qualifying Group E on 15 points.

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