Lazio, Zoff on Gascoigne: 'He was a great artist who lost his art, my heart cried for him'
- Apollo Heyes
“I was desperate. He was a great artist who lost his art. I've always envied artists, they create, goalkeepers create nothing. He made me mad with anger, I felt sorry for him, he threw away his art badly. My heart cried for him. It was already clear at the time that once he was done playing, he would have problems.”
The Italian football legend then touched on one memory in particular.
“One year he came to the training camp with 12kg heavier than he should. He showed up with a ponytail and was 12kg fatter. I was desperate. When I saw him arrive at the training ground, I asked who that character was. It was Gascoigne. It's the biggest regret of my career.”
The 77-year-old Italian coached Lazio between 1990 and 1994, returning twice more between 1998 to 2000, and again in 2001. The English midfielder was with the Biancocelesti for three years between 1992 and 1995, quickly becoming a fan favourite at the club.
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