In Excess – The Gazza story

“Where’d it all go wrong?” They ask.
Let’s focus on the good first – a much easier task

Magnificent Cruyff turn with the right peg
The sublime Ron Koeman nutmeg

Tears at Italia that captured a nation
Butchering Charles – avoiding arrest at the station

In truth, Gazza was forever living life in mode hyper
Notorious flute antics of the pied piper

Matchless twin towers semi final free kick
Bamboozling concrete block Hendry with the choicest flick

“Howay the lad” - scoring and crying in the Rome derby
Whilst burping unceremoniously on national TV

Behind the Mars bars and the cheeky grin
Lurking blindside was the enemy within

And though countless a cleric preached their sermon
Their lay await many a twisted demon

For Gazza was not going to lead the life of a Mormon
Daft as a brush this Geordie may have been

Wealth and prominence endowed a handy smokescreen
A troubled, but mostly a kind hearted human

An abusive animal at times, needing a headscan
He was exploited, let there be no doubt

Friends, colleagues, like rabbits they would sprout
Bianca - Hated him such, she retained his name

Doner kebabs and booze began to affect his game
Spurred by excess – it affected his swanky game

Eventually tipped over the edge by the Hod factor
As emotions overrode he swung a chair at his detractor

What was needed was a guide, wise and older
He tried; Jones, Robbo, Mc Coist, Five Bellies, Roeder

Alas for one of the greatest talents produced by rights
It could have been so different had he missed the bright lights

Had Sir Alex of Govan nabbed the genius that was so blessed
Rather than his pal El Tel of the glitzy Scribes West.

© Emdad Rahman
www.football-poems.com