Football: Gascoigne keen on an England return

SOME with fertile imaginations were put in mind of Eddie Cochrane, others of Diego Maradona, but amid all the extravagant comparisons, one thing remained constant. Gazza was back, and front page news.

Paul Gascoigne's successful first appearance for Lazio on Wednesday night was greeted with a mixture of delirium and hysteria, one of yesterday's newspapers devoting four pages to the match against Tottenham, his goal, and a detailed kick-by-kick assessment of his play.

Under the colossal headline 'Gazza Day', the mass circulation Corriere dello Sport, proclaimed: 'Oh yes, e proprio Paul', which translates as 'oh yes, it's really Paul'. Corriere's rival, Gazzetta dello Sport, led its front page with 'Gascoigne subito a sequo', or 'Gascoigne an instant hit'.

There was no quibbling on that score, and those of cautious disposition are in danger of being swept away on a tide of Gazza-mania. The man himself insists he is ready, and ready not just to make his debut in Serie A against Genoa on Sunday, but also to play for England in the World Cup tie at home to Norway on 14 October.

'I want to be involved in that one,' he said. 'I think I will be in perfect condition by then. Really, I'm all right now.'

Dino Zoff, the Lazio coach, is not so sure. Sixty-six minutes in a friendly against Spurs is one thing, a competitive fixture in the strongest league in the world quite another kettle of carbonara. His inclination is to hold Gascoigne back for another week, at least - and preferably until the cup tie against Cesena of Serie B on 7 October.

The pounds 5.5m question is: dare he do it? Sergio Cragnotti, the mega- rich president who bankrolls Rome's 'Eagles', as Lazio like to be called, announced yesterday that he wanted his most expensive acquisition to play at the weekend. And what Signor Cragnotti wants, Signor Cragnotti usually gets.

He said: 'The coach has to find a way. It is a problem which has to be solved by Dino Zoff. Gascoigne is a great champion, of that there is no doubt. We need him to play because he has great qualities. I would like to see him play against Genoa, but it is Zoff's decision, and we have to be careful. Lazio is not only Gascoigne. If it looks like that, it will create jealousies.'

Too late, Signor. It already has. Asked yesterday if he thought Gazza would play on Sunday, Germany's Thomas Doll shrugged his shoulders contemptuously and said, 'I play', with a heavy emphasis on the 'I'. He will, of course, as will the other German, Karlheinz Riedle. Gascoigne's hope is that he will be the third foreigner permitted, ahead of Aron Winter, the Dutch midfielder.

Nearly 17 months after wrecking his knee, is England's best footballer really as good as new?

Lawrie McMenemy is one of a growing number in no doubt. The England manager, Graham Taylor, is said to be dubious, and talking in terms of the New Year, but his assistant may persuade him that now is the hour, and that even 30 minutes of Gazza's genius might win the Norway game.

In whimsical mood, McMenemy said: 'The situation reminds me of the old Eddie Cochrane song, 'Three Steps to Heaven'. Step One, was playing against Tottenham, Step Two will be when he plays a League game for Lazio, and Step Three when he plays for England.'

Was paradise imminent, perhaps? 'Let's just say I'm pleasantly surprised how well Paul did on Wednesday night.'

In the other corner, the easy- does-it brigade are represented by Giorgio Chinaglia, still the most celebrated Lazio player of them all, who thinks heaven will have to wait.

Chinaglia - they call him Long John locally - is already among the Roman gods of the game after shooting the club to their only Serie A title, in 1973-74. Now the revered host of his own television show, he said yesterday: 'It's a miracle that Gascoigne could come back after so long and play like he did on Wednesday, but I wouldn't play him on Sunday.

'The danger is that the fans expect too much, too soon. Don't forget there are nasty defenders in every Italian team. He is good enough to become a bigger favourite here than I was. He has the sort of appeal which could fill the gap Maradona left.'