Football is “ravaged” by gambling, according to former Arsenal winger Paul Merson, and the suspensions of Sandro Tonali and Ivan Toney are a “disgrace”. Speaking candidly, Merson describes his playing days as those of a “compulsive gambler” who had a “hidden addiction” because it was difficult for others to recognize.
Toney’s eight-month punishment for breaking 232 betting regulations ended in August, while Tonali’s 10-month ban is set to expire in August. “People have no respect for the gambling addiction,” stated Merson. “The suspensions of Ivan Toney at Brentford and Sandro Tonali at Newcastle have demonstrated that.
“To impose 10-month suspensions on individuals for a football addiction that is raging, with sponsorships emblazoned on the jerseys… They required assistance, and I don’t believe that “assistance” entails 10-month prohibitions. We don’t give this addiction enough credit. Instead of saying, “Oh, show a bit of willpower,” we should treat it with some respect. I would advise those who create these regulations and ban individuals to “try to stop that with willpower the next time you get diarrhea.”
Merson played 21 times for England throughout his brilliant career at Arsenal, which included two league titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup, and the European Cup Winners’ Cup. The 55-year-old, who has admitted to having a gambling addiction for his whole adult life, feels that gambling is currently a bigger problem in football than drinking. He said on the Sacked in the Morning podcast, “It’s big in football, it’s a hidden addiction because it’s hard for managers to get hold of.”
“It is simple to conceal. You know, for example, if a player shows up after drinking till four in the morning. “However, you never know until it’s too late whether they lose two hundred thousand dollars in a casino or when betting. “I spoke with Tony [Adams] about Sporting Chance [rehabilitation clinic], and he told me that the ratio of drinking to gambling had changed from 70-30 to 70%. That indicates that it’s a huge deal.
“Clubs believe that gambling won’t actually hurt them or have an impact on their game. More so than booze, though, it will impact their game. “I used to think I was a bad person who was trying to be a good person but I wasn’t, I was an ill person who needed to get well.”Merson was also a player for Middlesbrough, Walsall, and Aston Villa. It was with the Midlands club that he had his one and only taste of managing. I had dreamed of managing football teams since I was around 28 years old. Nothing at school taught me anything. I simply adored football,” he continued.
