Ray Wilkins: I'm sick, not drunk...

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.....Sacked Fulham coach Wilkins reveals he is suffering with the same illness as United's Fletcher

 

Ray Wilkins, sacked as assistant manager by Fulham this week, has revealed he is suffering from the same debilitating illness as Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher.

 

Former Manchester United and Chelsea star Wilkins, 57, has been fighting the chronic bowel disease ulcerative colitis since 1990 along with periodic bouts of depression.

 

Wilkins has decided to reveal his medical condition in order to save his career in football management and rebut drinking allegations.

 

Claims were made from inside Fulham that Wilkins was the worse for wear in the dug-out for the 3-2 home defeat by Liverpool last Wednesday — a result that led to manager Rene Meulensteen and his back-room staff’s dismissal.

 

Wilkins explained that his medical condition can give him the ‘woozy’ appearance of being drunk.

 

‘I need to control the ulcerative colitis with strict medication, which I had not done before the Liverpool game,’ he said. ‘That is the reason I didn’t return to the dug-out after half-time as I needed to be close to a toilet.

 

‘Unfortunately I can look the worse for wear but it is nothing to do with drink. I did have verbals with Brendan Rodgers, but it was nothing.

 

‘I was face to face with (Fulham) chief executive Alistair Mackintosh and the owner Mr Khan straight before the game. And if I had been unable to carry out my duties, they had the right to sack me on the spot. I most certainly hadn’t been drinking on the train before the match.’

 

A clearly agitated Wilkins was involved in a touchline row with Liverpool boss Rodgers at half-time.

 

And Fulham sources suggested that Wilkins had arrived at Craven Cottage not in the best condition having earlier travelled to and from Birmingham by train to watch Fulham Under 21s play Aston Villa.

 

Wilkins was banned from driving for three years after a drink-driving conviction when he was found to be three times over the legal limit.

 

Fulham insiders also said that Meulensteen had tolerated Wilkins not being in the best shape for work on other occasions - seen as one of the reasons for the Dutchman being sacked after just 13 Premier League games.

 

The club’s sensitivity about the conduct of their management that night was due to American owner Shahid Khan being in attendance. And some of the players had voiced concern about whether Wilkins was well enough to carry on coaching.

 

Wilkins added: ‘I didn’t want to make a fuss about my illness, I didn’t tell Rene. Darren Fletcher said how hard it was to tell his team-mates. But I desperately want to carry on in football and there’s no chance of that happening if everyone gets the wrong impression that I have a drink problem.

 

‘I was very stupid about the drink-driving and I have had trouble with depression on occasions. But not since I was back in football. I was so excited about the Fulham challenge, but it’s all about results.’

 

Also leaving Fulham along with head coach Meulensteen, technical director Alan Curbishley and Wilkins are first-team coaches Jonathan Hill and Mick Priest, who were brought from Manchester United by Meulensteen.

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2562351/Ray-Wilkins-says-suffering-bowel-disease-Charles-Sale.html#ixzz2tkqHLQpe

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