ENGLAND yesterday began to prepare for the weekend's World Cup qualifier against Georgia in what might now be regarded as normal circumstances. Dominic Matteo was bothered by a recurrent knee injury, Tony Adams was due at a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous, and Paul Gascoigne bared his soul.

He hated it, moreover like Gypsy Rose Lee, with an expertise born of practice. And after he had been quizzed by reporters who asked him every question except the most obvious, one - When did you stop beating your wife? - he received a round of applause. It was not them media's most glorious moment.

On Friday Glenn Hoddle, the England coach, announced Gascoigne's inclusion in the squad for Saturday's match in Tbilisi despite allegations that the player had battered Sheryl, wife of 14 weeks, during an argument at the Gleneagles Hotel 19 days earlier.

The public reaction was fiercely critical of Hoddle's decision and women's groups were enraged.

Despite Hoddle's explanation that Gascoigne needed help, was having counselling, and that leaving him out now would have been too easy an option, the England, coach has been accused of placing an ability to kick a football better than most above hitting a female.

Yesterday Gascoigne, not Hoddle, decided the time was right for a public show of remorse. By the time he had finished it was tempting to believe that in his 30th year Gazza Cretinus had at last become Gazza Sapiens.

We have been this way before. In the past, whenever Gascoigne has appeared to be on the point of rea pp lying for membership of the human race, he has tended to take a rain check at the last minute. The difference now would appear to be the professional help he decided, to seek after the Gleneagles - incident which left his wife with a badly bruised face and damaged fingers.

"What I did, I really couldn't believe that was me the following morning," Gascoigne explained. So I thought I'd definitely got to sort it out.

"The thing that happened with her, I really regret. I don't blame the likes of women's rights. I don't blame anyone for wanting me kicked out of the squad.

"I'm under pressure a lot more than other players and have been for five or six years, and I've just let everything boil up inside of us instead of just coming out with things. The thin g with me wife was the last straw.

Gascoigne believes he is a different person through the counselling be has already had "the Rangers players have noticed it, the England players here have noticed it, and in time you'll all see it as well" but the world at large may want to reserve judgment.

Something, however, does appear to be getting through. The footballer who told the recent Channel 4 Cutting Edge programme that he did not like to think is clearly beginning to think about where his life was leading.

"Obviously I've done things just out of just out, of er, whatever you call it I've just done it, you know. Later, the next day, I've regretted it. And then I've tried to hide it by joking and that, and pretending I didn't regret it, which I had done.

"I just feel that before I do things now obviously I have to think before doing it, and then I won't be in so much trouble as I have been in the past. I want to be accepted as Paul Gascoigne the footballer and Paul Gascoigne the person.

None of this may survive the first bad tackle on Saturday, either on Gascoigne or by him. For the moment he believes that counselling has made him more relaxed with opponents and referees. "In the past I seemed to hate everybody. That's the one thing I'm getting rid of."

The issue of whether or not Gascoigne stays in the England team has now taken over from the question of Hoddle keeping him in the squad. Hoddle admitted yesterday that he had not yet made up his mind about in Gascoigne on Saturday.

"He'll want to play hut he knows that I've got to make the decision," said the England coach. "That will depend not only on what I've learned about him in the last four weeks but what I also learn, over the next few days.

If he was to be left out this time it could be a test he needs. He might not want it, but he might need it.

At the moment the odds are shifting steadily towards Gascoigne being asked to march through Georgia. But the metamorphosis from Toby Belch to Polonius will take a little longer.