Can Bosnich bounce back?

After leaving Aston Villa in 1999, the Australian international went on to blow his chances with both Manchester United and Chelsea.

An initial drugs test proved positive earlier this month, and when a second test sample confirmed the findings, the FA charged him and banned him from playing.

Chelsea have now ended troubled stars contract and Bosnich has recently received treatment for clinical depression.

But Bosnich insists that he has never knowingly taken cocaine - and has hired a top legal team to defend him.

Is there any way back for Mark Bosnich?

Bosnich has been diagnosed with clinical depression. That has been proved to be an illness. It doesn't matter if he's on 400 or 40,000 a week, he's sick and we should help sick people not punish them.

People who say you can't be depressed if you're wealthy when they've got no experience of depression whatsoever are clearly narrow minded. Mental illness still isn't recognised as much as it should be. I think that in 20 years time we will look back and be ashamed of ourselves.
Alastair, England

Actually Brownies' comment about Bosnich going to Arsenal may not be a bad idea. The Gunners need a keeper, Bosnich needs a club (probably already has a house in town) and Wenger if anyone can will turn Bosnich around.

Plus Bosnich isn't going to have a transfer fee or a high wage demand......thanks Brownie you may have solved the Gunners hunt for a keeper!

Dry the bloke out for a few months, get him fit over the summer and slot him into the Treble winning Gunners for next season!
Andy, UK

I hope he sorts himself out and goes on to great things Kevin, England

Am I missing something here? Isn't cocaine a class A drug? So shouldn't he be arrested?
Richard Pasco, UK

Every employer has a no-drug policy, if you are found having done drugs you are sacked. Mark has given money to support the increasing problem of drugs in this country. You never know, this may really impress our young gun-toting drug-taking youth.

Mmmm well done Mark. However, so many people do this and don't get dragged through the papers and have judgement passed by people, like everyone who has posted a comment here. He should be sacked, and we should not write anything about it. I hope he sorts himself out and goes on to great things. Who are we to pass sentence on this man.
Kevin, England

OK, so he has done wrong, but I remember as an Arsenal fan when Merson and Adams both had their problems, mainly Merson with drugs, the team, management and fans stuck by him and he has been clean now for a long time.

Maybe if Chelsea has approached this matter better it could have been avoided - but he is also responsible for his own actions at the end of the day.
Shenika, UK

What now for Bosnich? Rehab for one, and a contract with Arsenal - a club who looks after their alcoholics/gambling addicts etc.
Brownie, UK

He can only have himself to blame and I sincerely hope he invested wisely Colin Hughes, London

He knew what the rules were and he broke them. Chelsea are right to punish him, but to sack him was probably a bit harsh. I reckon Chelsea just used this as an excuse to terminate his contract and avoid any severence pay they would have owed him.

He should get himself sorted, admit he has a problem and look for a new club, I'm sure a Nationwide club would snap him up...
Simon, England

Bosnich at his best was arguably the best shot-stopper in the Premier League. He has suffered a massive fall from grace over the last five years, but it is difficult to have any sympathy for a man who had it all, only to see it gradually disappear.

Bosnich has always reportedly had a problem with weight and fitness, (not to mention his kicking ability) and had he worked a little harder, as many people with far less ability have done so, perhaps he wouldn't be in such trouble now.

In any other profession, anybody as surplus to requirements as Bosnich proved himself to be at Man Utd and Chelsea would have been given the boot a long time ago. He can only have himself to blame and I sincerely hope he invested wisely.
Colin Hughes, London

As a goalkeeper myself I know the pressure of being the last line of defence and the last chance of stopping a goal. I'm not trying to make excuses for Mark Bosnich, but everybody deserves a second chance, even Mark! He's a fantastic goalkeeper and still has a career in front of him.
Jamie Castle, England

Bosnich will be heading home to Australia and will play in one of Australia's home competition sides. He will learn were he came from, and will build back from there. He has already been told by the people from Australia who made him a star, that there is a place for him here waiting for him, and to ground him back down on earth.
Jimmy Simms, Australia

Chelsea need to take a leaf out of Arsenal's book Ballard, Australia

I can't believe anyone is suggesting Bosnich should be 'banned for life'. What right have we to deny a man his livelihood, just because he broke the law? Punishment must be just, not brutal.
James Davey, UK

Having watched Bosnich's career very closely since he was a youngster with Sydney United I, like many Aussies, are very sad to have seen Mark's career wilt away at Chelsea. Having said that, he is still an excellent keeper and he should get out of England and save his career.
Sam, Australia

Mark is a role model for children but he is also human and humans do make mistakes, I do not agree with what he has done but let's listen to the facts before hanging him.
Adam, Australia

Chelsea need to take a leaf out of Arsenal's book. Tony Adams and Paul Merson both had alleged drug usage charges and Arsenal stood behind them and helped them through the problems and they returned to playing many good games for the club.

Chelsea on the other hand are acting like poor employers and have washed their hands of Bosnich and sacked him. Grow up Chelsea, you are part of the problem with Bosnich, you bought him and when he had an injury you left him out to rot. Where was the help he needed, not necessarily with his injury, but with the mental support he needed when this happened? You should be ashamed of yourselves.
Ballard, Australia

Haven't we heard this before? As a Chelsea fan I can't remember the last time he played first team football. As for depression I think 20k a week would make me feel glum to. What planet are we living on?
John, Moscow, Russia

If he has belief in his ability he should find a new club willing to have him Mark Lenczner, Japan

Bosnich is by no means innocent, and should of course be reprimanded somehow. However, let us not be naive here, Bosnich was repeatedly told by one and all years ago he was destined for greatness, put anyone like that on 40k a week, then relegate them to third on the bench and with the temptations of life in London, frankly I'd be impressed by anyone who could hold it together.

Bosnich has been foolish in his choices, but at the same time has been a victim of the 'build them up, tear them down' mentality of the media and football's inner circles. Reprimand, but rehabilitate!
Joe, England

Bosnich was a fairly talented keeper who lost his way. If he can't even merit being second choice keeper, then why should Chelsea continue to pay him when they obviously don't want him?

If he has belief in his ability he should find a new club willing to have him.
Mark Lenczner, Japan

He could always take the No. 29 bus and go to Arsenal - they need a quality goalkeeper!
Jayraj Naugah, Mauritius

Why does everyone assume Bosnich has a 'drug problem' just because he tested positive once? He does however have a stupidity problem, as he risked a fat salary and his career by taking cocaine. Chelsea are right to sack him, as he is not playing and Chelsea are in financial difficulties. Bosnich took a chance and lost; the club are not to blame for his poor judgement.
Steve Turpin, Spain

Bosnich seems to have been dealt with harshly Roy Pinney, England

Tony Adams and Paul Merson were indeed in the same situation, but, unlike Mark Bosnich, neither denied their problems. Both revealed their addictions to the world, made no excuses, went on to overcome their problems and return to top flight football. Mark Bosnich must now do the same or retire to find stability and peace of mind.
Lisa, UK

Why should Chelsea be responsible for sorting out his life? He's been paid a fortune for years and if he can't afford to pay for his own medical treatment why should a club that he's kicked in the teeth pick up the bill?
Dougal McKinnon, UK

As a Chelsea fan, I have some sympathy for Mark Bosnich. Last season, after a long wait, he was finally given a run in the first team, and was playing pretty well before being injured at Everton. Carlo Cudicini came in as replacement, and he has been brilliant ever since. Sadly, this is the way of things with goalkeepers - there is only one place in the side up for grabs.

Bosnich seems to have been dealt with harshly. In these financially pressurised times, this may be Chelsea's way of reducing their massive wage bill by �40,000 a week.

However, in my view the club should be helping Bosnich address his drug use, rather than just abandoning him. With injuries or transfers always a possibility, they may also regret losing a keeper of his calibre before too long.
Roy Pinney, England

Bosnich is a disgrace to the game. What sort of role model is he for the kids of today in a time when we are seemingly so short of model professionals? People involved in drugs should play no part in our 'beautiful' game.
Henry, England

Footballers are looked up to by millions of children all over the world Stephen Parry, Netherlands

Mr Bates has sunk even lower in my eyes. They should at the very least have helped him deal with his problem rather than kick a man when he's down. This decision is purely financial because football no longer has any morals.

I don't have a lot of sympathy for Bosnich either as he should have known better, but Chelsea must take some responsibility for paying a huge wage to someone and then allowing them to get into such an unhappy state that they start drug taking.
David Priddy, UK

As a goalkeeper myself, I know the pressure of being the last line of defence and the last chance of stopping a goal. I'm not trying to make excuses for Mark Bosnich's drugs horror, but everybody deserves a second chance even Mark! He's a fantastic goalkeeper and still has a career in front of him.
Jamie Castle, England

Footballers are looked up to by millions of children all over the world. If Bosnich gets away with not being banned for life what example are we showing the children of today?

Things are bad enough without so called superstars giving weight to the drugs culture. Bosnich can't even get in the Chelsea side and has nothing else to spend his money on. Well done Chelsea for taking a stand. Now let's see the governing bodies of football be so bold and use this as a lesson to others.
Stephen Parry, Netherlands

Most people want Bosnich sacked cause they're not Chelsea fans. I am not a Chelsea fan either but to sack him for doing the same kind of thing as Tony Adams, Paul Merson and numerous other people is not a fair decision.
Jim, UK

These top players who earn enormous salaries cannot expect to get away with claiming no responsibility for their actions off the pitch. Louise O'Hare, Netherlands

A classic tale of greed when he moved to Man Utd and now he is paying the price for unsettling himself.
Ray, Glasgow

It is difficult to see who would take him in the Premiership after two consecutive failures. Bosnich is too good a player to be relegated into the Nationwide where his personality would make it difficult for him to rebuild his career. He should go to Spain, with the example of Westerveld, and use the opportunity that comes with living in the sunshine and in unfamiliar culture to get his career as a top class goalkeeper back on track.
David Ormerod, USA

He deserved to be sacked for this offence which brings both the game and his club into disrepute. These top players who earn enormous salaries cannot expect to get away with claiming no responsibility for their actions off the pitch.
Louise O'Hare, Netherlands

I hope he treats this as a lesson and bounces back to his brilliant best. Davo, UK

If Bosnich had any sense he would have left Chelsea a season ago, with Cudicini and De Goey ahead of him, what chance of getting into the starting line-up? He probably stayed because of the inflated salary he was on. Should have gone to a lesser club where he wouldn't have been able to afford cocaine !
Richard Stafford, UK

I think he got caught up in his own hubris after signing for Man Utd. I hope he treats this as a lesson and bounces back to his brilliant best.
Davo, UK

Just look at the two best examples of the modern era: Adams and Merson. Both battled back from the depths with, unlike Bosnich, the help of their clubs and fans. Personally I would like to see Bosnich get back to the professional game as, at his peak, he was a good player. I admit that they are in privileged positions which many of us would kill for, but as the saying goes "he who is without sin cast the first stone"
Rob Bright, UK

Like it will make a difference. He'll probably write a book about his "Drugs Hell" and some other club will sign him anyway, unless he is banned for life... now there's an idea.
Ray Phillips, England