Doctor's hopes for ailing Best

George Best’s doctor today confirmed the former Manchester United star had rallied in spirits and was “moderately cheerful” as he continued to improve in a hospital intensive care unit after being struck down with an infection.

Professor Roger Williams said Best had been “pretty miserable” when he was admitted to the private Cromwell Hospital in west London last week but was now improving.

Best’s condition was not directly related to his well-documented struggle with alcohol, according to Prof Williams, but the doctor remains hopeful the Northern Irishman will overcome his drink problem to improve his overall health.

“He can do it – he did it before, get off the alcohol. He has had long spells when he does not drink,” Prof Williams told GMTV.

“He is a very nice person and he never complains. He is a very good patient and I have been his doctor for a good long time. Everybody is different, everybody has problems.”

The former Manchester United footballer was in a “serious, but improving” condition at the hospital.

While alcohol was not the direct cause of his current health problems, he would have been more susceptible to the illness because he has been on a course of medication to suppress the immune system and prevent his body rejecting a new liver.

Best had a life-saving transplant operation in 2002 after his old liver was left ravaged by decades of heavy drinking.

Prof Williams, who has been responsible for Best’s care since the transplant, said it was hoped that the 59-year-old would be moved out of intensive care today before spending at least a week in hospital.

The one-time Northern Ireland international had been taken to intensive care on Sunday night after his condition deteriorated and he became “severely ill”, he added.

Speaking on GMTV, Dr Williams said the infection was probably not in the kidneys but was “much more likely” to be in the lung – a common infection for people taking immuno-suppressant drugs.

Best had been responding to treatment and was in “reasonable shape”, he told Sky News yesterday.

Dr Williams would not say whether Best had been drinking again. But he told BBC Radio Five Live yesterday that his current illness was not “directly related” to his alcoholism.

However, Best’s failure to give up the bottle following his operation three years ago had caused concerns.

“We’re disappointed there’s been these awful bouts of drinking which have gone on and he’s had all these other sorts of social problems,” said Prof Williams, adding “that is life and we try to help the patients as best we can”.

Best’s agent, Phil Hughes, said he brought him to hospital last Monday suffering from flu-like symptoms including shortness of breath and the ex-player had not left since.

Mr Hughes said doctors had now changed the immuno-suppressant drugs which had been causing Best problems.

He was “in and out of consciousness” and was “very weak”, he added yesterday.

“The doctors say he’s on the mend, but he still doesn’t look good to me.”

Best had only been able to speak briefly, smiling and saying “hello” when visited by his son yesterday, Mr Hughes said.

He added that he and Calum had been the only visitors.

Asked outside the hospital how his father was, Best’s son said yesterday: “He’s OK. He’s stabilised.”