Clutch issues; opinions?

Hey All,

I have an A3 Jetta 2.0L (very modified) that has developed a clutch-
release issue.
The clutch suddenly wouldn't release fully; expected to find the
clutch cable almost broken.
But it's intact and it's been long enough since that it should have
separated entirely by now if that
were the case. Adjusted the cable tension for the sudden slack, (It
has a manual adjust cable, not the
auto-cable) but the release still isn't correct. To shift you have to
match revs, and you'd never get it in gear
from a stop if you hadn't downshifted previously. When starting in
gear - the car tries to move as the clutch
is never fully released.

So here's what I hope - that the operating lever inside the transaxle
is cracked, or the release shaft has
failed somehow. I would expect that if the release arms (tabs?) on the
pressure plate have bent or broken,
shoudn't that make quite a clatter, or at least transmit some nasty
vibration through the clutch pedal?
For now I'm just waiting to use my friends garage because I don''t
want to open the end cap outside where
the breeze could blow crap into the transaxle and FOD it.

Your ideas?

Thanks!
Mike