Good Luck GB

[davros]

He's become a great player. I really hope the stories in the press are fiction and that Bale shows himself to be of the same class off the field as he is on it. I like to see classy individuals succeed.

Perhaps missing training was a way of minimizing the inevitable media frenzy and keeping everyone focused ahead of a big weekend. I really hope so. But regardless of how he's conducted himself through this, as long as we move forwards after this, I'm happy. I have no desire to see Bale fail at Real; I just don't want us to miss him once he's gone.

 

[StartingPrice]

Don't see how there can be any negativity towards Gareth Bale. He came to WHL, gave us the best individual display of brilliance that we as fans have seen arguably since our club began and left us with a world record sum of money to fill the gap.

All the best GB11, thanks for you service!

I agree with you that the club were probably as keen as him and his advisers that he not pick up any needless injuries - we were clearly willing to listen to offers, and this is a hell of a lot of money to miss out on if it also means not laving the player available to play due to injury.

I would have to disagree, however, that we have no reason to feel aggrieved: he has shown a distinct lack of respect in a manner that could have harmed the club's negotiating position both with RM and with other clubs we are seeking to buy players from. Personally, I'm also a little bit miffed that he was made privvy to our plans and stated that not only was he happy to stay, but also excited about it, and that we negotiated with players, like Paulinho, on the basis that we had assurances that he was staying - just for him to change his position completely once RM realised that their financial position meant they probably wouldn't be able to afford him next season, and want to start milking him now.

Ultimately, that was a pathetic and not very nice thing for RM to do, and Bale should rightly have been miffed with them...instead he has potentially harmed us. Blame his advisers all you want, he, and they, should still have shown a bit more respect and understanding of our position. It is AVB I feel sorry for, he has seen personal friend William completely and publicly shaft him to the overwhelming joy of the club who very nearly ruined him and delight in any slight they can heap on him still, and within days he has seen lovely Gareth, who owes it all to AVB and wants to work with him again very publicly slighting him, too.

Overall, I think the problem is this: once one club approaches another, the player himself and his representatives, should be completely isolated from the situation to the point where none of their statements or actions can affect the balance in negotiations one way or another - no player should be able to potentially aid his prospective new employers to the detriment of his current employers, IMVHO.

 

[BobC]

There is definitely some over-reactions in here. Especially when none of us know what is truly happening behind the scenes.

Given the considerable spend so far this summer, I do not think it a quantum leap to imagine Levy has been banking on selling Gareth should we receive an acceptable offer.

I can well imagine Gareth being instructed to steer clear of injury and refrain from any comments to the press. If so he has followed these orders - thus keeping his price high. This is in stark contrast to the treatment we received from Modric and Berbatov.

I daresay he was fully expecting to move to Madrid over the last few days. It is only Madrid's failure to meet our asking price that has resulted in his return to the UK.

I will always remember GB fondly. He is the best player that I have ever seen play for my beloved Spurs in 30 years. We are very unlikely to have someone that good within the foreseeable future.

Thanks for the good times and the chance to rebuild our first team with all the cash from your sale.

I don't blame GB. I don't blame Madrid. I just wish we were big enough to take their best players.

 

[Damian99]

See ya.

 

[shelfmonkey]

Can't believe someone supposedly so wholesome and homely would want to ply his trade in snake pit at such a classless ****y club in a precession of a 'league', the boy is starstruck, deluded twat. I truly believe the experience could ruin him!!!

 

[$hoguN]

How can anyone wish him luck when he is showing huge disrespect to the club, the fans, his team mates and AVB?

When Carrick left for a lot of money I wished him luck, I did the same with VDV. There is a right way and wrong way to do things, Bale is doing things the wrong way, so doesn't deserve us wishing him luck at all imo.

 

[carpediem991]

His disrespect towards the fans, the club and the officials is pathetic. Fine him.

Thanks for the good memories Gareth, maybe I will begin to cheer you soon again, but just get Eriksen and Lamela and fuck off.

 

[Ribble]

He's become a great player. I really hope the stories in the press are fiction and that Bale shows himself to be of the same class off the field as he is on it. I like to see classy individuals succeed.

There is definitely some over-reactions in here. Especially when none of us know what is truly happening behind the scenes.

Haven't read the press conference stuff today?

 

[CosmicHotspur]

He may find himself on the bench more than he would wish.

RM may win nothing this season.

We may win some silverware this season.

What goes around often does come around and Karma may kick in.

 

[Geyzer Soze]

He's going to need the good luck.

So far as I can see he is an amazing player, one of the best. But he is not QUITE there yet, will face a hostile reception from major players in Madrid, will have to live up to a world record (or close to world record) fee .... It does not seem to me that he has the mental toughness to rise above all that and blow everyones socks off at the highest level, which is what he must do.

Good luck indeed. Be careful what you wish for, you may get it!

 

[Third Kit '87]

My favourite player since Gazza wore the shirt at his peak... but good riddance to anyone who goes on strike to force a move. He's tarnished his legacy. We move on.

 

[CowInAComa]

another **** slithers off then.

just move on. it will happen again in the next few years. and again. and again.

 

[CosmicHotspur]

No club will ever love him the way we did. Another broken love affair...

 

[Paq]

I've no problem with Bale wanting to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world, especially as he's never hidden his desire to play abroad. However, he's acted like a twat in all of this and I would never have expected that from him. It's all very disappointing that it has to end like this but it has and for that reason it's too soon for me to be wishing him luck. I will at some point, as I now do with Modric, but it's too soon.

 

[$hoguN]

Just a point, but are Madrid really the biggest club in the World?

I think a fair argument could be put forward for Barca, Bayern Munich and Man Utd having a greater claim to that accolade.

 

[domw001]

When Ronaldo left ManU he was a good player. His time at RM has turned him into a great player and suggests that would return to OT at the drop of a hat once his contract expires.

I would like the think the same of GB, that we are just sending him off on a "training course" for a few seasons so he can return a better player. Unfortunately with all parties seeming to be at each others throats, we probably wont see him in a Spurs shirt again

Good Luck GB

 

[RuskyM]

Best player I've ever seen play for us.

I really wish I was still sad to see him go.

 

[Misfit]

I won't wish him luck as he'll not need it. Imagine him in La Liga with the space and reffing there. It'll be carnage for the oppo.

If I cared about players anymore I suppose I'd feel the usual contempt but that ship sailed a while back. He's dropping us at the first opportunity. Just as the club does with players who don't live up to expectations.

Just the way football is. I'll be glad when the window shuts and we can concentrate on supporting the players we do have and watching us playing some footy without all of this background noise.

 

[Marcus_spur]

TBH I have no problem with a Welsh Southampton prospect we hired wanting to play for RM. How he has acted, however, for that he can go do that thing to himself which I can´t mention for fear of banishment. Bu he can go do that thing off.

On the bright side - this might have funded a realistic title challenge.

 

[StartingPrice]

First there was ratboy, now monkey ears. If Levy lets this go, come next summer, we'll see the same happening to whoever will be doing well this season.

I totally disagree: we have used the sales of Carrick and Berbatov to improve - it is a myth that you can't show ambition if you sell players. We are now in a position to resist United when they come in for players. I see no reason why we can't do exactly the same with Modric and Bale viz Real Madrid. We have spent well, improving the squad on the back of an absurd transfer fee - and, yes, he was worth every penny of our demands, we set it deliberately absurd as we didn't really want to sell him and didn't really need to. Now we have a squad genuinely capable of challenging, with young players on long contracts without abusing the wage bill too much. We have one of the most highly rated young managers in the county, an exceptional youth set-up, the best youth youth personnel in the country (Liam Brady's words, not mine), the state-of-the-art training facility in Europe, if not the World, and a new stadium taking shape.

In the meantime, the economic and political landscape is changing in Spain. RealBarcaMadridLona are set to lose their disproportionate slice of the TV money pie, they will no longer get away with not paying taxes and with being bailed out by their city councils (I think most of this applies to Madrid, really). This is why they decided they had to push for the move right now, no matter who they pissed off. Gareth Bale may prove to be the last of the Galaticos, and if he doesn't we will be in a much better position to resist any further incursions* anyway.

*I am anticipating the addition of more young talents over the coming week; the attainment of CL football; and the completion of a new stadium. Compare the position all of this would put us in with our current position, narrowly missing CL, competing in Europa, putting up a strong rear-guard but ultimately losing our best player, being in a position where Chelsea can nip in and steal Willian from under our noses. We are just on the cusp of being in by the end of this season I expect us to be all the way there.

I don't really have any negativity toward him personally - that being said I still hope he flops at Real and Real win fuck all

Just because I feel it will reflect better on us - for a team to receive a massive fee for a player who then underachieves will be more satisfying than a player who goes on to bigger better things and makes you think what if

Plus I really don't like or respect Real as a club and I hope Barca dominate them and they do fuck all in Europe

My only reason for wanting Bale to do well in Spain would be the notion of him flopping and then coming back to England quickly in a Chelsea or Man U shirt

Yup...

Life is too short for ill feeling, good luck.


He's gonna need it

...but, ultimately, this is probably the best way to deal with this. He's not going to be ungone just because we wind ourselves up and get all stressed out over this. He has helped elevate us, given us some magical moments, and brought in an absurd amount of cash that will be used to finally push us the last few steps over the line, IMVHO.
TBH, on reflection, it may even be that this was all concocted between Levy and Perez to allow us to build a team that can genuinely challenge slightly under the radar, retarding the Goons, in particular, while Madrid get what they want - after all, this has been on the cards for quite a while, I'm sure they could have got it done much earlier if they had any desire to. Just a thought. RM still wind me up, though.