Player Watch: Gareth Bale - Retires

[fletch82]

Giggs would pick Bale with one leg.

There is a very valid reason for that

 

[leelee]

We are all assuming the main motivator is money. He has enough of that already with a lot more to come with a future move to U.S for one last big payday. Inter Miami I reckon.

He's lost his hunger for the game. The money, happy wife, fantastic life in Spain. I don't blame him and would probably be the same. The game is so fickle. Most Spurs fans wanting him out before Harry moved him to left wing and he exploded. Why would he want to put himself through the criticism and haters of English football again. Train with some of the best players in the world, enjoy your golf, enjoy the sunshine and live life. Fuck football. He's not the kind of player who pushes himself like Ronaldo, he never was. His hunger for the game isn't what it was so personally, I wouldn't want him back.

4 champions league winner medals would be enough to satisfy most players.

 

[Phantom]

I don't blame Bale at all for the way he is handling this situation I think Real Madrid have been a disgrace. I don't think he is staying there for the money, its the principle first and foremost, the money is a bonus.

What I do wonder about is the mentality of some who do only want to chase the money, most top players will have more than enough money to live their (even ostentatious) lives easily. With property investment or just plain old playing the markets growing it further. I just wonder if rich people in general see the Forbes list and alike as some kind of high scoreboard, I mean once you a billionaire what drives them to try and obtain more? I better stop before this tongue in cheek post becomes a rant about late stage capitalism.

 

[ronspurs]

There is a very valid reason for that

because Giggs wants to bang his wife?

 

[Yiddo100]

Giggs would pick Bale with one leg.

I’d be inclined to say he’d still be their best player with no legs

 

[mil1lion]

Its not necessarily limited to just yourself or family when it comes to money... I mean that money is for generations ie his kids, grandkids etc.

I just think you couldn't pass up on 60m even if you do have 50m in the bank.

Also let's not forget, he has already been hugely successful so it's not like he is sitting on the bench having been a dud. Zidane appears to have acted like a **** and so have Real. If your employers treated you like shit, make it known they want you out but they dictate which club you go to, it's only right you dig your heals in.

He has a contract and he is being 'loyal' to it.

Being treated like shit how? He's on 600k a week and they're only benching him because he doesn't feature in their plans. Make no mistake he will go if Real Madrid get the right offer just as with any other transfer. I just don't think you can say on one hand he should just stay and earn his 600k a week. Yet on the other hand suggest he's being treated like shit which would surely be reason to leave?

At the end of the day the only reason he hasn't left yet is because he's on 600k a week and nobody will pay that. If he actually wants to leave then he could if he's willing to be reasonable on wage demands. I get that Real Madrid have messed up because they're paying him so much yet don't want him anymore so are struggling to get rid. But he simply doesn't need to earn that much but clearly money is a motivation for some people.

 

[oskathegobshite]

Being treated like shit how? He's on 600k a week and they're only benching him because he doesn't feature in their plans. Make no mistake he will go if Real Madrid get the right offer just as with any other transfer. I just don't think you can say on one hand he should just stay and earn his 600k a week. Yet on the other hand suggest he's being treated like shit which would surely be reason to leave?

At the end of the day the only reason he hasn't left yet is because he's on 600k a week and nobody will pay that. If he actually wants to leave then he could if he's willing to be reasonable on wage demands. I get that Real Madrid have messed up because they're paying him so much yet don't want him anymore so are struggling to get rid. But he simply doesn't need to earn that much but clearly money is a motivation for some people.

I think the thing that's missing here is that when Madrid gave him that massive contract it was also probably with the understanding that he would be a key player there, respected for his contributions to their massive successes etc.

Because they no longer rate him they don't want to pay the wages anymore, well tough. It's not really supported by his performances either, he is still a quality player and you could argue his contribution last season was at least as valuable as Hazards

He has been unlucky with injuries but this can happen to any player, the fact is he has been a good player for them and their treatment of him has been scandalous when you look at what he has achieved

Unfortunately recently he and his agent have resorted to playing some silly games, probably due to Real changing their mind about the China deal, but I still think he has been harshly treated and I still think if he ends up at another European club he's got a couple of decisive seasons left at the top level. I fully understand however why he is standing his ground, especially if he feels he can play another 3-4 years

Having said that I don't think he is the right player for us and the finances mean it could never happen anyway...

 

[nailsy]

When do the transfer windows in England and Spain close? You'd think that any deal for Bale would go through at the end of the window.

 

[mil1lion]

I think the thing that's missing here is that when Madrid gave him that massive contract it was also probably with the understanding that he would be a key player there, respected for his contributions to their massive successes etc.

Because they no longer rate him they don't want to pay the wages anymore, well tough. It's not really supported by his performances either, he is still a quality player and you could argue his contribution last season was at least as valuable as Hazards

He has been unlucky with injuries but this can happen to any player, the fact is he has been a good player for them and their treatment of him has been scandalous when you look at what he has achieved

Unfortunately recently he and his agent have resorted to playing some silly games, probably due to Real changing their mind about the China deal, but I still think he has been harshly treated and I still think if he ends up at another European club he's got a couple of decisive seasons left at the top level. I fully understand however why he is standing his ground, especially if he feels he can play another 3-4 years

Having said that I don't think he is the right player for us and the finances mean it could never happen anyway...

Again people saying he is being mistreated and also saying he should dig his heels in and see out his contract. It just doesn't make sense to me when he should get the hell out of there then. Yet another transfer window with him for sale and I guess again next year if he doesn't leave now. There is literally only one thing keeping him there and that's his wages. Nothing to do with Madrid having to pay his wages (because they have no choice) but other clubs not able too. If he doesn't leave then it's clear to me he's more concerned about the money. I fancy he'll be available at a good price but will he lower his wage demands?

 

[spids]

Giggs would pick Bale with one leg.

You are probably right. But Bale would want to star for his country and try and have success. I think he is realistic enough to know that not playing for the best part of 18 months prior to the tournament, and not at all in the 12 months leading up to it, would mean would not be at the races at all.

 

[C0YS]

I agree, it does look like he’s more focussed on the money than the football. I didn’t understand the China deal at the time, it felt like he was resigned to playing at a lower level.
The strategy he’s employing now looks exactly the same- it’s all about the money.
Fine-But if that’s the case, then we should forget about him coming to us because he’s simply not interested in football any more.

What I don’t understand is this:
Most days he still has to go into training, working with the manager and teammates who he’s clearly got no bond with. I can’t see why he’d want to work in that environment- certainly for another year.
Im sure list of us would be looking to leave a job that we hated, and the biggest barrier to doing so would likely be the financial security. Clearly that’s not an issue for him, so why put yourself through it?

I think it's important to note that football is not like most jobs. They work 10-15 hours a week and spend a lot of time resting and recuperating at home. It's not like most people where our jobs is, like, half our weekly life (if not more).

 

[Ledley's Right Foot]

I've often wondered whether there is resentment in the dressing room over his wages. Not his fault that RM pay him so much but I get the feeling Zidane suspects the other players don't accept him. He must be the highest paid player there and I noticed when all the trouble kicked off, it was the other players who were coming out in the press. He seems the outsider in that team. Hopefully he gets a move this summer but it's an intractable problem for RM and Bale with the finances. Regardless of whether he comes to spurs, I would love to see him playing again - what a player, some of my best memories of being at spurs games involved watching Bale do things that seem impossible.

 

[mr ashley]

I think it's important to note that football is not like most jobs. They work 10-15 hours a week and spend a lot of time resting and recuperating at home. It's not like most people where our jobs is, like, half our weekly life (if not more).

To be honest I was making that point more in reference to the comments about sitting on his arse all day for 600k a week. I wasn’t commenting on the length of their working day, which in any case I think is largely irrelevant.
For clarity, I was questioning why anyone would willingly chose to work in a toxic environment (for even 3hrs a day- not excluding match days or travelling to and from away games of course), when they could afford not to.
His body language in the recent celebrations and whilst on the bench certainly make it look like he’s not part of the team anymore.

 

[FibreOpticJesus]

To be honest I was making that point more in reference to the comments about sitting on his arse all day for 600k a week. I wasn’t commenting on the length of their working day, which in any case I think is largely irrelevant.
For clarity, I was questioning why anyone would willingly chose to work in a toxic environment (for even 3hrs a day- not excluding match days or travelling to and from away games of course), when they could afford not to.
His body language in the recent celebrations and whilst on the bench certainly make it look like he’s not part of the team anymore.

To be honest I think this shows the strength of his will power to suffer this form of bullying. I have no sympathy with RM. They inflated the market when they brought him. They inflated the market when they paid him his initial signing on fee and salary. They inflated the market when they paid him his £600k new salary. Why therefore should we or the general public castigate him for having the balls to hold them to their agreement? RM had the chance to offload him to China and then pulled the plug. Those saying that he should let RM of the hook and move on for a lower salary seem to want to strengthen RM's ability to buy more players than they currently can due to Bale holding them to their written agreement. Why would any Spurs supporter wish to strengthen RM's financial position.

 

[brasil_spur]

I don't really get what people expect Bale to do. Would you give up 30m a year or 60m remaining on his contract and go somewhere dictated to by the very club who doesn't want you?

If someone paid me 60m to sit on my arse or to play golf I'll take it.

No one is asking him to give up money, the expectation is for him to engineer a move to a club where he can get paid £60m and play some top tier football as well as his golf.

 

[mr ashley]

To be honest I think this shows the strength of his will power to suffer this form of bullying. I have no sympathy with RM. They inflated the market when they brought him. They inflated the market when they paid him his initial signing on fee and salary. They inflated the market when they paid him his £600k new salary. Why therefore should we or the general public castigate him for having the balls to hold them to their agreement? RM had the chance to offload him to China and then pulled the plug. Those saying that he should let RM of the hook and move on for a lower salary seem to want to strengthen RM's ability to buy more players than they currently can due to Bale holding them to their written agreement. Why would any Spurs supporter wish to strengthen RM's financial position.

Madrid did all of these things, that’s true.
I just don’t see how Bale fights the system and wins.
So he holds them to his contract- and sits in the stands for 2 more years. Ok he’s got the money but his career is over.
If he agrees a move, he salvaged his career (and still earns handsomely no doubt).
In any case, do you seriously believe that any element of this situation would alter Madrid’s approach to transfers?
I don’t think they’d behave any differently in their pursuit of Harry Kane in any way, regardless of how this pans out. It wasn’t like they acted any differently when they signed Hazard.

 

[C0YS]

To be honest I was making that point more in reference to the comments about sitting on his arse all day for 600k a week. I wasn’t commenting on the length of their working day, which in any case I think is largely irrelevant.
For clarity, I was questioning why anyone would willingly chose to work in a toxic environment (for even 3hrs a day- not excluding match days or travelling to and from away games of course), when they could afford not to.
His body language in the recent celebrations and whilst on the bench certainly make it look like he’s not part of the team anymore.

I'm saying that working in a toxic environment for a few hours a day, isn't anywhere near as hard as working full time in a toxic environment. Particularly if you don't really care about how you do in your job.

Go into work, run around a few hours, go home and do something you love (golf) and it's all good. As long as your able to disassociate work from life. It would be hard for Bale if he cared, if he doesn't it really isn't that hard.

 

[FibreOpticJesus]

Madrid did all of these things, that’s true.
I just don’t see how Bale fights the system and wins.
So he holds them to his contract- and sits in the stands for 2 more years. Ok he’s got the money but his career is over.
If he agrees a move, he salvaged his career (and still earns handsomely no doubt).
In any case, do you seriously believe that any element of this situation would alter Madrid’s approach to transfers?
I don’t think they’d behave any differently in their pursuit of Harry Kane in any way, regardless of how this pans out. It wasn’t like they acted any differently when they signed Hazard.

But that's my point. He is winning and its infuriated Zidane and RM. Win win

 

[HedgieSpur]

Im curious as to why Real blocked the China deal. Surely if they wanted him gone so badly they would have pushed it through? (by not asking for a fee)

 

[C0YS]

But that's my point. He is winning and its infuriated Zidane and RM. Win win

He's winning in the smallest sense of the word!

He is winning financially and in being a pain. In terms of making the best out of his football career he isn't at all winning. But, that's the thing, he doesn't seem motivated to change that and would rather win in that way. Good for him, but it is such a waste, a massive waste of talent and I don't think anyone can really argue against that.