Player Watch: Gareth Bale - Retires

[CoopsieDeadpool]

Mourinho went out of his way to praise Kane an Vinicius for their defensive work against Villa. Can't remember his exact words but they were the first two he mentioned. Might have something to do with Bale (and others), might not. But Jose chooses his words carefully.

He doesn't, in my opinion.

What he does, is uses such performances to take a sly swipe at players that haven't impressed him.

I can understand that, to an extent. It does somewhat tell others "put in the same (defensive) effort & I'll appreciate you".

But it can also cause unrest & be divisive. Some people like that approach, others don't & that's precisely why there's as much division in the supporters, as there is (can be) in the changing room.

As a wise man once said. It's a funny old game!

 

[ILS]

It's a shame it's ending like this but too be honest it was all worth it just for the day of his return. I tell my wife and kids at least once a week that it was the greatest day of my life.

 

[spids]

I will be interested to see if Bale puts in more all round effort for Wales in the WC qualifying games than he does for us. I get that playing in a WC for his country is his last 'bucket' item and he will probably retire after the next WC if Wales get there. But as an elite professional player being paid hundreds of thousands of pounds every week he should be putting in 100% effort consistently, in training, in club games, and in internationals. If he is sprinting back after players and sliding into tackles for Wales then he can do one as far as I am concerned and we should not give him another minute to build his fitness up for the Euro's. I think had fans been in the stadium this season Bale would have been giving 100% every minute. But being involved as a bit part player in a poor team in empty stadiums has divorced him from the situation and he is only focused on Wales IMO.

 

[13VanDerBale13]

Were you impressed with what you saw on Thursday from Bale?

Do you think playing Bale when we needed a reaction from the team and players who we would have needed to work as hard as we did for the result would have been a good idea?

You’re missing my point, I’m not defending Bale, I’m simply backing up my point that Jose didn’t like what he saw from Bale (deservedly so) & therefore has had a “falling out”.

 

[13VanDerBale13]

Where did that quote come from? Because there's 2 managers that won't play Bale now...

Came from Jose when Bale hit form (also I’m not defending Bale) just pointing out that Jose is far from impressed otherwise he would have played & I doubt he’ll start many games now unless he pulls his socks up.

 

[Shadydan]

I will be interested to see if Bale puts in more all round effort for Wales in the WC qualifying games than he does for us. I get that playing in a WC for his country is his last 'bucket' item and he will probably retire after the next WC if Wales get there. But as an elite professional player being paid hundreds of thousands of pounds every week he should be putting in 100% effort consistently, in training, in club games, and in internationals. If he is sprinting back after players and sliding into tackles for Wales then he can do one as far as I am concerned and we should not give him another minute to build his fitness up for the Euro's. I think had fans been in the stadium this season Bale would have been giving 100% every minute. But being involved as a bit part player in a poor team in empty stadiums has divorced him from the situation and he is only focused on Wales IMO.

We already know the answer to this - the quicker we accept it the better.

The more I think about this the more I was right about his attitude all along, why would you come to play for a Jose Mourinho team when you know he hasn't and will not ever indulge players or massaged egos. He planned this all along to get fit for Wales for the Euro's, it's no co-incidence that he's stepping up towards the latter end of the season so he can go into the Euro's in peak condition.

If you look into his behavior at Real - sleeping on the bench, holding up signs in Intl duty about Wales>Golf>Madrid - despite what we think about Real and how funny it was at at the time it was massively disrespectful. Zidane stopped picking him because of the type of character that he was and the fact that he wasn't committed and we all blamed Zidane and said Bale was being unfairly treated. I wouldn't say he's done exactly the same thing here but he has shown his level of commitment and has opened my eyes to see what he's truly like as a professional.

We could do without those characters in our dressing room if you ask me.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

I’m not sure how training with Madrid but not playing would have him any less priced fit the euros than training with Spurs but not playing. The suggestion that he didn’t come here to play (and that means play well, as he’d have known enough about Mourinho to know that to play he’d have to impress him) is a new level of extreme reaching in any attempt to disparage the guy.

Wasn’t a great interview and I was disappointed in him but there is no way Bale returned to us last summer if he doesn’t think he’ll be able to hack playing to a standard that’ll see him be a key player for us. Why do it otherwise?

 

[Shadydan]

I’m not sure how training with Madrid but not playing would have him any less priced fit the euros than training with Spurs but not playing. The suggestion that he didn’t come here to play (and that means play well, as he’d have known enough about Mourinho to know that to play he’d have to impress him) is a new level of extreme reaching in any attempt to disparage the guy.

Wasn’t a great interview and I was disappointed in him but there is no way Bale returned to us last summer if he doesn’t think he’ll be able to hack playing to a standard that’ll see him be a key player for us. Why do it otherwise?

Because as an athlete you have to be match fit, not just fit.

You need that match sharpness, muscle memory, intensity, reactions etc especially to compete at the top level - Not only that he wasn't in any sort of mental condition or have that hunger to play football.

Real Madrid weren't about to give him any matches, they didn't include him in the CL squad for a reason and gave his shirt number to Asensio.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Because as an athlete you have to be match fit, not just fit.

You need that match sharpness, muscle memory, intensity, reactions etc especially to compete at the top level - Not only that he wasn't in any sort of mental condition or have that hunger to play football.

Which means that if he wanted to use us as a vehicle to get fit for Wales, he’d have wanted to be in our side playing regularly, and by virtue of that, he’d have believed he’d be able to impress a notoriously difficult to please manager sufficiently to be picked. Ergo... even if he wanted to get fit for Wales, he’d have known that would only be possible if he impressed our manager, otherwise he’s trading one training ground for another.

 

[nico97531]

I’m not sure how training with Madrid but not playing would have him any less priced fit the euros than training with Spurs but not playing. The suggestion that he didn’t come here to play (and that means play well, as he’d have known enough about Mourinho to know that to play he’d have to impress him) is a new level of extreme reaching in any attempt to disparage the guy.

Wasn’t a great interview and I was disappointed in him but there is no way Bale returned to us last summer if he doesn’t think he’ll be able to hack playing to a standard that’ll see him be a key player for us. Why do it otherwise?

Then why say it the way he did, what did he think people’s going to think about what he’s said on coming over to get fit for the euros.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Then why say it the way he did, what did he think people’s going to think about what he’s said on coming over to get fit for the euros.

Not saying I lined the interview, I didn’t, but it really is a storm in a teacup and there could be a multitude of reasons ranging from Bale being a bit stupid to Bale sending a veiled warning to Levy that he’ll lose him if he doesn’t sort out the muppet who picks the team.

 

[wrd]

Then why say it the way he did, what did he think people’s going to think about what he’s said on coming over to get fit for the euros.

He probably thought that people listening would have the language comprehension to understand what "first and foremost" and "but" meant in response to a question. Foolish of him admittedly.

 

[Shadydan]

Which means that if he wanted to use us as a vehicle to get fit for Wales, he’d have wanted to be in our side playing regularly, and by virtue of that, he’d have believed he’d be able to impress a notoriously difficult to please manager sufficiently to be picked. Ergo... even if he wanted to get fit fit Wales, he’d have known that would only be possible if he impressed our manager, otherwise he’s trading one training ground for another.

He had started to play regularly though and Jose would have had to play him at some point regardless - Now is the perfect time to start picking up some mins in preparation for the competition hence why I said it's no co-incidence that he is starting to get into gear now.

 

[popstar7]

He probably thought that people listening would have the language comprehension to understand what "first and foremost" and "but" meant in response to a question. Foolish of him admittedly.

That's the exact point where you can see him hesitate and stop himself just coming straight out and saying the main reason for coming back was to be match fit for the Euros.

 

[wrd]

That's the exact point where you can see him hesitate and stop himself just coming straight out and saying the main reason for coming back was to be match fit for the Euros.

That is grasping at best.

 

[nico97531]

Not saying I lined the interview, I didn’t, but it really is a storm in a teacup and there could be a multitude of reasons ranging from Bale being a bit stupid to Bale sending a veiled warning to Levy that he’ll lose him if he doesn’t sort out the muppet who picks the team.

I don’t mind him saying things about Jose but what he said or didn’t say was aimed at us as a club and the players on the same team, what have the club and the team done to him to deserve being mentioned as a gym club?

 

[nico97531]

He probably thought that people listening would have the language comprehension to understand what "first and foremost" and "but" meant in response to a question. Foolish of him admittedly.

Then I am sorry for misunderstanding, please explain what difference does that makes? Does it means he’s focus wasn’t here to get game fit for the euros?

 

[NEVILLEB]

Bale had just started to deliver too.

 

[kierangill14]

I will be interested to see if Bale puts in more all round effort for Wales in the WC qualifying games than he does for us. I get that playing in a WC for his country is his last 'bucket' item and he will probably retire after the next WC if Wales get there. But as an elite professional player being paid hundreds of thousands of pounds every week he should be putting in 100% effort consistently, in training, in club games, and in internationals. If he is sprinting back after players and sliding into tackles for Wales then he can do one as far as I am concerned and we should not give him another minute to build his fitness up for the Euro's. I think had fans been in the stadium this season Bale would have been giving 100% every minute. But being involved as a bit part player in a poor team in empty stadiums has divorced him from the situation and he is only focused on Wales IMO.

He won't be running about like a headless chicken. His role at Wales has almost always been very much geared around conserving his energy for attacking- and attacking alone. He'll do the bare minimum of getting back into shape if he's playing off the right but can imagine him being left up top with almost no responsibility/ expectation to press.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

I don’t mind him saying things about Jose but what he said or didn’t say was aimed at us as a club and the players on the same team, what have the club and the team done to him to deserve being mentioned as a gym club?

What did he say that, say, Kane or even old Moussa will take as much offence to as you appear to be taking on their behalf?

Strange levels of virtue signaling going on.