Gareth Bale Returns To Spurs On Loan

[Harry]

If you assume cooler heads will prevail and he'll ultimately move on this summer, who signs Bale? United? Spurs?

A European club?

[Danny]

Zidane comment seems unprofessional when translated in English but I get the impression it’s one of those things that’s part and parcel in Spain

[Inverted]

Unless Madrid are basically willing to let him go out for free and pay almost all of his wages I don't see who will take him except United. 

Just paying half wages (£300k a week) would already make his demands unacceptable to a Spurs or even a Bayern. Not to mention the fact alone that a player near the end of his peak with injury problems doesn't fit into any sensible transfer strategy. 

[SirBalon]

News filtering in that Real Madrid are so desperate to get rid of Gareth Bale that they’re willing to let him go for free (without a transfer fee). Zinedine Zidane is adamant that he won’t even call him up for squads and that the club know his thoughts from before he resigned as head coach.

Absolutely nobody has come in for Bale, not even enquiring according to journalists close to Real Madrid. Not even on loan!

So the only option would be to let him go for free and hope that someone takes on the 30 year old’s massive salary demands which he gets at Real and is the reason he has refused to entertain any options of departure. 

[Mel81x+]

45 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

News filtering in that Real Madrid are so desperate to get rid of Gareth Bale that they’re willing to let him go for free (without a transfer fee). Zinedine Zidane is adamant that he won’t even call him up for squads and that the club know his thoughts from before he resigned as head coach.

Absolutely nobody has come in for Bale, not even enquiring according to journalists close to Real Madrid. Not even on loan!

So the only option would be to let him go for free and hope that someone takes on the 30 year old’s massive salary demands which he gets at Real and is the reason he has refused to entertain any options of departure. 

From what I have been reading hes basically in retirement mode already and I can't see anyone taking that kind of expense on except the bigger clubs and all of them are in the process of acquiring active targets as well. What a shame when you think of how good he really could have been.

[SirBalon]

7 minutes ago, Mel81x said:

From what I have been reading hes basically in retirement mode already and I can't see anyone taking that kind of expense on except the bigger clubs and all of them are in the process of acquiring active targets as well. What a shame when you think of how good he really could have been.

He’s been a waste of time for a long while now. Even when he had those moments which is what he’s literally been about at Real Madrid. Clubs like Real don’t sign players on that much investment for “moments”. He should’ve taken up golf a long time ago.

[LFCMike]

United half an hour before the transfer deadline written all over it

[Rick]

600k a week though

[SirBalon]

22 minutes ago, Rick said:

600k a week though

Hype mate! Real got done by the hype!

I’ve been subject to hype though, so I can’t speak. I never did get my money back for paying to watch Avatar. Halfway through the movie I thought; “they’ve actually made me pay to watch someone else play a shit console game”. By the way, I did genuinely try to get my money back. Nobody ever answered me though. 

[Rick]

1 hour ago, SirBalon said:

Hype mate! Real got done by the hype!

I’ve been subject to hype though, so I can’t speak. I never did get my money back for paying to watch Avatar. Halfway through the movie I thought; “they’ve actually made me pay to watch someone else play a shit console game”. By the way, I did genuinely try to get my money back. Nobody ever answered me though. 

Haha that film is truly awful. 

[RandoEFC+]

Now that we can all put our captain hindsight hats on, going back to when Bale joined Real Madrid, it was commonly accepted opinion that he was in the top 5 players in the world, many people rated him as the next best after Ronaldo and Messi, and expected him to take over from Ronaldo as Madrid's new talisman in time.

So my question is, who here always thought he was overrated? And who here thinks he was/should have been as good as we all thought and it just hasn't worked out?

I personally took a while to buy into him when he first hit proper form at Spurs but by the time he got his move to Madrid I was certainly in the camp that he'd be almost as good as Ronaldo for them and would be more than ready to take on that mantle when Cristiano started to feel his age. As it happens, Bale is the one who has declined heavily first despite being 4 years younger.

[SirBalon]

6 hours ago, RandoEFC said:

Now that we can all put our captain hindsight hats on, going back to when Bale joined Real Madrid, it was commonly accepted opinion that he was in the top 5 players in the world, many people rated him as the next best after Ronaldo and Messi, and expected him to take over from Ronaldo as Madrid's new talisman in time.

So my question is, who here always thought he was overrated? And who here thinks he was/should have been as good as we all thought and it just hasn't worked out?

I personally took a while to buy into him when he first hit proper form at Spurs but by the time he got his move to Madrid I was certainly in the camp that he'd be almost as good as Ronaldo for them and would be more than ready to take on that mantle when Cristiano started to feel his age. As it happens, Bale is the one who has declined heavily first despite being 4 years younger.

I don’t think anyone will be able to say that hindsight hasn’t played a big part in coming to the conclusion that there was a lot of white smoke in the Bale thing.

The comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo’s game which is based on physical prowess looked normal to assume.

The criticisms come on from which point were questions already being raised as to how he wasn’t in that league of players?

[SirBalon]

Zinedine Zidane issues his most damning comments relating to Gareth Bale to date.

After the 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich in a pre-season friendly, he was asked what Gareth Bale’s future holds as he hasn’t featured at all in any of Zidane’s lists.

Zidane had these no holds barred words to say about the Welsh footballer;

”As far as I’m concerned Bale can leave tomorrow. His time is up here, there’s no way back and it’s best for me, the the team, the club and I would expect that once he comes to terms with it, for him too.”

”He knows my thoughts and the club knows how I feel from a very long time ago. Maybe this makes things clear and I won’t be answering any more questions on this subject any more.” 

[DeadLinesman]

This is what happens when you score a better goal than your manager to win the Champions League.

[SirBalon]

3 minutes ago, DeadLinesman said:

This is what happens when you score a better goal than your manager to win the Champions League.

I think it has more to do with secretly practicing more at golf to eventually beat your coach.

[Bluewolf]

There is something thoroughly arrogant and dislikable about Zidane... 

[SirBalon]

Are people here aware of Bale’s attitude and things he’s said and done?

Let’s start there because if the case is one of not being aware of the whole story then that’s understandable and forgivable. Because otherwise it could only really be because Bale is British which I don’t want to think about as the times we leave I’m already vomiting nationalistic putridness. 

[Batard]

It's pretty despicable behaviour really by Zidane, who's always been a bit of self righteous cunt but most people hadn't been quite aware of the extent. He's not the modest and humble person, this image cultivated from God knows where. Bale hasn't helped his own cause but this is ridiculous, he's still more than good enough to play for Real. 

[SirBalon]

Ok, let me try and go through some Bale issues at Real off the top of my head because I’m on holiday and I can’t be arsed to search for them all so my timeline will probably be off kilt.

All of this goes back even as far as four years ago!

- Bale demands he plays on the left and Gareth’s agent is subsequently banned from the training grounds (this one actually about 5 years ago)

- Gareth Bale refuses to play a game against Atlético Madrid when selected because he had been dropped the week previous. In the end he gives in and plays only to be taken off when Spain’s live media is shocked at his on-pitch lack of commitment that was self evident. (This one about 3 years ago and is the start of the bad relationship between coach and player).

- The Welsh footballer takes a day off training to participate in a golf tournament in Málaga. Real had played Málaga the previous day and didn’t return on the plane with the team which is permissible but must make his own arrangements to assist the following day to evening training. (This one 3 years ago and where the golf issues start)

- Again Gareth Bale demands a more central role in matchday affairs and makes his agent go public about it. Zidane seemingly gives in and plays in that position against Barcelona. Real lose 0-4 at the Santiago Bernabéu where Zidane is questioned on why Bale played where he played as he had unbalanced the team.

- Champions League Final two years ago and Bale scores a scorcher where after the game instead of showing his happiness when interviewed on the pitch he talks about how pissed-off he was at being a sub.

- End of season and Zidane tries to clear the air with Gareth Bale and they have a meeting. Bale insists his agent is present and instead of it being a reconciliation, Bale’s agent is there to make demands on where he should play the following season (more central, again).  Zidane is furious at this and that same evening is the end of season annual meeting between technical team, coaching staff, coach and the president, Florentino Pérez.  They’re planning the following season and Zidane informs the board of the issues surrounding Bale of which they are aware. Zidane demands Bale be sold and instead the president tells him that Cristiano Ronaldo will be leaving for Juve and that this makes it impossible for Bale to leave also in the same summer. Zidane makes a public shock resignation that very night.

- Bale goes public that he won’t leave and makes a quirk about how he loves playing golf, has a great contract and plans to see it out. If he doesn’t play, he’ll just dedicate more time to golf... This pisses-off the club as it’s a mark of disrespect... They then start offering him out to every top European club but nobody wants Bale.

 

Now... I’ve missed out tons of stuff, lots more because I can’t recall the exact details and because it would all take too long.

I’m no Real Madrid sympathiser at all, quite the contrary. I have nothing against Bale other than my criticisms at what I’ve seen and commented on about football. I’m totally with Zidane on this... Bale has gone public too many times, taken the piss out of the club and his life in Spain as a professional footballer. There is no defence at all in this case from my point of view.

As for Zidane’s persona, character... Well I’ve always found the judgement on him being a model character rather bemusing to be honest because there are plenty pf examples to the contrary. But that makes him a normal human being actually because it only becomes an issue when the saintly figure is overblown to then find out there’s really no such thing.

[6666]

If those quotes are true then that's pretty shitty from Zidane. I'm not a big fan of Gareth Bale as his general play is pretty crap but he's provided many game changing moments for Real Madrid and the way he's being treated is pretty ridiculous. Them wanting to move him on is one thing but them doing it the way they are is quite disgusting.

These big clubs in Spain really have no class.

[Batard]

4 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

Ok, let me try and go through some Bale issues at Real off the top of my head because I’m on holiday and I can’t be arsed to search for them all so my timeline will probably be off kilt.

All of this goes back even as far as four years ago!

- Bale demands he plays on the left and Gareth’s agent is subsequently banned from the training grounds (this one actually about 5 years ago)

- Gareth Bale refuses to play a game against Atlético Madrid when selected because he had been dropped the week previous. In the end he gives in and plays only to be taken off when Spain’s live media is shocked at his on-pitch lack of commitment that was self evident. (This one about 3 years ago and is the start of the bad relationship between coach and player).

- The Welsh footballer takes a day off training to participate in a golf tournament in Málaga. Real had played Málaga the previous day and didn’t return on the plane with the team which is permissible but must make his own arrangements to assist the following day to evening training. (This one 3 years ago and where the golf issues start)

- Again Gareth Bale demands a more central role in matchday affairs and makes his agent go public about it. Zidane seemingly gives in and plays in that position against Barcelona. Real lose 0-4 at the Santiago Bernabéu where Zidane is questioned on why Bale played where he played as he had unbalanced the team.

- Champions League Final two years ago and Bale scores a scorcher where after the game instead of showing his happiness when interviewed on the pitch he talks about how pissed-off he was at being a sub.

- End of season and Zidane tries to clear the air with Gareth Bale and they have a meeting. Bale insists his agent is present and instead of it being a reconciliation, Bale’s agent is there to make demands on where he should play the following season (more central, again).  Zidane is furious at this and that same evening is the end of season annual meeting between technical team, coaching staff, coach and the president, Florentino Pérez.  They’re planning the following season and Zidane informs the board of the issues surrounding Bale of which they are aware. Zidane demands Bale be sold and instead the president tells him that Cristiano Ronaldo will be leaving for Juve and that this makes it impossible for Bale to leave also in the same summer. Zidane makes a public shock resignation that very night.

- Bale goes public that he won’t leave and makes a quirk about how he loves playing golf, has a great contract and plans to see it out. If he doesn’t play, he’ll just dedicate more time to golf... This pisses-off the club as it’s a mark of disrespect... They then start offering him out to every top European club but nobody wants Bale.

 

Now... I’ve missed out tons of stuff, lots more because I can’t recall the exact details and because it would all take too long.

I’m no Real Madrid sympathiser at all, quite the contrary. I have nothing against Bale other than my criticisms at what I’ve seen and commented on about football. I’m totally with Zidane on this... Bale has gone public too many times, taken the piss out of the club and his life in Spain as a professional footballer. There is no defence at all in this case from my point of view.

As for Zidane’s persona, character... Well I’ve always found the judgement on him being a model character rather bemusing to be honest because there are plenty pf examples to the contrary. But that makes him a normal human being actually because it only becomes an issue when the saintly figure is overblown to then find out there’s really no such thing.

Two cunts together. No wonder Bale and Zidane don't get on 

[CaaC (John)+]

As long as he stays away from United I could not give a shite where he goes, to injury prone and has a big ego problem, I can imagine him looking into a mirror and blow kisses to himself.  

[SirBalon]

1 minute ago, Batard said:

Two cunts together. No wonder Bale and Zidane don't get on 

I’d hate to think how you feel about Karim Benzema if that’s how it is with Zizou. 

Got two colleagues at work (French) and the word “Benzema” is banned.

[Batard]

1 minute ago, SirBalon said:

I’d hate to think how you feel about Karim Benzema if that’s how it is with Zizou. 

Got two colleagues at work (French) and the word “Benzema” is banned.

They are both of Algerian descent, which may sound like it's going to be xenophobic, but what I mean is growing up in France after the war with Algeria with Algerian parents, prejudice was real. Something like that can lead to someone to exude a steely determination and a "fuck you, I'll show you" attitude. 

[Stan]

Zidane comes across as a right arsehole sometimes.