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Gareth Bale - The rise and rise of the £150m Tottenham man
Wednesday 25 January 2012
When watching Gareth Bale in full flow, it seems bizarre that a couple of years ago he was a figure of fun, 24 Premier League games without a win at Tottenham and more concerned with his hair than troubling the opposition’s right flank. The reigning PFA Player’s Player of the Year is still only 22 and Spurs are now believed to value Bale at £150m. They will hope that his astronomical price tag acts as a deterrent to Europe’s biggest clubs because make no mistake, Bale would walk in to any football team in the world.
Whether solving Real Madrid’s long standing deficiencies on the left, complimenting the swashbuckling forays of Daniel Alves at Barcelona or providing much needed width at Manchester City, there are vacancies at all of the elite clubs that would be willing and able to acquire Tottenham’s prized asset. Recently voted amongst the world’s best by users of UEFA.com, Bale was the only Premier League based player selected in their team of 2011. Bale’s reputation overseas is likely to be based on last season’s Champions League campaign, specifically the ties with Inter Milan, but the Welshman has made significant progress since then.
No longer isolated on the left wing, where he struggled to influence games when the opposition doubled up on him, Bale has been given licence to roam this term and his contribution has subsequently increased. Providing a mere three assists last term, Bale has already recorded seven this season, scoring eight goals while frequently swapping sides with Aaron Lennon on the right side of the Spurs midfield. Utilised centrally in a free role against Norwich, Bale responded with a brace and revealed the thinking behind his new role post-match.
"If I'm not getting the ball, I'm not helping the team. I want to be involved, get as much of the ball as I can, so that's why I've had to go inside to be a positive influence on the game,” explained Bale. "The good thing about the gaffer is that if you're good at something, he wants you to do it. He lets you express yourself." After initial indifference, Redknapp has been a significant influence in the transformation of Bale. Despite Tottenham’s impressive league campaign, the club are in flux with Redknapp defending his reputation in court, where a positive outcome is likely to result in the offer of the England job, when Fabio Capello departs in the summer.
Retaining Redknapp, or a failure to do so, is likely to directly impact upon the club’s ability to hold on to their star performers. A change in leadership would provide a ready made excuse for the likes of Bale and Luka Modric to pursue a wealth of prestigious opportunities, offering far greater financial rewards. There is also the danger that Bale’s growth as a player simply cannot be matched by Spurs, despite the significant progress they have made in recent years.
Scoring in each of his last three international appearances, a fit and firing Bale has been instrumental in transforming the fortunes of the Welsh national side, with a Team GB invitation also inevitable, his international profile looks set to ascend in the near future. Try as they may to retain the services of Gareth Bale, Tottenham Hotspur can only postpone the inevitable.
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