festa5
Well-known member
Yeah Man Utd was only an example really. Bayern would be a great fit IMO, follow in the footsteps of Robben and Ribery.
I suspect he feels he's already proven Zidane wrong though with his goals in the final v Liverpool.
Gareth Bale
- Thread starter levendale
- Start date
Yeah Man Utd was only an example really. Bayern would be a great fit IMO, follow in the footsteps of Robben and Ribery.
I suspect he feels he's already proven Zidane wrong though with his goals in the final v Liverpool.
Caesium137
Well-known member
I thought the case was he was in the travelling party and Zidane confirmed he wouldn't play or be on the bench, so because of the local lock-down in the area he asked not to travel with the squad as he wasn't needed and the club agreed?
atypical_boro
Well-known member
Well I can only pass on what Zidane is quoted as saying:
"It was a personal conversation I had with him. He preferred not to play. The rest remains between me and him but he said he didn't want to play."
Make of it whatever you will, but presumably if Bale categorically said he would have preferred to play, he has a legal case against him now for libel, which he might as well follow up on if he cares about his reputation (not saying he should though).
hendrieswondergoal
Active member
Bale's record is far better than Zidane's at Madrid as a player. Who knows, maybe that's the source of the friction. Four Champions Leagues titles, including one where if it was Ronaldo, they'd have said he won it single-handed, he's a greater player for Madrid than Zidane was. Hot take. Or whatever the kids say.
Zidane is wasting Bale, god knows why.
boromike85
Well-known member
Not wanting to play and refusing to play are different. I don't want to be at work but I'm not refusing to do any work.
atypical_boro
Well-known member
Well in terms of trophies very possibly, but I think Zidane will be remembered in footballing terms way above where Bale is, generally speaking.
atypical_boro
Well-known member
Even still, doesn't smack of someone desperate to prove his coach wrong and force his way into the team. As I say, if he wanted to get away I could understand it, but he doesn't.
You'd think he'd at least want to be match fit for the Euros next June, if Wales really is his first love.
Michael_Vronsky
Well-known member
In this 'short career' that these pampered superstars have, they will earn more in a couple of years than most of the planet will ever earn if they worked every second of every day for the whole of their lives.
Obscene money. He wanted to play in China for a million quid a week. Not to test himself; purely for the money. He could rot for all I care. It's been so long since I've seen him actually kick a ball that I've forgotten what he looks like.
Obscene money. He wanted to play in China for a million quid a week. Not to test himself; purely for the money. He could rot for all I care. It's been so long since I've seen him actually kick a ball that I've forgotten what he looks like.
Marvanelli
Well-known member
Real are idiots.
He's one of the biggest reasons why they've won so many Champions Leagues over the years. He's won them how many finals on his own? He came off the bench against Liverpool and pretty much single handedly won them the game.
His record for Real is fantastic, it's even better than Zidane's.
Yet Zidane treats him like this. It's remarkable.
I don't one bit blame Bale for acting the way he does. Zidane comes across as a complete t*t.
He's one of the biggest reasons why they've won so many Champions Leagues over the years. He's won them how many finals on his own? He came off the bench against Liverpool and pretty much single handedly won them the game.
His record for Real is fantastic, it's even better than Zidane's.
Yet Zidane treats him like this. It's remarkable.
I don't one bit blame Bale for acting the way he does. Zidane comes across as a complete t*t.
Caesium137
Well-known member
From The Evening Standard article.........
Bale's name was missing as Los Blancos announced a 24-man squad for the trip to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, with captain Sergio Ramos included despite being unable to play because of suspension.
The topic dominated Zidane's pre-match press conference on Thursday, and the Frenchman claimed the winger had 'preferred not to play' against City.
"We have a respectful coach-player relationship," he said. "The only thing I can say is that he preferred not to play.
"Nothing more. The rest is between him and me."
Despite further questions, Zidane refused to elaborate on the 31-year-old's exclusion, but his explanation did not tell the full story.
Standard Sport understands Bale did ask to be left out of the travelling squad, but only because he has been ostracised in recent weeks and knew he would not play in Manchester.
Since lockdown, the former Tottenham attacker has played just 100 minutes across two appearances (one start) and did not feature in any of the final seven league games.
His request to be left in Madrid was not because he did not want to play, therefore, but in order to avoid a further 90 minutes watching from the sidelines when he knows his coach has no intention of using him.
While Zidane would not reveal details of their conversation, it seems clear that the winger was told he would not be featuring in Manchester and that is why he has been left out altogether.
Bale's name was missing as Los Blancos announced a 24-man squad for the trip to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, with captain Sergio Ramos included despite being unable to play because of suspension.
The topic dominated Zidane's pre-match press conference on Thursday, and the Frenchman claimed the winger had 'preferred not to play' against City.
"We have a respectful coach-player relationship," he said. "The only thing I can say is that he preferred not to play.
"Nothing more. The rest is between him and me."
Despite further questions, Zidane refused to elaborate on the 31-year-old's exclusion, but his explanation did not tell the full story.
Standard Sport understands Bale did ask to be left out of the travelling squad, but only because he has been ostracised in recent weeks and knew he would not play in Manchester.
Since lockdown, the former Tottenham attacker has played just 100 minutes across two appearances (one start) and did not feature in any of the final seven league games.
His request to be left in Madrid was not because he did not want to play, therefore, but in order to avoid a further 90 minutes watching from the sidelines when he knows his coach has no intention of using him.
While Zidane would not reveal details of their conversation, it seems clear that the winger was told he would not be featuring in Manchester and that is why he has been left out altogether.
atypical_boro
Well-known member
Well there you go. Its probably all t*t for tat. I just think Bale is doing himself a disservice with this stance. Just my opinion.
go-nads!
Well-known member
I don’t see it any business of supporters to put themselves in Bales position and hypothesise what they would do.
Madrid signed Bale and agreed to pay him x amount for x number of years.
Madrid decided they no longer wanted Bale but blocked a move he and they originally agreed to.
Despite being available to play and surely being an asset to the team ZZ instead has chosen to humiliate the player regularly in an attempt to force him out of the club. If he left Madrid he would presumably have to take a wage drop.
Why should he, if he doesn’t want to?
I presume Man City or Liverpool would not wish to buy him so his chances of PL silverware are pretty much non-existent.
He has had a very good career, he is happy where he is at the moment, in the terms Madrid agreed.
If he is happy with situation and for his career to dawdle away, it’s his prerogative.
Madrid and particularly ZZ have acted disgracefully.
Madrid signed Bale and agreed to pay him x amount for x number of years.
Madrid decided they no longer wanted Bale but blocked a move he and they originally agreed to.
Despite being available to play and surely being an asset to the team ZZ instead has chosen to humiliate the player regularly in an attempt to force him out of the club. If he left Madrid he would presumably have to take a wage drop.
Why should he, if he doesn’t want to?
I presume Man City or Liverpool would not wish to buy him so his chances of PL silverware are pretty much non-existent.
He has had a very good career, he is happy where he is at the moment, in the terms Madrid agreed.
If he is happy with situation and for his career to dawdle away, it’s his prerogative.
Madrid and particularly ZZ have acted disgracefully.
atypical_boro
Well-known member
He shouldn't, and he doesn't have to. But people can view his actions and loss of ambition negatively if they choose. Its an opinion, football would be very mundane without them.
I think they all have, personally, including Bale.
go-nads!
Well-known member
So Bale should take a pay cut because Madrid have decided they want him to?
I really don’t get the vitriol towards Bale, he hasn’t done anything wrong other than squander regular football at another club, but that’s up to him and what he wants his legacy to be - he already has some of the finest goals in the biggest club matches on the planet.
It’s obviously become deeply personal to Bale, he has acted the d*ck from time to time, but who wouldn’t?
When you think about it, Madrid are costing him £2 million a month, it could be more depending on what the tax arrangements in China were going to be.
The ball is in Madrid’s court, they play him and utilise him, they continue to pay him millions to improve his golf handicap or they come to a financially acceptable compromise with Bale and he moves elsewhere.
Marvanelli
Well-known member
I for one minute do not blame Bale taking the absolute p*ss out of Madrid.
They've treated him like muck when he's single handedly won them trophies in the past.
He came back after lockdown as one of the fittest players and always made himself available for games and was rarely chosen.
It's Madrid's fault they offered him such a long and lucrative contract.
Don't blame him for bleeding them for every penny, whilst swanning off playing golf.
They've treated him like muck when he's single handedly won them trophies in the past.
He came back after lockdown as one of the fittest players and always made himself available for games and was rarely chosen.
It's Madrid's fault they offered him such a long and lucrative contract.
Don't blame him for bleeding them for every penny, whilst swanning off playing golf.
atypical_boro
Well-known member
atypical_boro
Well-known member
And by the time the Euros comes around he’ll have barely played competitive football in two years.
Maybe it’s more like “golf, Wales, Madrid in that order”.
Corcaigh_the_Cat
Well-known member
Weakness at the top of clubs is rife and people are taking advantage.
truck
Well-known member
It was made perfectly clear to Bale he would not play, he asked not to travel. You can say due to lock-down that makes sense have as few people travelling as possible. You can also say as a member of the real madrid team you would hope he would want to watch his team mates in their games.
Bale is keeping fit, training and is available to play, ZZ is being stubborn and wants him out of the club, i wonder if he is jealous of the rewards Bale gets compared to the poor upbringing ZZ had?.
I think Bale is basically just doing what a few others have done in the past he has a contract and is honouring it, Mendietta anyone?
He knows unless Real give him a free he isn't going anywhere now
Bale is keeping fit, training and is available to play, ZZ is being stubborn and wants him out of the club, i wonder if he is jealous of the rewards Bale gets compared to the poor upbringing ZZ had?.
I think Bale is basically just doing what a few others have done in the past he has a contract and is honouring it, Mendietta anyone?
He knows unless Real give him a free he isn't going anywhere now