Gareth Bale | Golfer, ex-Footballer, Elbower of racists, ***********, Golf Ambassador, Bar Owner, Real Legend, Defibrillator

It's only a loan though so at least we can just say thanks but no thanks at the end of the season. Was hoping for so much more though

Exactly, not the end of the world. You could have been lumped with him like us with Sanchez.
 
Plenty of United fans wanted him despite the fact that quite literally all the signs pointed towards him being another busted flush. Purely nostalgic driven decision-making from Spurs on this one.
 
It was never going to be the same return for Bale. Last time he was there he was the focal point everything being played through him , now seven years later the desire and hunger just isn't there anymore, there's less pressure for him to do as much because there's two other players that carry that in Kane and Son now.
 
Feels so strange how Bale has declined. Just two and half years and ago, this guy won Real a champions league on his own, by scoring possibly the best goal seen in UCL final.

Permanent bench position has affected him badly.
 
There's a genuine chance he's a better golfer than footballer these days, he looks Sanchez level finished right now.
 
Contract at RM runs until Jun 30, 2022 .... 600k a week.... oops.... They just announced they expect 20/21 revenue to be €300m less than pre pandemic as well.
 
I don't know why people are so shocked, he became a world class player due to freak levels of pace and athleticism. He did amazing to combine both to such devastating effect but it was never going to give him any serious longevity.

He was always going to turn to shit once injury's/age took those attributes away.
 
Don't think he'll move to MLS. When his Real contract expires I think Bale will simply retire.
 
Looks uninterested. Either Real took everything out of him or he's struggling to motivate himself playing for a small time club.
He's a 32 year old player who relied almost entirely on his athleticism and has been suffering constant injuries for years. His body is broken. He's been a shell since the fall of 2018
 
I don't know why people are so shocked, he became a world class player due to freak levels of pace and athleticism. He did amazing to combine both to such devastating effect but it was never going to give him any serious longevity.

He was always going to turn to shit once injury's/age took those attributes away.

He had an epic strike on him too in fairness. Even from set pieces he doesn't look the same player. Clearly his physique is not what it was but mentally he has lost it too. Like Rooney in latter years, just going through the motions and mot likely to be frustrated than inspired. It would have been a killer if we signed another player like him.
 
It’s too easy to say it’s just a physical change.

Plenty of players have physical changes throughout their career and they learn to adapt.

Plenty of other players have injuries and they work hard and manage to hold onto a lot of their pace and physical attributes.

His attitude stinks and his “funny pictures” phase at Madrid showed how little he cared. Whether you blame Madrid or Bale for the whole debacle, he clearly hasn’t been focusing on his football.

Spurs should cut him loose in January. He has no commitment to the cause.
 
Similar to the Ozil situation, where the less he plays, the more his reputation grows.
 
Remember when some posters here said we should have brought him?

Funny times
 
Ah and now is obvious why he wasn't playing for Real
 
It is so sad to see that steep decline. I really saw him as a pure Ballon d'Or contender and truly hoped that he'd take over in Real when Ronaldo left. But as we all can see that it didn't happen at all.

Spurs took a gamble and it's totally good call. Why not? Okay, he has crazy wages but still worth a try. It's Bale, isn't it? If he flops, then okay, worth a shot and if a success, then superb deal it is.

He won too much with Madrid and was very important for them in two CL finals. He has conquered it all, to be honest. Yes, Premier League title would be a motivation for footballers but not for him. Or he feels that Spurs isn't a contender. Maybe be is still in transition and in the 2nd half of the season he'd show some glimpses of his old self. I'd be super happy to see him do that. His technique, dribbling and shooting is still world class and would be amazing to see these features this season.
 
Everyone felt sorry for him last season aswell. Big bad Zidane was bullying him apparently. He stopped caring about club football a while ago.
 
@horsechoker keep creating threads for opposition players. You are some gypsy curse because Bale has been crap and Thiago has not been seen for months.
 
Did we actually go for him or was it just speculation?

We didn't.

It was evident that he is done.

He was made up as good to appease Spurs fans in the summer and then the usual United interest was drummed up.
 
I don't know why people are so shocked, he became a world class player due to freak levels of pace and athleticism. He did amazing to combine both to such devastating effect but it was never going to give him any serious longevity.

He was always going to turn to shit once injury's/age took those attributes away.
I’d say almost nobody is shocked, tbf
 
Quite possibly the most pointless signing.

But spurs fans were telling us he just needs to get back to full fitness. Was blatantly obvious it was never gonna work.
 
Ah, the knee-jerk reactions have started...but in the opposite direction this time.

Cant wait til next week, for him to score a 93rd minute winner and become, once again, the most astute signing by any PL club in decades.

This forum comes out with some drivel, innit.
 
Ah, the knee-jerk reactions have started...but in the opposite direction this time.

Cant wait til next week, for him to score a 93rd minute winner and become, once again, the most astute signing by any PL club in decades.

This forum comes out with some drivel, innit.
So you're saying he's still a good player, then? 'cos everything points to him being completely finished. Super cool that you see things everyone else on here misses, though.
 
Ah, the knee-jerk reactions have started...but in the opposite direction this time.

Cant wait til next week, for him to score a 93rd minute winner and become, once again, the most astute signing by any PL club in decades.

This forum comes out with some drivel, innit.

Bale is past it. He has been like that for few years now. Madrid don't have any mercy with past it players and it shows.

At the moment I think he can be only useful for them as a goal scorer inside the box but if they're planning on him being a winger dribbling with the ball or something, it's a waste.
 
There was a couple of moments today where he ran full pelt and still looked lightning quick, then other times he looked like an oil tanker. I wonder if he even enjoys the game anymore. He looks so disinterested.