What do you see happening with Gareth Bale?

Tel074

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I wasn’t joking!

Am sure not speaking or understanding Spanish very well insulateS him from a whole lot of the media and fan abuse. And where better to be disconnected from it all than deep into a golf course?

A few of his teammates have said he speaks perfect Spanish he just prefers not to in public
 

SadlerMUFC

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How many times have you actually seen Bale play for us over the last 2 years
That's all about how much he hates the club and the fans. Nothing to do with talent. Talent wise he's still one of the best players on your team. he just doesn't give a sh*t anymore...
 

giorno

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That's all about how much he hates the club and the fans. Nothing to do with talent. Talent wise he's still one of the best players on your team. he just doesn't give a sh*t anymore...
Whatever the case, whenever he played, he more than justified Zidane's choice to not play him anymore

Talent-wise he's a 31 year old injury-prone player who's lost a lot of what made him special in the first place, and has genuinely been a pretty average player for two years
 

Pexbo

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Whatever the case, whenever he played, he more than justified Zidane's choice to not play him anymore

Talent-wise he's a 31 year old injury-prone player who's lost a lot of what made him special in the first place, and has genuinely been a pretty average player for two years
And you put him on an absolutely astronomical contract and blocked his chance at leaving for an even more astronomical contract because you thought you could make more money out of it. Turns out you couldn’t and now you’re stuck with him, it’s really no wonder you can’t find anyone outside of Madrid who has any sympathy for you over him.
 

SadlerMUFC

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Whatever the case, whenever he played, he more than justified Zidane's choice to not play him anymore

Talent-wise he's a 31 year old injury-prone player who's lost a lot of what made him special in the first place, and has genuinely been a pretty average player for two years
Yet single handedly won you a champions league just two years ago. It was almost a "f*ck you" for leaving him out of the starting 11. And since then he has given zero f*cks about your club. Doesn't change the fact that he's more talented than most of your team. He just doesn't have any heart left...
 

Eddy_JukeZ

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Real should have let him go to China.

Those wages are a hindrance to the squad going forward.
 

SadlerMUFC

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And you put him on an absolutely astronomical contract and blocked his chance at leaving for an even more astronomical contract because you thought you could make more money out of it. Turns out you couldn’t and now you’re stuck with him, it’s really no wonder you can’t find anyone outside of Madrid who has any sympathy for you over him.
So true...I just wonder if there may be some sort of "Breach of Contract" now that's he's saying he doesn't want to play anymore?
 

giorno

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And you put him on an absolutely astronomical contract and blocked his chance at leaving for an even more astronomical contract because you thought you could make more money out of it. Turns out you couldn’t and now you’re stuck with him, it’s really no wonder you can’t find anyone outside of Madrid who has any sympathy for you over him.
It was 2016, he was a top 5 player in the world. Blocking his move to China last summer was a mistake though, no argument there
Yet single handedly won you a champions league just two years ago.
2 years ago. 3 seasons ago. Since then he was given the star role in the team to replace Cristiano and failed, utterly, to the point of losing his spot to Lucas Vazquez, because fecking Lucas Vazquez was playing better than him

then Zidane came back and decided he didn't want him. He still started most of the games at the start of the season and was average. Rodrygo came in and immediately outperformed him. Since then he's done nothing to win his spot back
 

FootballHQ

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Based on the games he actually did play this season he wouldn't have done anything v Man. City.

Shows how long ago the first leg actually was that he came on in that one with 15 minutes left.
 

FootballHQ

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Bale will be remembered mostly as a guy who wasted his talent putting money over playing .

However i doubt he cares
What I would say is it's interesting he's getting all this attention and yet outside of North London nobody really cares about Mesut Ozil any more and him basically pulling the same trick for last few years.

In last 6 years Bale has achieved so much more than Ozil. I know he won the World cup but he plays for one of the best international teams around who bar one disaster pretty much always get to last 4 of major tournament. Playing a key part in getting Wales to SF of a major tournament is a big achievement in its own right.
 

Stretender

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He hasn't been that in 2 years. Nowhere near in fact

Bale was already getting dropped last season by Lopetegui and Solari, because he was playing like crap. He started most of the games at the beginning of the season and lost his place because he wasn't good enough

He's like Sanchez, big name, pretty average player
Bale would still produce against this City team
 

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Mindhunter

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Yes they do have a right asking him to travel he has a contract and him refusing to do so is exactly what Madrid want him to do as it’s a breach of contract.
If he had breached the contract then they would already be standing in the queue outside the courtroom. The fact that they are trying these sneaky (and frankly despicable) tactics to get rid of him speaks volumes already. This whole drama is because they don't want to pay what they legitimately owe him.

Bale hasn't accepted or denied the charge yet we all are putting him on the stake.
 

Mindhunter

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You are wrong here. As a professional, if you are picked, you go. We don't know exactly everything that happens behind doors but refusing to play or travel is for me unprofessional. There are lot of players traveing with squad but not playing. And with the money he is given for doing pretty much nothing now, you expect him to at least travel. I would like to know how he would have been treated by his team if this happened back in 80's or 90's.
I can't be right or wrong as it is my opinion, not a statement of fact. In fact so is your response.

This situation isn't similar to normal squad rotation. We all know that yet people are willing to overlook it. Bale has been treated unfairly, insulted repeatedly in the media, has been asked to feck off, and has been painted as public enemy number one in Madrid. Why? Because RM were foolish enough to give him the contract and then block his only realistic move away from the club.

They deserve everything that's happening to them. Asking Bale to travel when he won't even make the substitute bench reeks of another underhand tactic to break him so that he gives up. He has every right to ask them to feck off - especially in the middle of a pandemic when travel should be restricted if not absolutely critical and necessary. And for the record, he hasn't refused to play at all.
 

Mindhunter

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Not sure a player is entitled to this? Yes its silly, but he is paid 600k a week to be available to play at the coaches discretion.
Yes he is. But these aren't normal circumstances. You will understand if you have been following RMs despicable behavior to get rid of him. Then they blocked his only realistic exit.
 

Mindhunter

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This is just arrogance if it would be true. Not only unprofessional but also showing what kind of person he is. Who is he to dictate when, how and if he will play? He isn't that star player some seems to be that he can do what he wants. IF this was true he would behave like a 5 old kid saying to parents "give me icecream or I don't want to go to school".

I wonder what you would say if some ManUtd players told Solskjaer that? Or what would you say if Rooney, Beckham or Giggs told Ferguson the same.
See my responses to the posts above. It's not entitled behavior - it is an expected reaction from a player who has been derided and disgraced by the club. He isn't Buddha and has every right to feel aggrieved.

He doesn't want to travel unnecessarily if Zidane isn't going to name him in the squad. That's acceptable specially during covid-19.
 

Mindhunter

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He still has to suck it up, or ask Madrid to release him from the contract. If he does not accept to go to the matches, that could be used to cancel his contract.

As long as he trains and makes himself available for matches, he can get his 30m for year.
Not really. In every profession, employees have been allowed to stay at home unless travel is absolutely critical due to the pandemic. Earning 30m doesn't suddenly make him immune to covid-19.

Now if RM had taken care of him, valued him more, then he may have gone out of his way to respect their wishes. We all know why Zidane wants to take him along - just to park him on the stands. These are tactics to get out of the contract.
 

SadlerMUFC

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It was 2016, he was a top 5 player in the world. Blocking his move to China last summer was a mistake though, no argument there

2 years ago. 3 seasons ago. Since then he was given the star role in the team to replace Cristiano and failed, utterly, to the point of losing his spot to Lucas Vazquez, because fecking Lucas Vazquez was playing better than him

then Zidane came back and decided he didn't want him. He still started most of the games at the start of the season and was average. Rodrygo came in and immediately outperformed him. Since then he's done nothing to win his spot back
The thing is, is that these players who have come to Madrid have never outperformed him, yet from the moment he's arrived, Madrid fans have been looking for players to out perform him. If Bale didn't win them a game, they booed him. Hell, they even booed Ronaldo. They never took to Bale and so he's said f*ck it. He can win you 20 titles and all you guys will ever look at is the one he didn't win you. He's your red headed step child and always has been. And now that you guys blocked his move to China, I don't blame him one bit for acting the way he is. Real Madrid is a classless club cheered on by supporters who will turn their back on a player at a drop of a dime in search of their shiny new toy. I don't blame him one bit for putting his country and his hobby ahead of his club. Serves them right...
 

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carvajal

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The information is given by a journalist from el País who appears live. I find it hard to believe that there are those kinds of private meetings with a particular journalist finding out.
Although if he has not played in the last weeks, it seems reasonable to tell him that won´t play.
In Onda Cero they said that Zidane has only asked the club one thing for next year, the departure of James, Bale and Mariano. I think he won´t get it.
Mariano is not moving even with boiling oil.
 

Mindhunter

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He hasn't been that in 2 years. Nowhere near in fact

Bale was already getting dropped last season by Lopetegui and Solari, because he was playing like crap. He started most of the games at the beginning of the season and lost his place because he wasn't good enough

He's like Sanchez, big name, pretty average player
That doesn't stop them from bringing him on as a substitute to change games. If only they hadn't messed it up.
 

Revan

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Not really. In every profession, employees have been allowed to stay at home unless travel is absolutely critical due to the pandemic. Earning 30m doesn't suddenly make him immune to covid-19.

Now if RM had taken care of him, valued him more, then he may have gone out of his way to respect their wishes. We all know why Zidane wants to take him along - just to park him on the stands. These are tactics to get out of the contract.
We have been doing that with players like Ighalo or Mata for most of the season. Does this mean that they should just decide to not bother travelling with the squad?

No player has a right to play. It depends on the club if they want to play him or not. Bale - considering that he doesn't care about football - has every right to stay at Madrid until his contract runs out getting paid 30m+ for his 'gym subscription'. However, he might be in trouble if he decides to not be available for training/matches.
 

Mindhunter

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We have been doing that with players like Ighalo or Mata for most of the season. Does this mean that they should just decide to not bother travelling with the squad?

No player has a right to play. It depends on the club if they want to play him or not. Bale - considering that he doesn't care about football - has every right to stay at Madrid until his contract runs out getting paid 30m+ for his 'gym subscription'. However, he might be in trouble if he decides to not be available for training/matches.
From what I understand, Bale has refused to travel if he isn't named in the squad. He has always attended training and joined the team when they are playing at their home ground (even though he was caught napping in the stands). I believe his position is that he will only travel if he is named in the squad, not to be a prop on the stands.

I agree with your position on Mata and Ighalo but its apples and oranges here. They understand that they are rotation options and it is their job to make themselves available. They are often named as substitutes even if they are unused. Bale on the other hand isn't being named in their squad.
 

Revan

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From what I understand, Bale has refused to travel if he isn't named in the squad. He has always attended training and joined the team when they are playing at their home ground (even though he was caught napping in the stands). I believe his position is that he will only travel if he is named in the squad, not to be a prop on the stands.

I agree with your position on Mata and Ighalo but its apples and oranges here. They understand that they are rotation options and it is their job to make themselves available. They are often named as substitutes even if they are unused. Bale on the other hand isn't being named in their squad.
This is really not true. Since the end of lockdown, in La Liga, out of the 11 matches they played, Bale was in squad in 10 of them (was not only in the last one). Sure, he played only in 2 matches, but he was in the squad in another 8. In the last UCL match before this (City at home), he played. Not counting matches when he was injured/suspended, he was not named in the squad only 3 times before this match (2 of which before the lockdown). It is not that much different from Jesse Lingard who was not named in many more matches, and was an unused sub in some other matches.

I guess, if a player is happy to collect 30m per year playing golf all day long, he should actually do the bare minimum (go to training and travel with the squad when asked). Sure, he might be a glorified mascot, but he can easily decide to quit Madrid and reach a deal. This might give to Madrid a cause to try to terminate his contract.
 

Mindhunter

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This is really not true. Since the end of lockdown, in La Liga, out of the 11 matches they played, Bale was in squad in 10 of them (was not only in the last one). Sure, he played only in 2 matches, but he was in the squad in another 8. In the last UCL match before this (City at home), he played. Not counting matches when he was injured/suspended, he was not named in the squad only 3 times before this match (2 of which before the lockdown). It is not that much different from Jesse Lingard who was not named in many more matches, and was an unused sub in some other matches.

I guess, if a player is happy to collect 30m per year playing golf all day long, he should actually do the bare minimum (go to training and travel with the squad when asked). Sure, he might be a glorified mascot, but he can easily decide to quit Madrid and reach a deal. This might give to Madrid a cause to try to terminate his contract.
Fair enough. If Zidane wanted to name him in the squad and Bale has refused to travel despite that then it is highly unprofessional behavior. It is a case for termination.

My guess though is that Zidane had told him that he isn't guaranteed to be in the squad to which Bale reacted like that. I will wait for his side of the story before passing judgment.

Also, the barbs around golf don't make sense to me. A player is free to do what he feels like in his free time. I find it hard to criticize him after how RM and their fans have treated him in the last 2 years.
 

Revan

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Fair enough. If Zidane wanted to name him in the squad and Bale has refused to travel despite that then it is highly unprofessional behavior. It is a case for termination.

My guess though is that Zidane had told him that he isn't guaranteed to be in the squad to which Bale reacted like that. I will wait for his side of the story before passing judgment.

Also, the barbs around golf don't make sense to me. A player is free to do what he feels like in his free time. I find it hard to criticize him after how RM and their fans have treated him in the last 2 years.
Sure, I agree. As long as he does his part of the contract (train and be available for matches), I am happy to see him milking Madrid and getting every penny they own to him.

I don't see how this was wise though. Probably better to claim injury or back pain or something.
 

clarkydaz

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I thought players dont travel anyway if not in the squad. No point being there and more expense
 

Strelok

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If we didn’t get sancho I’d take him on loan
Yeah I would too.

Of course only if Madrid pay at least 50 % of his wages. Shirt sales alone would probably cover what left I think. He's still a very marketable player especially in North America regions. A win win deal for everyone involved.
 

Mb194dc

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Chances of Zidane resigning or being pushed out and Bale staging a lazarus style come back next season ? RM only won La Liga thanks to getting a dodgy pen every game since the restart.

Don't think they can afford to have Bale (and James) rotting in the reserves. Plus Hazard who was Zidane choice been terrible. Poch in maybe with plan to get Bale back to his best?