What next for Gareth Bale?

[SCP]

O.K we'll agree to disagree on the main point.

Just curious, is it not a thing in Portugal to reward a good servant to the club with a final game? I don't know enough about Sporting Clube to know who your longest serving player is but would guess Bas Dost and Mathieu would be up there. Guess the issues last summer cloud it a bit more but I'm sure many Sporting fans would put that to one side and just give the player a send off. They don't even have to be club legends either.

We did it in our final league game when Alan Hutton (with us since 2011) was made captain in our last home game. A nice touch especially as he hasn't been involved in the play offs.

I don’t know if we have the same idea about legends here or no, certainly Sporting this season isn’t a good metric to use. Having said that I guess there are 2 options. First he plays on the last game, second if he doesn’t play and it’s a known fact he will leave the club can make something on the last day regarding that. Of course I don’t know what kind of relationship Bale has with the fans, teammates, with Zidane we know it isn’t good.

Could it be better? Perhaps. But certainly the mood at the club isn’t great to say the least.

 

[bosnian_red]

What’s the deal with Zidane and Bale?
He won you a European trophy, have some respect.

Top managers, top clubs have to be ruthless. Bale scored a great goal to win them the CL, sure, but they would've won the CL regardless. There was only one team going to win that game. Bale has done pretty much nothing for a few years now, scores some big goals on occasion, but 90% of the season is complete shite, half the time injured, never showing up to team meetings/events and really not putting much of an effort to be part of the team, always bitching about everything despite playing like shite most of the time but also happy to just collect his massive paycheck. He feels entitled despite not doing much to earn that status.

 

[Adisa]

Pretty sure we won't touch him.

 

[FootballHQ]

It dosen't have to be legends.

Arsenal marked Welbeck, Ramsey and Cech's contribution to the club in their last home game in a class way and none of them fit that. Same with Man. United and Valencia.

If it's a dead game as Real Madrid had you might aswell.

 

[redshaw]

Probably jumping the gun a bit with this farewell stuff as he has 3 years left.

If there's no takers or they have to pay a substantial part of the wages in a loan move then Real might as well keep him as a sub

 

[charlenefan]

You haven't seen much of him in the past few years (or United..) if you would want someone like him here. Exactly the type of player to prolong our problems.

I guess I hope he could be that game changer if we could get him fit enough for the big games, he did win Real the UCL just 12 months ago after all

 

[SCP]

It dosen't have to be legends.

Arsenal marked Welbeck, Ramsey and Cech's contribution to the club in their last home game in a class way and none of them fit that. Same with Man. United and Valencia.

If it's a dead game as Real Madrid had you might aswell.

But you’re talking about Arsenal. He plays in Real Madrid. Do you know how Figo left for Inter when his output wasn’t the same under Luxemburgo? Bench and end of the season sold to Inter. It is what it is. I know it looks cold, but we don’t know the internal dynamics there.

Looking from the outside he never looked 100% settled there. If it was his fault, the club I don’t know, but as far I can remember Beckham for example had a better relationship with the fans, teammates and so on. On a period when their performances in Europe were generally worse.

You might have a point there, but who knows what kind of relationship he has there?

 

[Luke1995]

Italian or French league would suit him at this point in his career. Maybe he doesn't have what it takes anymore to thrive in a fast paced league.

 

[duffer]

I hope Hazard is watching how they treat a player who played a massive part in a lot of success.

 

[MadMike]

I hope Hazard is watching how they treat a player who played a massive part in a lot of success.

He indeed should watch and admire how a club is ruthless at the pursuit of success. No exceptions made for big names and past heroes.

 

[duffer]

He indeed should watch and admire how a club is ruthless at the pursuit of success. No exceptions made for big names and past heroes.

Not giving a player who contributed a lot a few minutes in their final game (in a game that meant nothing) has nothing to do with pursuing success.

Even Sarri gave Cahill a few minutes (and that was after Cahill publically shat on Sarri) because he knew it meant something to the fans to say goodbye.

 

[MJJ]

From a legacy perspective, you are spot on. However, it wouldn’t have earned anywhere near the money that the current players are on, so a year as Madrid Manager, getting sacked and getting a huge payoff will set him up for life.

Zidane isnt set for life already?

 

[Red00012]

I’d take him on loan. He’s easily an improvement on what we currently have on the right. (which is nothing )

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Zidane isnt set for life already?

He could probably earn in 2 years as manager what he earned in his entire football career*

*I clearly haven’t investigated/ have any actual figures.

 

[Catt]

Pretty sure we won't touch him.

We won't.

 

[bosnian_red]

I guess I hope he could be that game changer if we could get him fit enough for the big games, he did win Real the UCL just 12 months ago after all

Madrid would've won the CL with or without him. He scored a great goal out of nothing, sure, but they were by far the better team in that game. Scoring a few goals in a final doesn't make someone world class. Bale is so far off that top level these days that he would just be terrible in every aspect.

Anyway, what United need isn't some "game changer". We need a proper system and team that works as a team. We need a functional defence and midfield so that our attack can actually perform. An overpaid forward who can score a long range shot once in a while and cover up so many flaws in the rest of the team is really not the best thing for us, because even if he played at his best (which he is nowhere close to anymore), he would still be overpaid, not worth what we would pay him, and would take away from us actually fixing our real problems and developing properly as a side.

 

[RussellWilson]

If we're going to have to wait on Sancho for one more season, I would take Bale on loan for the RW. Then move for Sancho next summer.

 

[bosnian_red]

Not giving a player who contributed a lot a few minutes in their final game (in a game that meant nothing) has nothing to do with pursuing success.

Even Sarri gave Cahill a few minutes (and that was after Cahill publically shat on Sarri) because he knew it meant something to the fans to say goodbye.

Bale means pretty much nothing to the Real Madrid fans. They never took to one another really and he always felt out of place there. I'd say it's a completely different situation to Hazard going there (who is a much more talented player than Bale anyway).

 

[LilyWhiteSpur]

Bale means pretty much nothing to the Real Madrid fans. They never took to one another really and he always felt out of place there. I'd say it's a completely different situation to Hazard going there (who is a much more talented player than Bale anyway).

I guess time will tell but I don’t think they will take well to Hazard at all unless he produces similar numbers to Ronaldo, which he won’t even get close to. A couple of games of him going missing and it won’t be long till *he is lazy* is mentioned. Given that Hazard himself says he doesn’t particularly like training or the gym I doubt there will be much forgiveness.

Madrid need a serious rebuild and I would say there will be a couple of years more pain for them.

 

[giorno]

I hope Hazard is watching how they treat a player who played a massive part in a lot of success.

After winning the CL 4 times

 

[duffer]

After winning the CL 4 times

Indeed. It's mental. I'm not suggesting a statue but a couple of minutes so fans can show their appreciation was not a lot to ask.

 

[Aloysius's Back 3]

After winning the CL 4 times

I notice you are a real Madrid fan & don't feel the same way as others maybe about Bale & his success at Madrid. Where exactly does this negligence/brushing away of players come from?

 

[George The Best]

Italian or French league would suit him at this point in his career. Maybe he doesn't have what it takes anymore to thrive in a fast paced league.

Doubt it if press reports are to be believed. Apparently he still doesn’t speak Spanish after all these years.

 

[giorno]

I notice you are a real Madrid fan & don't feel the same way as others maybe about Bale & his success at Madrid. Where exactly does this negligence/brushing away of players come from?

Players generally don't want to leave real madrid. Bale appears to be the case as well

For a club that considers finishing second in the league with 92 points, a couple minor trophies, and a CL semifinal an apocalyptic level failure, we simply can't go around carrying big names that are no longer deemed good enough/are not part of our plans out of gratitude. If Bale weren't such a big name, polarizing figure with massive wages, this wouldn't be an issue

 

[giorno]

Indeed. It's mental. I'm not suggesting a statue but a couple of minutes so fans can show their appreciation was not a lot to ask.

Point was the chance to win multiple CL titles and become a legend of the sport might trump being thrown to the curb 4-5 years down the line

 

[Adam-Utd]

I’d take him on loan for a year.

His wages are just insane though no wonder he doesn’t want to leave. Madrid will end up having to pay half to kick him out somewhere

 

[Luke1995]

Doubt it if press reports are to be believed. Apparently he still doesn’t speak Spanish after all these years.

How much does the ability to speak multiple languages helps in a player's relationship on the pitch with teammates ? I believe that good players just find a natural understanding with the ball and positioning.

I do realize that it might have impact on off the pitch relationships and on the dressing room, therefore managing to possibly affect his future in the club, but it shouldn't be an issue in the pitch what he speaks.

 

[McGrathsipan]

If we're going to have to wait on Sancho for one more season, I would take Bale on loan for the RW. Then move for Sancho next summer.

Bale would be in the treatment room with Phil Jones most of the time.

 

[McGrathsipan]

I’d take him on loan for a year.

His wages are just insane though no wonder he doesn’t want to leave. Madrid will end up having to pay half to kick him out somewhere

Same situation with us and Sanchez

 

[redDNA]

Why do people want us to sign Bale? He has not yet won any tournament. I prefer Tiger Woods .

If we insist on having a British core, let's sign Rory Mcllroy.

 

[Lentwood]

I can't believe there are fans who want us to blow a large portion of our budget on Bale...I mean...have these people had their heads buried in the sand for the last 6yrs?

It doesn't work. You can't just sign 'names', especially one's at the end of their career, crowbar them into your XI and then expect everything to be fixed overnight. It's this kind of lazy, misguided policy towards recruitment that has left us in this mess!

We should be looking for the next Bale, the next Ronaldo, the next Godin etc....not just offering these players insane cash to join our sinking ship and watch as they shrug and pout their way around the pitch as Ashley Young boots his 9th cross in a row into the Stretford End, Lindelof gets bullied in the air, Matic turns in circles and Lingard does whatever it is Lingard does ("clever movement" apparently).

Get the foundations in place first. A team of talented, hard working players without ego. Once we have that and are regularly finishing top three we MIGHT be in a position to add players of the sort of profile of Pogba/Di Maria who are more the ice on the cake than the cake itself

 

[Hughes35]

Loan deal would be a great piece of business for us IMO

 

[Adam-Utd]

Same situation with us and Sanchez

Yep. At least they got 4 CL titles out of him

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Yep. At least they got 4 CL titles out of him

I think we only got 4 goals out of Sanchez!

 

[Scarecrow]

Loan + buy clause deal coming. At least one of United, Bayern, Juve, PSG will take the chance, I think.

 

[GBBQ]

Loan deal would be a great piece of business for us IMO

If we got top class / high potential signings in central defence, right wing, right back and midfield and this was an additional punt for a season long loan then I would be ok with it. Would be worried if it was our RW signing though.

 

[Hughes35]

Oh yes, depends on the transfer window as a whole. In general though I'd be delighted to see Bale here (If it's not for a stupid fee).

Zidane is desperate to get him out of the door so there may be a real opportunity to Loan him in.

 

[Twins]

I think we only got 4 goals out of Sanchez!

Did he even score that many?

 

[Sparky_Hughes]

Indeed.

Funny how the incorrect Zidane quote has spread like wildfire.

Journalists in being lying/incompetent cnuts shocker.

 

[matherto]

I can't believe there are fans who want us to blow a large portion of our budget on Bale...I mean...have these people had their heads buried in the sand for the last 6yrs?

It doesn't work. You can't just sign 'names', especially one's at the end of their career, crowbar them into your XI and then expect everything to be fixed overnight. It's this kind of lazy, misguided policy towards recruitment that has left us in this mess!

We should be looking for the next Bale, the next Ronaldo, the next Godin etc....not just offering these players insane cash to join our sinking ship and watch as they shrug and pout their way around the pitch as Ashley Young boots his 9th cross in a row into the Stretford End, Lindelof gets bullied in the air, Matic turns in circles and Lingard does whatever it is Lingard does ("clever movement" apparently).

Get the foundations in place first. A team of talented, hard working players without ego. Once we have that and are regularly finishing top three we MIGHT be in a position to add players of the sort of profile of Pogba/Di Maria who are more the ice on the cake than the cake itself

This.

I remember thinking that the summer of LVG's first season when we got in Di Maria, Falcao, etc might've been brilliant if the foundations of the team were solid but they weren't.

Nothing that we've done since then has changed that feeling.

 

[LilyWhiteSpur]

Loan + buy clause deal coming. At least one of United, Bayern, Juve, PSG will take the chance, I think.

I doubt Ronaldo would be pleased to see him at Juve and I don’t see where he would fit in at PSG. It’s United or Munich, Robbin and Ribery both gone this summer.