It’s looking like Gareth Bale’s loan deal didn’t contain a break clause after all, and Spurs will be saddled with the player until the end of the 2020/21 season. According to AS, the Spanish sports outlet, Real Madrid were also hoping that the Welshman’s return to London would be more successful than it has been.
Bale back to Tottenham on paper was a fairytale. In reality, it’s been rather Grimm. The 31-year-old arrived out of condition and appeared to flatline fitness-wise. After just 11 appearances and 3 goals, José Mourinho must be wondering exactly what Daniel Levy was expecting for his £250,000 a week.
The real downer has to be the continued absence of supporters at matches. One cannot but help believe that had this been a ‘normal’ season that this loan would have not just ‘felt’ better, but made a lot more commercial sense. The sales of Bale merchandise must be a fraction of what was hoped for.
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I for one ain’t writing bale off
Very fair comment
What was expected? Really??
Yes H, the Gareth Bale loan certainly hasn’t panned out commercially as Levy would have envisaged and regrettably not as the supporters, myself included, would have hoped for from a playing standpoint. There is still time, but the portents are not looking good and a return to Real Madrid, at the end of the season, is looking the most likely outcome at this point.
The subject of Gareth’s fitness, is a complex one. Obviously when he returned, he was injured and short of both actual fitness and match fitness. By the time of his recent injury I don’t believe the problem was one of actual ‘core’ fitness. He certainly looked physically fit and I also think that he was getting close to full ‘match fitness’.
The ‘fitness problem’ seemed to me to be more one of physical intensity, of Gareth no longer being able to deliver and sustain the level of physical intensity demanded both by English football and also by the manager. The timing of the recent injury also was unfortunate, from the standpoint that Gareth was starting to look like he could at least contribute dangerous cameo appearances.
Looking at the highlights, the winner against Brighton, the lovely flicked header against Stoke and that sublime free-kick in the Europa, the only role I can see Gareth fulfilling, is that of an impact sub if we need a goal. He hasn’t lost his ability, he knows where the net is and with 5 minutes left in a cup final, he would be our best option standing over a free kick on the edge of the box. Implausible? Probably, but we can all write a fairy tale ending!
Hard to understand he’s only 31,hasn’t been overplayed in recent seasons, he’s supposed to keep himself super fit.
Once again our medical staff have questions to answer. N’Dombele came very unfit, Lo Celso was injured when he arrived and is continually out of action and don’t even mention Lamela.
Wheres the rest of the article with the original content?