Yes, there had been huge success and happiness for many years, trophies and tears of joy, but in the final analysis, Gareth Bale undoubtedly caused chaos at Real Madrid. The war between Zinedine Zidane and the Welshman still rages on, even though the two are in separate countries.
We had just a fortnight ago proof that the contempt for Bale remains unchecked as the Real Madrid gaffer made it very clear that he has washed his hands of a player he stopped trusting a long time ago. A source close to the club tells me that Daniel Levy still very much trusts Gareth and his agent Mr. Barnett, and this is one of the many obstacles that Mourinho has had to combat at Tottenham.
Make no mistake, there is no animosity between Levy and Mourinho, this is the coach that Spurs CEO has wanted since forever. However, there has been friction as the Portuguese doesn’t care for unsolicited hints and tips over who should get a run in the team. Being your own man in football is not a weakness as we know.
The expensive fairytale has not worked – despite the over-excited yelps that followed goals against some of the very worst teams we have faced this season. Bale’s omission against Villa simply meant that there was one less player jogging about at half-speed for an hour.
Hopefully, Levy has got the message and the press will get bored with being fed the same half-truths that ultimately didn’t work on the Spanish media either.
Set your watches as the next tough game or loss will undoubtedly herald the arrival of a Redknapp, chiming in his two cents’ worth about how Mourinho has ‘alienated some top international players’ or some such.
What side of history will you be on. That of José and Zinedine, or that of implausible stone throwers?
So why have we still played like cr*p when he’s left them out?
We have been bad when Bale has played and bad when he isn’t played.
I don’t see him as the common denominator of anything. Jose on the other hand…
There are many in the media that don’t like him but the best way to shove it up them is to win and not revert to type and start moaning about everything. This is just history repeating itself.
It’ll be the tea lady next in the firing line…
According to the media Klopp has been ranting for the whole of the season mate, but I guess it’s ‘anti-Jose’ drivel rather than a reasonable observation?
Arteta – Ozil. To name but one.
Bale has still scored more goals and made more assists in his limited appearances than many other players who appear more regularly. I agree he was poor against Arsenal but so was Kane and the rest of the team and he had a donkey in Docherty behind him so he got zero service. Bale will never be a player that tracks back to cover his fullback. To be honest I never remember him doing that in his prime with us. He was pure offense and pace. Yes, he has lost some pace but he is still capable of moments that can unlock matches. He is probably the best free-kick taker and corner taker we have. Maybe he did rock up thinking that this would be a cushy number and perhaps his attitude in training and behind the scenes is undermining team spirit because of his reputation and salaries. None of these players can however deny he has earned his salary through his success in the past. He was hooked early in the NLD and only played from the second half against Dynamo.TBH he looked more dangerous than most of the team during that period. I think he should have played against Villa from the start. Mourinho seems to be quick to sub Bale whenever the team is underperforming and slow to remove some of the real dross like Dier that he has a love-in with.
I’m not sure every other coach has a nitwit on £320,000 a week whose agent wants to know why he’s not playing every game…
Like this sort of thing only happens at our club…
Jose, stop moaning about the same things every other manager in top flight football has to deal with and get on with winning, like we are told you can’t help but do.
Excuses excuses. You’ll have earned £30m by the end of this season even if you win naff all and don’t even finish in the top 4, if you do you get another 2m ffs!
What do you want, flipping sympathy? Get on with it mate, despite the pesky snowflake kids sulking when you try and bully them into playing well…
I guess their point is it’s always an issue at most clubs and he’s only bringing it up now when it suits his needs – hence a ‘rant’.
Jose’s not wrong though, and for sure there are those biased against him in the media.
Rose could and should have gone after Walker when the whinging started, other clubs do it.
There autobiographies will tell us more.
If no one wants to take Rose off our hands what can Levy do.
A pay rise a few years ago might have helped the issue & had him producing like he did, but can’t turn the clock back.
He’s lost out & so have we.
He was the defensive version of what Lucas is doing now.
Gave everything for the shirt.
Until he felt like he wasn’t valued, personally I agree with Rose.
….& players in wise, think we all do, but how else was he to voice his opinion as longest serving player that the club & Levy weren’t spending money like other clubs.
We all talk about it endlessly now.
But he did it direct to the media, what WE were all thinking.
….& we criticised Rose for it.
Interesting how the media reveal their antipathy towards Mourinho in their throwaway comments. In the Daily Telegraph’s report on last night’s match, the reporter, when summarising Mourinho’s after match comments, writes;
“Now he’s off on a rant about agents sniffing around and how it impacts on team spirit”.
Would the word “rant” be used about other managers?
Didn’t Mourinho just make valid points that could explain some of the issues with the squad. Is that ranting?
Totally agree
Well as Giggs has his own problems for months now, I’m sure his assistant will start Bale.
The goals he’s scored for us recently puts his level at good enough to start for Wales & do what he can for as long as he can.
Ramsey is out so they don’t really have a choice.
I’m sure he’ll make an impact.
They have talents, trouble is they can’t be bothered to work hard to make the best of them. Despite Mourinho’s exhortations.
In the real world, if you don’t apply yourself and laze around, you lose your job. It’s on these players to sort themselves out.
With the talent those 3 players have, I think he’s been more than fair.
Fair shout, but my only response is to ask if any other manager would have dealt with Dele and Bale or even Rose in the manner Mourinho has, I don’t think so.
Would a different manager have found a solution to the issues, maybe, but probably they would of tried harder.
I don’t think he’s an automatic starter for Wales these days.He’s kept around the dressing room for his experience and his influence over the other players,particularly the younger ones who look up to him.
Sadly he’s now only a legend in his own lunchtime.
All Jose as a winner & great manager is asking for, as he did at Man.U & Chelsea before, is that players with the most talent in the team, show that talent on a regulag basis like you see Kane & Son do for large parts of the season, especiallyif your on big money like Bale & Pogba are on.
You see the performances Luke Shaw is putting in now, I’m sure Man.U hoped they were getting the plate they have now when they bought him years ago.
Jose knows what Dele can do consistently, so he’s pushing him, like he did with Ndom.
Now if Dele has lost his hunger to do it game in game out, it’s not Jose’ fault
Wait a minute Mike…
He’s given Bale months to get fit without any criticism, then praised him for his contributions against [not the best teams we’ve played this season]. Then the NLD & a big Euro knockout comes around & he’s nowhere to be seen.
If you think that’s good enough from Bale, a guy who’s on 3 times what anyone else at the club is on, then your lying to yourself.
Ok, yes, others didn’t turn up in those games, even Kane was very average.
But on the money he’s on here, we as fans deserve much more than that!!!
Yet another swipe at one of our greatest players with next to nothing as evidence to prove anything about anything.
What I see is a pattern in how Mourinho treats his players, and god help you if you fall out of favour with this man, history is repeating itself at every club he has worked in. Only he knows what goes on in his mind and the need to find fault with certain individuals wherever he has been employed.
There is one fact undeniable and that is the peculiarities of a manager that makes the dressing room split with his treatment of players, the win yesterday only papers over the cracks.
We will see how much effort he puts in for his beloved Wales, then judge it against what he’s able to do fir the remainder of the season.
I know which side I’m on, undoubtedly 2 Legends of the game.
Although Bale will be a sort of Legend for having won the Champs League 4 times with Real.
Can’t blame him for wanting to reach the heightshe had in the game.
No doubt Kane is very envious.
But Jose said it best.
“If Bale was really the player you think he is after these goals recently, he wouldn’t be hear he would be in Madrid”.
Bale wouldnt even have looked in our direction, if he was still that great Bale.
Hus agent said as much sone months before he arrived, almost scoffing when a reporter asked him if Bale would return, & this is after Bale had been warming the bench of Madrid since their last Champions league win like a 2nd or 3rd choice keeper.
I’m not really sure what Levy is up to with this bringing Bale back.
Coz it’s costing him the kind of money someone couldn’t Blackmail him for.
Sadly Bale is a luxury player at the moment, 100% – I was hoping he’d turned the corner with his fitness and strength but no, the Arsenal game was the reality check. He’s still nowhere near.
Wheel him out at 3-0 up with 10 minutes left against tougher oppo, he can’t cut the pace or ‘in your face’ intensity of the Premier League outside of playing the bottom two or three sides.
He was ripped to pieces by…Brighton? Rough and tough Brighton? Hardly what they’re known for.
Just been told Mourinho doesn’t know what he’s doing, because he didn’t play Bale against Villa. I asked if they had watched the games against Arse or Zagreb. They had not. Nuff said…