I reckon Southampton. No way can i see him in the champ getting the shit kicked out of him and risking injury before the world cup. If he goes to Cardiff it will be to be close to Celtic Manor
Madrid fans are funny - they tend to turn against players very quickly. A lot I know did value him, especially in his first years when he scored some important goals but many seem to be quite against him for things like the flag incident and for never speaking to them in interviews: stuff that's not as important as the on the pitch performance. Madrid fans do have a very inflated sense of importance though and want their players to constantly recognise the grandeur of the club, something with which Bale didn't really want to play the game at.
Read an article the other day questioning whether he was ultimately a success at Madrid.
85m transfer fee plus a reported 200m in wages across his 9 years there. 258 appearances and 106 goals. Over 1m per appearance and over 2.5m per goal. Fans hated him towards the end and kind of tarnished the first few good years he had.
But he scored important goals, was a key player in 4 CL wins (can't really count the 5th) and won them the Spanish cup with that incredible goal where he ran off the pitch and around the defender.
Does that make him worth the money?
I'm sure Real made a pretty penny off of his image rights, shirt and merchandise sales (particularly the first few seasons there) so I highly doubt the actual cost to RM has been anything like that.
Made me laugh when Gabbidon said in the post match analysis "that's Gareth's goal". Not sure the dubious goals comity are still around, but I'm pretty sure that was an own goal from wherever you were sitting! Decent ball into the box though to be fair, which left the defender with little option but to put something on it.
he has retired from all football with immediate effect. What a career he has had.
Indeed. One of the best ever British players .... in terms of talent plus achievements then probably the best.
Lol no he's not, how many trophies did he win and actually have a major contribution to winning them? He's not on the level of many players England have had over the years, and certainly not better than people like Dalgleish, George Best and others over the years.
From clueless left back (what was that stat at the beginning of his career at Spurs?) to world class player who carried Wales to qualify for tournaments that they wouldn't otherwiese have done so and probably won't do so in the foreseeable future especially with Aaron Ramsey's international career nearing a conclusion too - 189 caps and 61 goals between them whereas the whole of the rest of Wales WC squad have managed just 32 in total
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Long day, didnt even realised id typed that first bit
Or is it a rebranding?
What a career he has had.
Cue a truly returning-Hasselbaink-level 12 months.
5 Champions Leagues, scoring 3 goals in finals, 3 La Ligas, 3 World Club Championships etc with Real, and a League Cup runners up medal with Spurs.