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Gareth Bale: embarrassment

kcmei

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2008
7,112
1,330
i have no problem with bale diving to protect himself from nasty injuries. What i want bale to do is to be more disciplined, he seems a tad selfish of late and making the wrong decisions in the final third
 

Ionman34

SC Supporter
Jun 1, 2011
7,182
16,793
During my youth I played a variety of sports which included Football, Cricket, Athletics and Basketball. Whilst there is a deal of diversity within these sports, one thing they all had in common, sprinting was involved (yes, even Cricket!).

Now this may sound condescending but it's not meant to be, so please bear with me on this.

Sprinting involves the rapid movement of legs in extremely close proximity, your legs never really being any more than 2-3 inches away from each other when crossing so the slightest contact causing foot, leg etc to deviate from its original course will result in the legs, or feet, coming into contact. The result? A fall. This occurred in every sport I played, even athletics where I used to hurdle. Even a light clip on the hurdle was sufficient for a fall.

This is from slight contact, what then from a tackle?

My Footballing 'career' came to a spectacular end at age 26 from a 'tackle' when I was sprinting down a wing. The defender put in a lunging tackle which missed the ball but caught me just as I was past him. The tackle wasn't a 'clean him up' tackle as such but was sufficient to cause me to lose my balance. In an effort to compensate I landed awkwardly on my right foot, whilst trying to maintain my balance and continue the run, and snapped both my anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments because my bodyweight was so out of alignment with my right leg.

I am now 43 and haven't played a truly competitive game of Football since.

I wasn't anywhere near as fast as Bale, I wasn't regarded as much of a threat as him either and know that the defender made a genuine challenge to win the ball (he happened to be an old school friend) rather than look to take me out of the game or 'spoil' the attack.

Bale doesn't have that luxury. With so much money being dependant on wins or losses, there are now so called 'professionals' out there who have no qualms about injuring another player, particularly if they are as influential as Bale and his ilk. Anyone who holds to this 'professionals just don't go out to injure other professionals' is seriously deluding themselves. I have been told first hand by other pro's that such is the case, Roy Keane even admitted to it in his biography and the evidence is out there as plain as day, even for the most unobservant amongst us.

Bale 'hitting the deck' to avoid a tackle is, for me, thoroughly acceptable based on the above. I have first hand experience of what even a minor contact can do when you try to keep your feet, God forbid Bale ever tried to do the same after being clattered in the way he does. Not only would we, as Spurs fans, be deprived of his Football, the game as a whole would too. I wonder, at times, if the more 'vocal' complainers on here have ever kicked a ball in their lives, they certainly don't seem to understand the mechanics involved.

Having said that, Bale rolling around like he's been picked of by a Barrett is, quite frankly, embarrassing. Win the freekick then get up and get on with it, the histrionics are totally unnecessary. But, on the whole, I don't feel that Bale deserves this label that many seem to want to tag him with. I can't help but feel that this has come from fans of the more 'traditional cheats' who have latched onto this due to our deserved reputation as an extremely clean and fair side and their wish to knock it. The unfortunate thing is that the true apologists are those who agree with them in an effort to maintain this perception, rather than point out the obvious. I even read on here one poster stating that, if he had been a goon or Chav, we would shout down his explanation in much the same way they have.

Quite frankly, so what? The denial by biased fans doesn't invalidate his explanation. In all honesty I think it serves to reinforce it, as the majority of the gobby goons etc would argue Black is White if a Yid stated the opposite.

By all means, yell 'Get up Bale you Tart' if he's rolling around on the floor unreasonably, but to demand to sell him smacks of someone desperate to appease the opposition because they've been teased just a little too much for their liking.

FFS man, grow a pair and start living up to your label as a SUPPORTER of Tottenham Hotspur rather than be an apologist to the scum.
 
Feb 19, 2009
17,009
2,830
Tottenham are different. Some people don't seem to get it.
Tottenham are different. Some people may want us to be like every other team, but we are not.
Our history, tradition, reputation for integrity as the OP has tried to say make us different and on the whole our fans are different too.
We expect and applaud good football and until recently we admired football played in the right spirit, the 'Tottenham' way I think it is called.

Gareth bale is a gifted player, but he's young and needs managing.
Any player who cheats should not be selected. Standards come from the top.
If he won't conform to the traditions and historical standards of the club
he should be sold.
I repeat my original assertion: football is about more than kicking a ball, winning a game, getting silverware, success in whatever form.
If you don't like it you are supporting the wrong club.
Me and Spud were here first.

Good football before success: success through good football.

What a disgusting load of utter shit. Jesus fucking Christ
 

nailsy

SC Supporter
Jul 24, 2005
30,536
46,628
Bale may be a bit of a tart but after watching Drogba rolling around the floor against Barca I can safely say he's got a long way to go before he reaches Chelsea's level.
 

spud

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2003
5,850
8,794
By all means, yell 'Get up Bale you Tart' if he's rolling around on the floor unreasonably, but to demand to sell him smacks of someone desperate to appease the opposition because they've been teased just a little too much for their liking.

FFS man, grow a pair and start living up to your label as a SUPPORTER of Tottenham Hotspur rather than be an apologist to the scum.
I appreciate that your explanation of the mechanics of running was well-meaning and served to make your point. I happen not to completely agree with it; and I too have played sport (football and rugby) at quite a high level.

As for your last point, I couldn't give a flying fuck what opposition fans, players or management think or say. My point was made because I deplore cheating, and find it particularly odious when it is done by a Spurs player. Your advice to 'grow a pair' was ill-advised and unwelcome, and I could pit my credentials as a supporter of this club against anybody on this board.

I often enjoy reading your comments, but on this occasion you let yourself down.

As regards Mr. Bale's diving, I haven't noticed a single one since the Everton game. He is to be applauded for that; long may it continue.
 

Ionman34

SC Supporter
Jun 1, 2011
7,182
16,793
I appreciate that your explanation of the mechanics of running was well-meaning and served to make your point. I happen not to completely agree with it; and I too have played sport (football and rugby) at quite a high level.

As for your last point, I couldn't give a flying fuck what opposition fans, players or management think or say. My point was made because I deplore cheating, and find it particularly odious when it is done by a Spurs player. Your advice to 'grow a pair' was ill-advised and unwelcome, and I could pit my credentials as a supporter of this club against anybody on this board.

I often enjoy reading your comments, but on this occasion you let yourself down.

As regards Mr. Bale's diving, I haven't noticed a single one since the Everton game. He is to be applauded for that; long may it continue.

Yep, the last comment was in the heat of the moment and was probably unnecessary, I apologise for that.

Please explain your not 'completely' agreeing with the mechanics. having had first hand experience of the worst case outcome in the scenario, I'd be interested to know where you believe I'm incorrect in my assessment.

As to Bale not 'diving' since the Everton game, I have seen him hit the deck against Sunderland, Swansea and Norwich (I haven't seen the semi) but noted the lack of histrionics in all of these games. I did note that the contact was fairly minimal though so I don't feel his approach to 'tackle avoidance' has changed, just the attempts for an Oscar nomination.
 
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