Player Watch: Gareth Bale - Retires

[The Long Suffering One]

A big chunk of me wants to quiver with excitement. But there's this nagging part of me which is telling me to look the other way unless I'm sadistic enough to go through another Dybala-shaped heartbreak.

 

[Indacupfortottenham]

We are already stacked with talent in the positions he plays, we need to use what resources we have available to strengthen areas we are lacking in.

At 31 we will recoup little to none in any transfer fee we would have to pay and he won’t be cheap!
He will want at least what are top earners are on and I would imagine more, which may cause problems.

Players like Kane and others may think it’s a good idea to move to bigger clubs to win things then return as a hero.

He is not the same pace merchant he once was, he is injury prone.

For all those reasons as romantic as it seems I hope we steer clear of this move, the only upsides I can really see are commercial.

 

[Mphw]

As much as I'd love Bale back at WHL, I just don't know if it's right. 2 years ago, yes cos he still wanted to play football. Today, he only wants to play for Wales. Would he give even 80% before a competitive Wales game or tournament?

But more importantly, who does he replace in the starting line up? Kane, Son and Bergwijn/Lucas will be needed, which means it's Alli or Bale. One of those 2 will get pissed off.

Alli has a bigger future for us and of we get him back to his he was pre-hamstring then Bale isn't needed. But at the same time we have to get Bale back to his best after pretty much a year of no football.

He only wants to play for Wales because he doesn’t want to play for Madrid. If he came to us he would be appreciated and therefore want to play for us. He needs a new challenge and will want to prove he’s still one of the best.

 

[Johnny J]

I'm sure I am in the small minority, but for the absolutely enormous sums it would take to get Bale, I would rather us spend that money on a creative midfielder.

Bale likely has two, maybe three, years left at the top.

Don't get me wrong: it would be tremendously exciting to see Bale back and firing on all cylinders.

But we don't have limitless resources and we have a big creative hole in midfield, and it's a big gamble relying on Ndombele for that this season.

I'm not even convinced we are set up for Bale to shine. At his peak with us we relied on a lot of individual magic from him: 30-yard screamers and individual runs through the opposition.

It would be great if he can still do that but without more creativity in our midfield I can see him being starved of chances and us again relying on individual magic.

I'd rather us see more cohesive forward play in our team. The transition between our midfield and attack has been a major problem for years.

Re. Trix's latest info, it's really sad that Levy didn't push the boat out when we DID have spare cash, because over the last few years we've been sooo close to a trophy, even the title.

 

[easley91]

We are already stacked with talent in the positions he plays, we need to use what resources we have available to strengthen areas we are lacking in.

At 31 we will recoup little to none in any transfer fee we would have to pay and he won’t be cheap!
He will want at least what are top earners are on and I would imagine more, which may cause problems.

Players like Kane and others may think it’s a good idea to move to bigger clubs to win things then return as a hero.

He is not the same pace merchant he once was, he is injury prone.

For all those reasons as romantic as it seems I hope we steer clear of this move, the only upsides I can really see are commercial.

We're not looking for a sell on fee. He is a serial winner and has done it in the big games for perhaps the biggest club in the world. We're looking at the here and now. We have players and a manager who may not be here after two more years. We NEED to start winning things NOW. No more looking at the future. Even if he only comes off the bench, he is still a better option than a Lamela for example.

 

[Tucker]

I'm sure I am in the small minority, but for the absolutely enormous sums it would take to get Bale, I would rather us spend that money on a creative midfielder.

Bale likely has two, maybe three, years left at the top.

Don't get me wrong: it would be tremendously exciting to see Bale back and firing on all cylinders.

But we don't have limitless resources and we have a big creative hole in midfield, and it's a big gamble relying on Ndombele for that this season.

Re. Trix's latest info, it's really sad that Levy didn't push the boat out when we DID have spare cash, because over the last few years we've been sooo close to a trophy, even the title.

He pushed the boat out last year didn’t he? Spent nearly £100 million on NDombele and Lo Celso combined as well as twenty odd million on Bergwijn. Also came within a gnats gonad of signing Dybala for circa 80 million.

 

[Johnny J]

He pushed the boat out last year didn’t he? Spent nearly £100 million on NDombele and Lo Celso combined as well as twenty odd million on Bergwijn. Also came within a gnats gonad of signing Dybala for circa 80 million.

He did well last summer but those signings were years overdue, in my opinion, and we still didn't get a striker or defensive mid.

We needed that investment in midfield wayyy before then.

 

[Indacupfortottenham]

We're not looking for a sell on fee. He is a serial winner and has done it in the big games for perhaps the biggest club in the world. We're looking at the here and now. We have players and a manager who may not be here after two more years. We NEED to start winning things NOW. No more looking at the future. Even if he only comes off the bench, he is still a better option than a Lamela for example.

TBF You make some good points there.

 

[St José Dominguez]

If he’s fit and firing he guarantees us top 4 and gives us an outside chance of winning the league in my opinion. Our front 3 would be incredibly dangerous, get Ndombele in the side with Dele/Lo Celso and Hojbjerg sitting, a solid defensive unit and wow. Just getting us back in the CL pays for his wages.

 

[Son of Saintlyspur]

If he’s fit and firing he guarantees us top 4 and gives us an outside chance of winning the league in my opinion. Our front 3 would be incredibly dangerous, get Ndombele in the side with Dele/Lo Celso and Hojbjerg sitting, a solid defensive unit and wow. Just getting us back in the CL pays for his wages.

That statement is absolutely bang on in my opinion, I'm sure DL will appreciate that through shirt sales, marketing and being back in the CL bringing Bale back to WHL is a win win!

 

[Supersi32]

We're not looking for a sell on fee. He is a serial winner and has done it in the big games for perhaps the biggest club in the world. We're looking at the here and now. We have players and a manager who may not be here after two more years. We NEED to start winning things NOW. No more looking at the future. Even if he only comes off the bench, he is still a better option than a Lamela for example.

Kane & Son both late 20's, we have reached and apologies for using an Americanism, 'Win or go Home'....

 

[Teddy Klinsmann]

Perhaps Levy sees the signing of Bale as a way to appease fans for the inevitable sale of Kane at some point.

 

[BENNO]

I've seen a lot written about Spurs needing a creative midfielder, and several recent posts on here about needing one more than having Bale back. Presumably because we seem to have trouble breaking down teams that sit deep ? But as someone who was lucky enough to have a season ticket that covered the period Bale was with us, i can assure you that the best way to win a game against a team sitting deep is to have someone who can smash a 25 yarder into the top corner as accurately and as often as Bale can !

 

[sage]

Bit concerned that the ITK seems to suggest that this is a transfer entirely driven by Daniel. I wonder what José thinks about it...

 

[wrd]

Perhaps Levy sees the signing of Bale as a way to appease fans for the inevitable sale of Kane at some point.

Why would Kane leave when we’re gonna win everything you can win with Bale in the team

 

[y1dk1d]

I’m such a melt I’ve gone from not caring about this thread, to enjoying the entertainment, to really hoping it’ll happen in about 5 days ?

I’ve tried not to let it happen but it has and I’m willing Bale home!

 

[fletch82]

Bit concerned that the ITK seems to suggest that this is a transfer entirely driven by Daniel. I wonder what José thinks about it...

He thinks ....
Thanks for the world class player Daniel you're great.
I would guess

 

[Teddy Klinsmann]

Why would Kane leave when we’re gonna win everything you can win with Bale in the team

We had prime Bale with Modric, VDV... and didn’t win anything.

 

[ernie78]

We had prime Bale with Modric, VDV... and didn’t win anything.

And Pav and Crouch up front. Not the same

 

[Yid-ol]

And Pav and Crouch up front. Not the same

And Gomez, Hutton, Lennon & Gallas.

Can't see how we didn't win anything with some of those players