Gary Neville says that he has noticed that Tottenham Hotspur forward Gareth Bale hasn’t looked full of intent in his warm-ups this season, as per his comments on his latest podcast.
Bale has only just made it back into Tottenham’s team, after what has been a difficult few months back in North London.
Bale was expected to make a huge impact when he signed for Spurs from Real Madrid, but he has found starting chances hard to come by.
The Welshman was continuously overlooked by Jose Mourinho over his first few months with the club, and Neville didn’t like the 31-year-old’s attitude on the bench.
However, in recent weeks – something has changed in Bale’s game.
The Tottenham wide-man has looked to be getting back to his best, and his brace in Spurs’s 4-0 win over Burnley was further confirmation that he is beginning to find form.
Bale’s performances have seriously excited Tottenham supporters, and Neville says that it is about time that he put in such a display.
“I said on Monday Night Football two or three weeks ago that it had annoyed me a little bit him sat there on the bench smiling and smirking and looking too relaxed when he’s not been going on the pitch,” Neville said.
“A player as great as him, who has achieved what he’s achieved, I don’t get the feeling that he’s been banging on the manager’s door. I don’t think it’s his style.
“I don’t mean going to have an argument with the manager, but it’s looking like there’s a real intent to come on the pitch.
“You look at Cavani, when he was warming up earlier in the season when he was at United and wasn’t playing, I got the feeling he was five minutes away from grabbing Ole by the scruff of the neck and saying get me on that pitch.
“Whereas different characters I know, but I just felt Bale was too nice and it was too easy for him to sit there and watch.
He added: “He’s got the experience and quality and Tottenham are under pressure and the team has struggled.
“[He should be saying] I’m here, get me on there now and I’ll stop this rot. Kane missed a few games, I’m the one who’ll stand up.
“And now it looks like he’s started to do that, but it’s been needed. I’ve not seen that desperation in him to really come on.
“He’s a brilliant player and it’s time now that he does deliver.”
If Bale can continue to perform to such devastating impact then Tottenham’s chances of success this season will be hugely boosted.
Spurs have been in dire form in recent weeks, but they still have a chance of breaking into the top four, and also have genuine hopes of winning both the League Cup and the Europa League.
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