‘Really irritating’: Sky pundit annoyed at what he’s hearing about Tottenham Hotspur ace

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Micah Richards has slammed criticism of Tottenham Hotspur winger Gareth Bale in The Daily Mail.

The former Manchester City star, who now works as a pundit for Sky Sports, has claimed that suggestions that Bale, who returned to Tottenham on loan from Spanish and European giants Real Madrid in the summer of 2020, has lost his hunger and desire are way off the mark.

The Englishman has outlined that Bale has matured over the years, and has backed the Wales international.

Richards wrote in The Daily Mail: “I’ve listened all season to critics of Bale, who have questioned his desire and his effectiveness, and felt saddened. Sometimes I’m not sure he gets the respect he deserves. Four Champions League winners’ medals? What more can he do!

“Maybe people expected on his return to Tottenham at the beginning of the season they were going to see the Bale of old, the flying machine who would trample all over you. That was never realistic.

“He’s matured over the last eight years, he’s advanced his games in terms of positioning. But to hear people question Bale’s hunger was really irritating. Perhaps it stems from the infamous photograph of him celebrating with Wales’s squad with the banner that read: ‘Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order.’ The assumption, I guess, is that Bale isn’t as motivated as he once was. That’s absolute rubbish.”

Back in form?

To question Bale’s hunger and desire when he was struggling to get into the Tottenham team would have been wrong.

However, criticism that the winger was not playing well when he was coming on was valid.

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‘Really irritating’: Sky pundit annoyed at what he’s hearing about Tottenham Hotspur ace