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Latest Spurs videos from Sky Sports
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/alex-mcleish-gareth-bale-joined-5829458
"McLeish told Sky Sports: “At that time he was struggling at Spurs as a left-back.
“We thought maybe we could take the pressure off with him coming to a smaller club, help him find his feet and if he did really well Harry (Redknapp, then Spurs boss) could take him back or we could put in a cheeky bid.
“If my memory serves me right, Harry needed him that week for a midweek game.
“He played him further forward and he got a couple of goals. The next day I said to him: ‘I take it I should forget about that now?’ And the rest was history.”
Bale first played the free role in our 2-0 win at Norwich in 2011 when he scored both goals from central positions and he pretty much stayed there from then on.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...-role-as-club-chase-Premier-League-glory.html
“I’ve always played out wide,’’ he reflected of his career. I’ve played upfront for Wales once or twice but that was about it. I’ve never really thought about playing through the middle.
"But since people have been double-marking me or even triple-marking me it’s something that I’ve had to bring into my game, and I’m enjoying it.
“It’s exciting. Over the last 12 months I’ve had to mix my game up because people are double-marking me on the wing so I’ve come inside a lot now.
"I’m improving all the time, especially with the free role, it’s allowing me to do that. I’ve had to change my game, which has made me a better player.”
Redknapp believes Bale is the complete player blessed with the right attitude as well as aptitude.
“He’s 6ft 2in, he can head the ball, he’s as strong as an ox, he can run, dribble, shoot, he can do the lot,’’ said the Spurs manager.
“I played him in a free role. He pops up in positions in between the midfield and defence. It’s difficult to pick him up.”
Bale’s fluid movement lends Spurs a real unpredictability. “It’s great that if a system’s not working we know we can change it,’’ added Bale. “We’re adaptable, and it makes it difficult for other teams.”
It was certainly not AVB who was the first to play him there.
You cant re write history because you dont like someone.
And as for wasted on the left, maybe you also missed the Inter 3-1 game..
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I believe you, Jamie... er, I mean Justin.
'He plays on the left, Gareth etc'
Which is one of many reasons I am cynical when the majority of fans disagree with my view of Spurs. For me that was a nonsense chant re Bale, and so it proved
I'll never never forget Ben's classic when he climbed down from his tree and asked of Jol, 'where's our left winger', like Ben was Moses or summat, when, er Ben (or indeed 'Ben Hur) we didn't need a left winger, actually.
Now for sure this winter we needed a striker. Where was Ben then, more importantly where were Enic and Poch?
Which is one of many reasons I am cynical when the majority of fans disagree with my view of Spurs. For me that was a nonsense chant re Bale, and so it proved
I'll never never forget Ben's classic when he climbed down from his tree and asked of Jol, 'where's our left winger', like Ben was Moses or summat, when, er Ben (or indeed 'Ben Hur) we didn't need a left winger, actually.
Now for sure this winter we needed a striker. Where was Ben then, more importantly where were Enic and Poch?
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What the fuck are you talking about now old man?
A so-called ITK that used to post on FTL.
Yep t'was the famous 'ITKer' Ben I was referring to.
'Inside info' is one thing, and Ben got a lot of stuff right. But as far his opinions on team transfer policy and selection strategy go, he was/is just another punter like me and the vast majority of us in Forumville.
'Inside info' is one thing, and Ben got a lot of stuff right. But as far his opinions on team transfer policy and selection strategy go, he was/is just another punter like me and the vast majority of us in Forumville.
As much as I was not a Harry fan, no one can dispute that under Harry, Bale blossomed. Harry even coached Lennon on how to cross a ball with accuracy once or twice............but sadly that did not last
And yes he used to climb up a tree on the boundaries of the training ground to try and see who was going for medicals etc iirc.
Yep, it was the source of much amusement, but fair play to his dedication. He posted a lot of info regarding team selection by using his aerial vantage point. It was actually so accurate for a while, it was probably helping the oppo if they read our sites. In the end it was put a stop to, I can't remember how, but I bet there's no handy trees at the new training ground
lol I always thought that was something spooky made up on his blog!
Nope he's a nut. He screamed at Jol on transfer deadline day at the training ground when we had gone about 5 windows without signing a left winger.
He now get emailed by Donna Cullen regularly with good news stories about the club knowing he will spread the good word as he is considered "ITK".
The club have cottoned on that if they make these people feel special they will be all over social media telling everyone how rosey things are.
Not sure if people have ever checked out the excellent "Swiss Ramble" blog before:
http://swissramble.blogspot.de/
It’s a blog mainly focused on high level analysis of various football clubs financial practices and performances.
They haven’t looked at Spurs specifically for a few years now, and I’m not going to lie and say that I understand all of what they post entirely, but if anyone needed a visual indication of where we stand against our competition then please cast your eyes below:
Now football is a money game first and foremost, anyone who thinks it isn't is kidding themselves. Although I am as guilty as most for holding on to the romantic notion that the exceptional can happen and occasionally a fairy story does occur when a small club triumphs against adversity. BUT over the course of time the almighty dollar will ALWAYS prevail.
I'm not saying that I disagree with the way our football club is being run either, financial security and a new stadium on the way, Levy is certainly trying to do his best to increase the clubs position and allow us to compete commercially. Maybe there is an argument that he errs on the side of caution too much, but as I've said on here before it’s very easy to be a back seat chairman without all of the information in front of you.
There are probably some who would see success at any cost, I certainly take some (little) satisfaction from the knowledge that we buck the trend of paying footballers ridiculous sums of money (Not that £70K a week isn't a ridiculous sum of money, but in comparison to £250 - 300K a week?). Combine that with the trend of seeing a number of young home grown, mostly English, players excelling in the first team. It gives you something to hold on to at least.
Yes, it is frustrating to see us come up short against those that we perceive to be our direct rivals season after season. However people need to consider that it’s not all that long ago that we were competing with the Everton’s, Newcastle’s and Villas of this world and a top half of the table finish, a decent cup run and a home win against the nomads was considered a pretty good season for us.
In my eyes we're not overachieving, but we're not underachieving either.
http://swissramble.blogspot.de/
It’s a blog mainly focused on high level analysis of various football clubs financial practices and performances.
They haven’t looked at Spurs specifically for a few years now, and I’m not going to lie and say that I understand all of what they post entirely, but if anyone needed a visual indication of where we stand against our competition then please cast your eyes below:
Now football is a money game first and foremost, anyone who thinks it isn't is kidding themselves. Although I am as guilty as most for holding on to the romantic notion that the exceptional can happen and occasionally a fairy story does occur when a small club triumphs against adversity. BUT over the course of time the almighty dollar will ALWAYS prevail.
I'm not saying that I disagree with the way our football club is being run either, financial security and a new stadium on the way, Levy is certainly trying to do his best to increase the clubs position and allow us to compete commercially. Maybe there is an argument that he errs on the side of caution too much, but as I've said on here before it’s very easy to be a back seat chairman without all of the information in front of you.
There are probably some who would see success at any cost, I certainly take some (little) satisfaction from the knowledge that we buck the trend of paying footballers ridiculous sums of money (Not that £70K a week isn't a ridiculous sum of money, but in comparison to £250 - 300K a week?). Combine that with the trend of seeing a number of young home grown, mostly English, players excelling in the first team. It gives you something to hold on to at least.
Yes, it is frustrating to see us come up short against those that we perceive to be our direct rivals season after season. However people need to consider that it’s not all that long ago that we were competing with the Everton’s, Newcastle’s and Villas of this world and a top half of the table finish, a decent cup run and a home win against the nomads was considered a pretty good season for us.
In my eyes we're not overachieving, but we're not underachieving either.
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