Introducing Gareth Bale...

MrJoeSoap

From the man who brought you Theo Walcott, comes another young hero in the shape of Welsh left-back Gareth Bale. His hobbies include finding the top corner of the goal with free-kicks, marauding down the left-flank and putting in perfectly weighted crosses for the strikers to convert. He's played against the mighty Ronaldinho and held him scoreless, and become the youngest player to both play for and score for Wales. Only Theo Walcott has played for Southampton at a younger age.

Oh yeah, and he's only 17. I'm not exaggerating when I say this guy is probably one of the top five free-kick takers in football today. Scored another one today that isn't in the compilation below, as well as scraping the bar from one.

Sit back and enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC9glSF_oRc

Chucky the tree

how many more metres has the restraining order been extended by now?

MrJoeSoap

Chucky the tree wrote:

how many more metres has the restraining order been extended by now?

Hehe.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

MrJoeSoap wrote:

From the man who brought you Theo Walcott, comes another young hero in the shape of Welsh left-back Gareth Bale. His hobbies include finding the top corner of the goal with free-kicks, marauding down the left-flank and putting in perfectly weighted crosses for the strikers to convert. He's played against the mighty Ronaldinho and held him scoreless, and become the youngest player to both play for and score for Wales. Only Theo Walcott has played for Southampton at a younger age.

Oh yeah, and he's only 17. I'm not exaggerating when I say this guy is probably one of the top five free-kick takers in football today. Scored another one today that isn't in the compilation below, as well as scraping the bar from one.

Sit back and enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC9glSF_oRc

Ahhh..... I did wonder....

Paul Tergat

Great left foot

all his free-kicks seem to go wall side...but then again if the keeper covered that side he'd just put em t'other way

should be in prem soon, saints promotion or not

Rollo Tamasi

joe, do you like bale?
do you think he'll make it?

MrJoeSoap

Rollo Tamasi wrote:

joe, do you like bale?

He's not bad yeah.

Rollo Tamasi wrote:

do you think he'll make it?

Tough one, I reckon if he keeps his head down and works hard on the training ground he might have a chance.

evilhomer

p_larkin99 wrote:

should be in prem soon, saints promotion or not

Newcastle do need a new left back

Looks a good player. I just wonder if he would be runied going to a team and not playing regular football like at the Saints.

Paul Tergat

evilhomer wrote:

Newcastle do need a new left back

Looks a good player. I just wonder if he would be runied going to a team and not playing regular football like at the Saints.

Newcastle buy defenders?

he'd prob join a bottom half team and play regularly there....only seen him play 4/5 times mind (first one was derby opener of season i think)

MrJoeSoap

evilhomer wrote:

Newcastle do need a new left back

Looks a good player. I just wonder if he would be runied going to a team and not playing regular football like at the Saints.

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,16368,1786_1778077,00.html

Clichéd stuff but I'd be a lot more optimistic about him sticking around than I was about Theo.

kinaldo

Great stuff, very nice work you should post it up on Soccerpulse in this forum if u haven't already they really appreciate good comps like that there. I've never actually seen him play but he'd be more than welcome up at Newcastle!

Kingp35

I have seen him play live once when Southampton played Leeds and he is a good player, especially for his age. He has good positional sense and offers alot going forward.

Southampton really should do whatever they have to in order to keep him because I think he is a huge part of how they play.

wheres me jumpa

Never seen him play but I have great things from his resident stalker here and a few other championship fans. At 17 theres no need for him to leave the saints yet. Another year of regular football will do him the world of good and who knows that may even be in the Prem with the Saints.

I think would the red hot favourites to sign him if he did go. They badly need cover at left back and Bale might fancy playing with a mate again.

The Insider

According to some Liverpool websites he is a target for Liverpool in January, 7 million is the fee that is floating around but sure if there is much truth in it or not.

Zapp Brannigan

Doubt Liverpool would consider him, we bought that young Argentine, Insua. Though saying that Benitez passed up the oppurtunity to sign Theo so maybe he'll stick a bid in for Bale.

MrJoeSoap

SOUTHAMPTON 2 NORWICH 1
Mike Donovan

A SUPERB show from Southampton whizkid Gareth Bale helped his side strengthen their play-off hopes.

The 17-year-old Welsh international scored and made countless other opportunities as Norwich manager Peter Grant was left to wonder how he could lift his Canaries from the lower reaches of the table.

But the downside for home boss George Burley was that Bale might attract Premiership interest in the transfer window.

It was billed as the clash of the Championship's leading strikers with Grzegorz Rasiak on 14 and Robert Earnshaw on 13 goals.

Canary hot-shot Earnshaw promptly took himself level with his Polish rival as he put the visitors in front after 21 minutes.

Earnshaw, a pre-match doubt because of knee trouble, looked fully fit as he drove a deflected shot from the edge of the area beyond goalkeeper Calvin Davis after Adam Drury's cross had been half cleared.

But Rasiak then allowed Bale to take over his scoring role.

The fullback had curled two free kicks narrowly wide before making it third time lucky three minutes before the interval. The youngster's sweet left foot curled the ball around the wall and beyond keeper Paul Gallacher.

It was his fifth goal of an astonishing season for him, with four coming in similar fashion.

Bale seemed to provide an endless stream of crosses from the left as he charged forward and Rudi Skacel and Rasiak hooked the ball just wide from two of them.

But Saints were getting a little anxious as the second goal was not forthcoming.

It showed, as defender Alexander Ostlund got involved in a touchline bust-up with Norwich manager Grant.

But the elusive strike finally came Jermaine Wright hit a corner and Kenwyne Jones climbed high at the far post to head his fifth goal of the season.

As City pressed for the equaliser Southampton had to rely on goalkeeper Davis to ensure three points when he made superb stops from Peter Thorne and midfielder Dickson Etuhu.

SOUTHAMPTON: Davis 8 - Ostlund 6, Lundek-vam 7, Baird 7, *BALE 9 - Surman 6, Wright 7, Pele 6, Skacel 7 (Viafara, 79mins) - Rasiak 6 (Wright-Phillips, 72mins), Jones 7

NORWICH: Gallacher 6 - Colin 5 (Croft, 56mins, 6), Dublin 7, Doherty 6, Drury 7 - Hughes 6, Robinson 6, Etuhu 6, Huckerby 5 (Fleming, 76mins) - Thorne 6, *EARNSHAW 8 Ref: U Rennie 6.

Don't know how accurate the ratings are given that Surman apparently had a great game, but Bale certainly played brilliantly.

el rabitos

Slurms wrote:

Doubt Liverpool would consider him, we bought that young Argentine, Insua. Though saying that Benitez passed up the oppurtunity to sign Theo so maybe he'll stick a bid in for Bale.

we have reina, carson, dudek, martin and rafa still seems to think we need amelia so who knows. but 7 million for someone that hasnt kicked a ball in the premiership or champions league is stupid money, unless he's spectacularly good, ie rooney or walcott. even still the money spent on them is beyond liverpool right now.

MrJoeSoap

el rabitos wrote:

unless he's spectacularly good

Which he is...

I wouldn't like to see him join Liverpool or Chelsea, United or Arsenal are the only two clubs I'd actually like to see him join.

el rabitos

MrJoeSoap wrote:

Which he is...

I wouldn't like to see him join Liverpool or Chelsea, United or Arsenal are the only two clubs I'd actually like to see him join.

any reason in particular why arsenal or utd would be the place to be?

aidan24326

Always did wonder about your obsession with Bale.

Haven't seen him play except a few snippets here and there, but the lad can really hit a ball. Seems he is obviously very good as an attacking left back but what's his defending like?

MrJoeSoap

el rabitos wrote:

any reason in particular why arsenal or utd would be the place to be?

He'd suit Arsenals style of play better, and Arsenal have a great system in place for bringing on younger players, especially when you consider the average age of their defence recently. And United because he'd win things there...

aidan24326 wrote:

Haven't seen him play except a few snippets here and there, but the lad can really hit a ball. Seems he is obviously very good as an attacking left back but what's his defending like?

Not bad at all. Its very hard when you're making compilations like this to find pieces of defending to include, but he can certainly make a tackle and hold his own, he's brave and decent in the air when needed. I wouldn't be surprised if he was eventually to move to left midfield though.

el rabitos

MrJoeSoap wrote:

He'd suit Arsenals style of play better, and Arsenal have a great system in place for bringing on younger players, especially when you consider the average age of their defence recently. And United because he'd win things there...

while i agree completely with you in regards to arsenal, i'm a bit baffled by the united choice given the reason that he'd win there.

chelsea is clearly the place to be at the moment for players if they want near guaranteed success, and while they're not building a reputation for giving youth a chance, if a player is as good as your saying bale is (i'm not argueing, i havent seen him play tbh) then he'd force his way into the team, mourinho will play the best team available to him.

the liverpool snub i find a bit odd too given that benitez and his staff have been agressively recruiting what they regard as the best youth players around the world with the intention of building the club on these players, i would have thought that would be, alongside arsenal the best place for this player to be

aidan24326

MrJoeSoap wrote:

Not bad at all. Its very hard when you're making compilations like this to find pieces of defending to include, but he can certainly make a tackle and hold his own, he's brave and decent in the air when needed. I wouldn't be surprised if he was eventually to move to left midfield though.

Someone of his skill could surely play in a more advanced role. Unfortunately for you as a Southampton fan, if he is as good as you say it will be difficult to hold onto him unless you get promotion.

OT but what was the instrumental music piece in the first 4 mins of your compilation? Quite liked it.

MrJoeSoap

el rabitos wrote:

chelsea is clearly the place to be at the moment for players if they want near guaranteed success, and while they're not building a reputation for giving youth a chance, if a player is as good as your saying bale is (i'm not argueing, i havent seen him play tbh) then he'd force his way into the team, mourinho will play the best team available to him.

With Ashley Cole and Wayne Bridge already at Chelsea, he wouldn't have a hope. I reckon over the next couple of years Bale would become a United regular on either the left side of midfield or left back, if he were to sign.

Its irrelevant anyway, because he's not going anywhere, just like Theo isn't... oh wait.

aidan24326

el rabitos wrote:

chelsea is clearly the place to be at the moment for players if they want near guaranteed success, and while they're not building a reputation for giving youth a chance, if a player is as good as your saying bale is (i'm not argueing, i havent seen him play tbh) then he'd force his way into the team, mourinho will play the best team available to him.

There's no way a young player like Bale should be going anywhere near Chelsea. He'd have to be absolutely exceptional to get in (and more importantly stay in) their team at this stage. Maybe in a few years, and even then it's only a maybe as he hasn't even been tested at the top level yet.

Look at Shaun Wright Phillips, a couple of years ago he was the hottest kid on the block and he has damn near ruined himself by going to Chelsea.

jank

Wenger apparently has taken quite a liking to him.
Maybe a move in January with him staying in southhampton on loan.

Theo would be one of the major factors of him going.
Clichy is doing ok at left back but isnt too impressive...yet.

MrJoeSoap

According to this article as well. Its so sad to see a seemingly never ending line of talent being dragged away from us, I really do hope he stays.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1962141,00.html

Kingp35

MrJoeSoap wrote:

Its irrelevant anyway, because he's not going anywhere, just like Theo isn't... oh wait.

Yes please

As with any good young player there is always going to be speculation about their future. The papers are going to make up stories as they always do. I dont think Bale will leave in January but if Saints dont go up and he keeps up his form then he could move in the summer.

jank

MrJoeSoap wrote:

According to this article as well. Its so sad to see a seemingly never ending line of talent being dragged away from us, I really do hope he stays.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1962141,00.html

ID be estatic if Wenger bought half of those players.

Mossy Monk

he would be a great buy for Arsenal

the last purchase from the Saints is proving to be a huge success. in a few years (at the current rate of improvement) he will be amazing

Q_Ball

MrJoeSoap wrote:

Its so sad to see a seemingly never ending line of talent being dragged away from us

You get used to it after a while

MrJoeSoap

He's at it again. Prick!

http://media.putfile.com/Gareth-Bale-vs-Norwichs

MrJoeSoap

GARETH Bale started 2006 as a nobody - but by the end of the year there was a £7m price tag hanging around his young neck.

What's more, you would be hard pushed right now to find a Premiership manager who does not want the Southampton teenager in their team.

Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham and Newcastle are all jostling for his services in readiness for when the transfer window reopens in less than 24 hours.

Even Real Madrid have reportedly started casting admiring glances in his direction.

Not bad for a Cardiff-born teenager who didn't taste first team action until April - or sign a professional contract with Southampton until he turned 17 four months later.

By then he had already become Wales' youngest international at just 16 years and 315 days and set up the winning goal in a 2-1 win over Trinidad and Tobago.

And it wasn't much longer before he became his country's youngest goalscorer with arguably the best of the six Wales shared with Slovakia in October at the Millennium Stadium.

Had the other five not been in the Welsh net, then more people than just Bale might have remembered his stunning goal.

In between, he caught the eye as the second best player on the pitch for 45 minutes against Brazil - behind Ryan Giggs - while his free-kick prowess saw him start the new season in a hail of goals - six to date - earning him favourable comparisons with David Beckham and prompting fans to snap up the "bend it like Bale" t-shirts on sale in the club shop.

Giggs will have a job keeping hold of dead-ball duties for Wales in the future and Bale even offered him some tips on taking them against Brazil.

Saints manager George Burley has tried to play down the intense speculation surrounding Bale's immediate future - while simultaneously helping to inflate his transfer value by labelling him as "special" with the potential to be "better than any left back anywhere".

Go back 12 months, though, and it was Bale's former teammate Theo Walcott who was making the headlines before his £12m move to Arsenal.

Yet that was before he had even done half the things his old roommate has already achieved.

"I wasn't even aware of Gareth before I came to the club [in December 2005], but there is no doubt that both he and Theo are special players," said Burley. "Players like them don't come along too often and we've had both of them coming through the ranks together.

"I was at Chelsea's game against Arsenal and saw [Ashley] Cole playing very well, but I know Gareth is going to be better than him.

"These days people expect full-backs to get forward and influence the game but they still have to be aware of their defensive responsibilities, which Gareth is. He is a good tackler, good in the air and possesses all the attributes you need.

"I look at him now in terms of British football and he is capable of being as good as anybody out there. He is even different in some aspects to the top full backs in this country."

Burley is referring to the free-kicks which set Bale apart from almost every other defender out there.

Roberto Carlos built his inflated reputation on the back of a single freakish free kick - while Bale has already repeated the trick six times this season.

"The quality of his free kicks sets him apart and there is the same anticipation whenever he steps up to take one as there was when David Beckham played for Manchester United," said Burley.

But while those around him make huge predictions for the future, Bale himself remains silent.

He is banned him from speaking to the media for the time being in an attempt to keep distractions at bay.

Fat chance.

In fact, the only words that Bale has uttered in public, aside from an appalling rendition of 'The 12 Days of Christmas' for SaintsTV, were in a recent matchday programme. "There's a strong consensus of opinion here that Theo [Walcott] might have done better to stay at St Mary's for another year, getting a regular game rather than being on the Arsenal subs' bench," he said.

"There's a lot to be said for playing week in, week out in the Championship. I'm loving it."

So too is Burley, who, having questioned the sanity of playing Bale as a full international while he finds his feet at club level, has now been forced to backtrack.

"At the beginning of the season I didn't think Gareth was ready to play full international football and first team football for us on a regular basis," he said.

"I think that was borne out because he struggled a little bit in the first month of doing both.

"But now he has grown in stature and taken it all in his stride. Now I think he can cope with both and I've told the Wales management that."

Watching him play it is easy to forget just how young Bale still is. Or, at times, that he is a left-back and not a left-winger.

"Going forward he is second to none," added Burley. There was no doubt he was finding the pace and the physical nature of the division tough at first.

"We took him out of the side for four games and since he came back in he has really kicked on. He still has to learn more on his positioning and being in the right place at the right time, but he has progressed a lot in the last few months.

"He has exceptional talent but he is certainly not the finished article yet."

What a thought for 2007.

MrJoeSoap

FORMER Saints manager Dave Merrington has admitted it would be "tragic" if Gareth Bale was sold this month.

The ex-Dell boss believes the 17-year-old is an "absolute gem" and should be coveted by the elite of English football.

Merrington, who watches Saints every week as a Radio Solent summariser, said: "Bale is easily the best attacking left back I have seen in this division.

"He's got good feet, he's got a little shimmy that can take him past players, but the best thing about him is his quality of delivery into the box.

"He is an absolute gem. Just because he's already scored five direct free-kicks in half a season he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Beckham and Le Tissier.

"If someone asked me to write a scouting report on Southampton there would one line which would say do NOT give away free-kicks anywhere near the edge of your own penalty area because if you do you are inviting trouble'.
Advertisement continued...

"If I was Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Rafael Benitez or Glenn Roeder I would be looking to sign Gareth Bale.

"He is playing with a maturity way beyond his age. And to take the free-kicks that he has shows guts and courage for someone so young.

"In the last few games Bale has presented more of an attacking threat down the left than Skacel, and Skacel is supposed to be the attacking player.

"Skacel does have quality, I'd just like to see it shown more regularly."

Merrington, boss at Saints for the 1995/96 campaign and the club's youth coach in the late 1980s, added: "It would be tragic for the club and the supporters if Gareth Bale was sold this month.

"The club would have to ask themselves what the academy is there for?

"Is it to develop their own players for the first team, or to develop players who can be quickly sold.

"If it's the latter, then the academy just becomes a business.

"At the least we should be trying to keep the players who come through the academy until they are 21 or 22, not selling them when they're 16 or 17."

http://www.thisishampshire.net/sport/hampshiresport/display.var.1101739.0.it_would_be_tragic_to_sell_starlet_gareth.php

Chucky the tree

atleast keep him until the summer. If yous get promotion then he will be worth alot more, if not he will still be the same price.

MrJoeSoap

Singled out for praise in the Guardians round-up of the Championship games yesterday.

The best individual performances included that of Southampton's 18-year-old Gareth Bale, who provided a vivid example of why he is the number one transfer target for Premiership clubs in the 2-0 win at QPR.

Southampton fans are raving about his performance as well, thats two man-of-the-match performances on the trot. Any transfer talk certainly isn't getting to him.

Bale - 9 - Just quality

Bale- 8

Bale 9 - Need I say more, what a player!

Bale - 9 Superb as usual

Bale looked head and shoulders above anyone else on the pitch with his attacking display. Almost in danger of being too confident now with his twinkling feet but does it in the right areas of the pitch. That'll be £20m please Mr Ferguson.

Bale - 8

Bale - 7.5 - Some very good driving runs, tore them apart

bale 8.5 - scared them whenever he got on the ball

bale - 9 - went on many mazy runs, looked confident and composed.

Gareth boxed right into the corner flag by two defenders, magic footwork to squeeze right through them. They were completely hoodwinked.

evad_lhorg

Talk about milking it Joe. that video could have been about 3 minutes long. how many times do you need to do the replays?!?!? Yea he is good especially for someone his age but wait until he signs for a decent club and we'll see how well he does.(oh and by the way by decent club i obviously mean Man Utd:D )

MrJoeSoap

evad_lhorg wrote:

Yea he is good especially for someone his age but wait until he signs for a decent club and we'll see how well he does.(oh and by the way by decent club i obviously mean Man Utd:D )

True, the sooner he leaves the Eircom League the better...

Peyton Manning

Worst. Celebration. Ever.

MrJoeSoap

Archimedes wrote:

Worst. Celebration. Ever.

I'll give you that...

Sizzler

Ah come on, get over him ! Im sure you arent his type anyway

PHB

A fullback is never worth above 15 million if you ask me, even then. I mean full back is still the least important position in the game, just as it was when we played as kids. I think 15 million is the max you should ever pay for a full back, and I don't think Bale has warrented that tag. I think about 7-8 million, with preformance clauses, and him loaned back for a year and a half is a fair deal.

MrJoeSoap

Gareth Bale was first spotted by Southampton at the age of nine. By the time he reached secondary school his left foot had become so good that his teacher banned him from using it when football was played in games lessons.

"We had to make up special rules for him," says Gwyn Morris, the head of PE at Cardiff's Whitchurch High School. "In a normal game we had to limit him to playing one touch and he was never allowed to use his left foot. If we didn't make those rules he would have run through everyone, so it was the only way we could have an even game when he was involved."

Over the past year Bale's talent has flourished to make him Wales's youngest-ever international at 16 years 315 days and, with Manchester United leading the hunt, the Championship's most wanted young player. According to Southampton's manager, George Burley, he has the potential to surpass Ashley Cole as the best left-back in Britain.

Bale's Wales team-mate Craig Bellamy says: "We're so lucky that he's Welsh. We've got a real player, a real force for the next 14-15 years and someone who is really going to excite Welsh football."

Matthew Le Tissier, who played alongside Wayne Bridge at Southampton when the left-back, now with Chelsea, was 17, rates Bale as the better prospect at that age. "Most of Southampton's forward play comes from his impetus at left-back," he says.

Bale's strengths are his energy and stamina rather than electric pace, allied to the sweetest of left feet. It is a combination which allows him to patrol the left flank with deadly efficiency. He has scored six goals for club and country this season; five have come from free-kicks in and around the penalty area and, although he must improve the defensive side of his game, it is this attacking talent which sets him apart.

An ability to strike a football up and over a wall with power and accuracy has prompted comparisons with David Beckham. Like Beckham in his younger days, Bale is known for his willingness to spend hours alone after training honing his free-kicks. Georges Prost, the technical director of Southampton's academy, says: "The first time I saw Gareth play was when he was 13, in my first year here. He was playing as a left-winger then and had such a lovely left foot. Repetition is the best way to improve - the more repetition you have the better, and I often saw Gareth taking free-kick after free-kick in his own time.

"All that practice gave him accuracy and made him believe, and now he takes them with so much confidence. He hits them with pace and a lovely technique."

Bale's willingness to work at his game underpins another asset which is certain to have been noted by Sir Alex Ferguson. Unlike Theo Walcott, his former room-mate at Southampton's academy, it was not always assumed by staff at Saints that he would make the grade so he has already shown an ability to overcome setbacks. Indeed, although he has played for Southampton at every level there were doubts about whether he would have the physique to succeed. He now has a £10m valuation and yet Saints considered making what would have been the costly mistake of releasing him at the age of 15.

Rod Ruddick, who manages Saints' satellite academy in Bath, recruited Bale at a Welsh Under-9s six-a-side tournament in 1998. "Between the ages of 14 and 16 he had growth spurts which affected his mobility and strength," Ruddick says. "He had a horrendous three years because he had a couple of injuries as well. But because of his character he kept going. There was some doubt whether he would get a scholarship but I never had any doubts about him. You could see from an early age he had something special."

Initially Bale had to be encouraged by staff at the academy to come out of his shell and speak more, but his stature and confidence on the pitch have grown substantially over the past year and he has been unfazed by his elevation this season to first-team regular.

"Gareth has come on in the last few months and filled out a bit," says Saints' captain Claus Lundekvam. "He is just going to get better and better and his attitude on the pitch is excellent. He is still very, very young - he has only been in the frame for about six months. It's very easy to forget that he is young.

"He's come on so strongly lately, he is playing like an adult who has been playing for a long, long time. The gaffer has done tremendously with him and he can be as good as he wants to be."

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/01/23/why_they_all_seek_young_saint.html

Chucky the tree

...to arsenal?


I'd be very suprised if he went to Arsenal. I think it would be a very poor move. Cant seem having much a chance getting into their team.

Better off at Spurs.

MrJoeSoap

Where will Gareth Bale start next season ?

Tottenham 11/10.

Arsenal 6/4.

Manchester United 3/1.

SAINTS 20/1.

Chelsea 25/1.

Newcastle 33/1.

West Ham United 33/1.

Bale's options:

ARSENAL.

Little chance of claiming regular first team football. Gael Clichy has successfully replaced Ashley Cole at left-back and 17-year-old Armand Traore, another Frenchman, has impressed in the Carling Cup.

Arsene Wenger can also play William Gallas at left-back if needed.

The presence of Theo Walcott, his former Saints academy team-mate, at the Emirates Stadium is a tick in the right box for Bale should Wenger decide to make a move. But the boss has repeatedly said he is not looking to bring any new players in during the current window.

TOTTENHAM.

The White Hart Lane club easily provide Bale with his best chance of claiming regular first team football.

Both Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Young-Pyo Lee have failed to shine at left-back this season while boss Martin Jol is also short of quality left-footed midfielders.

Jol is also keen on signing young quality British talent - witness the arrival of the likes of Tom Huddlestone, Aaron Lennon and Ben Alnwick in recent years.

Spurs, though, have rarely been in the running for the major trophies in recent years. They have not won the league since 1961 and they last won the FA Cup in 1991. Since then, their only major honour was the League Cup in 2001 and they have never finished in the Premiership's top four.

MANCHESTER UNITED.

Patrice Evra has been United's regular left-back this season, while Gabriel Heinze can also play in that position. Spurs were recently linked with a £5m move for the Argentinian, but Sir Alex Ferguson would only sell if he could be sure of signing Bale.

A plus point for Fergie is the presence at Old Trafford of Welsh legend Ryan Giggs, a childhood hero of Bale's and his current international colleague.

Pepe LeFrits

I can't see Wenger buying Bale considering the other young left-backs in the team. However, if he did, considering the money involved, he's hardly going to leave him in the reserves.

GuanYin

of those three, spurs, maybe - but to be fair, as much as Jol says he's building for the future, his transfers have been baffling at times.

I think a top 5 team is a bit too lofty a goal.

Fratton Fred

psi wrote:

of those three, spurs, maybe - but to be fair, as much as Jol says he's building for the future, his transfers have been baffling at times.

I think a top 5 team is a bit too lofty a goal.

agreed, The team in sixth spot would be ideal and only a short drive down the road for him as well;)

Xavi6

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/6299059.stm

Richards & Bale head-to-head
By John May

Man City's Micah Richards and Southampton's Gareth Bale
Manchester City's battle with Southampton for a place in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Sunday is merely the undercard.

At the venue where world IBF light-welterweight champion Ricky Hatton watches his football, the main event is the contest for the undisputed title of Best Young Defender in Britain.

In the light blue corner, is Manchester City's defender Micah Richards, while coming out of the red corner is Saints left-back Bale.

It is the hot ringside ticket for club scouts and to make it even easier for the men with upturned collars, notepads and a nose for a player, Richards and Bale will go head-to-head down the same flank in their own turf war.

As the countdown begins to the title showdown, BBC Sport runs its own tale-of-the-tape over the two contenders.

AGE AND EXPERIENCE

RICHARDS:
Age: 18 (born Birmingham, 24/6/88).
Height: 5feet 11 inches (1.80m).
Weight: 13st (82.55kg).
Debut: 22/10/05, v Arsenal, Premiership.
Full international debut: 15/11/06 v Holland (after 28 first-team appearances)

BALE:
Age: 17 (born Cardiff, 16/7/89).
Height: 6ft (1.83m).
Weight: 11st (69.85kg)
Debut: 17/4/06 v Millwall, Championship.
Full international debut: 27/5/06, v Trinidad and Tobago (after two first-team appearances).

Richards broke Rio Ferdinand's record as the youngest-ever England defender.

Bale became Wales youngest full international in making his debut against Trinidad. His goal in a European Championship qualifying tie against Slovakia on September 2006 makes him Wales' youngest ever goalscorer.

Despite Bale having more international caps than Richards, and Saints boss George Burley's protestations that: "I don't need to see him play against Premiership opposition to know how good he is," this will be Bale's first game against top-flight opposition. Richards has played all his competitive football in the Premiership.

ROUND ONE: Richards 10pts Bale 8.

HEADING ABILITY

RICHARDS: Although not a six-footer, possesses a terrific spring, giving him power in the air. His ability up top makes him vital to City at set- pieces at both ends of the pitch.

BALE: Rarely beaten in the air by the wide players he marks, and also acquits himself well when covering his central defenders when the ball comes in from the other diagonal.

ROUND TWO: Richards 10 Bale 9.

TACKLING

RICHARDS: Quick and powerful. Has the pace to match opponents, get alongside them and get in his tackle. Strong in the tackle too, when Richards tackles opponents, they stay tackled.

BALE: Quick as well, but more of a rapier to Richards' broadsword. Bale will stand on his feet longer, and prefers to shepherd opponents away from danger. But is a sweet timer of a tackle.

ROUND THREE: Richards 10 Bale 9.

POSITIONAL PLAY

RICHARDS: His lack of experience sometimes puts him in the wrong place, but relies on his pace to get him out of trouble. Just as importantly, has built up a good understanding with the central defenders who play inside him, Richard Dunne and Sylvain Distin.

BALE: His importance to Saints as an attacking threat can strand him upfield, and prone to a ball in behind him. Not necessarily his fault as Wayne Bridge had Chris Marsden to cover him and endorse his licence to bomb forward.

ROUND FOUR: Richards 10 Bale 9.

SKILL

RICHARDS: Comfortable enough with the ball at his feet without ever being likely to dazzle and bemuse his way around an opponent. Can get forward and overlap and deliver a decent cross, but strictly no frills.

BALE: As full of skill and trickery as a winger - which some feel he might evolve into, possibly as a long-term replacement for Ryan Giggs (for Wales, if not Man Utd). Loves to swashbuckle forward and is a real threat to opponents with his ability to beat his man and get in a telling cross.

ROUND FIVE: Richards 7 Bale 10.

GOAL THREAT

RICHARDS: Two goals to his name. His first, in the FA Cup against Aston Villa, last season, brought him to national attention. His threat at set- pieces relies on the delivery of others.

BALE: Five Championship goals, and an international strike for Wales. A magical wand of a left peg and sublime skill at free-kicks have invited comparison with David Beckham but his skill and ability make him a threat in open play.

ROUND SIX: Richards 8 Bale 10.

EXTRAS

Richards had the privilege of embarrassing Gary Lineker. After his headed equaliser in the live FA Cup tie at Aston Villa, an over-excited Richards gave his first live national television interview.

A stray swear-word during the interview prompted a sheepish Lineker to excuse it as "the inexperience of the young lad".

Bale was so good at school his PE teacher made him play one-touch football, with his right foot only. As a schoolboy distance runner, he built up a reservoir of stamina that stands him in good stead to this day.

Like Beckham and Matthew Le Tissier before him, Bale will spend hours after training has finished, perfecting his free-kick technique.

VALUATION

Time and transfer will tell how much two these young stars will be worth.

City have denied turning down an £18m bid for Richards from Chelsea, Saints are said to be battling to resist £10m offers for Bale.

POINTS VERDICT

RICHARDS: 55pts

BALE: 55pts

Richards wins in more rounds than Bale, but his margins of victory are not as convincing as Bale's. In the departments Bale tops Richards, he is much better.

Seperate them? We certainly couldn't.

Gonna be fun on Sunday....

MrJoeSoap

Xavi6 wrote:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/6299059.stm



Gonna be fun on Sunday....

Yeah, struggling to hear the result...

Sizzler

This "saga" is more painful than the Carrick transfer from last summer. Can you not just let it go and discuss the pros and cons of a transfer when it happens, hes a 17yr old left back at Soton FFS, get over it.He has potential but hes done fúck all yet !