Introducing Gareth Bale...

therecklessone

Sizzler wrote:

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 !

Seems the perfect time to post this:

Henry Winter - Four Four Two

The future of English football is the all-action All Black, Dan Carter, probably the best all-round team sportsman in the world. The master of running, kicking, and tackling is the greatest advertisement for a revamped New Zealand coaching system that Steve McClaren wants copied over here.

The dark clouds over English football could be blown away by nicking a blueprint for excellence developed in the land of the long white cloud; 2007 must be made Year of the Coach if English football is to begin addressing the shortcomings of most youngsters coming through. Two-footed footballers are a miserably rare breed.

From schools to clubs, the mantra for the New Year must be more coaching, better coaching, words already forming on the lips of the FA's chief executive, Brian Barwick. From Barwick to McClaren, everyone at Soho Square accepts the crisis at youth level and the long-term problems bequeathed to the national team. Of all the major issues blighting the Beautiful Game, from bungs to dives, the most urgent is the need to develop footballers more comfortable in possession.

To graduate from quarter-final expulsions, to rival the star French pupils in reaching finals, England's players must be better educated in the art and science of tactics and technique almost from the cradle onwards. Go to a small French town and there will be impressive coaching sessions going on all over. Similarly with rugby in Kiwiville. Coaching is a respected profession in these countries, and it is no surprise their sportsmen excel. England has some serious catching-up to do.

McClaren is hugely concerned about the standard of the kids coming through, particularly after watching England Under-19s given a brutal lesson in passing and moving by their French counterparts recently. A man whose idea of bedtime reading is a coaching manual, McClaren is well qualified to offer a cure for the English disease of profligacy in possession, of atrocious penalties, of one-footedness.

"The talent is there," argues McClaren of the raw schoolboy product. It just needs moulding. "We now have a responsibility to improve coaching standards for that talent," continues England's head coach. "I look at what the All Blacks did. About 10-15 years ago, they were not No. 1 in the world anymore, and they decided to do something about it.

"Previously they'd concentrated on the kids. This time they decided that the talent was there, it was about finding a way of improving that talent. So they put a programme in place to improve coaching at every level. It worked. The standard of All Black rugby went sky-high. Now they're No 1."

With Carter wreaking havoc on opponents, and the All Blacks overwhelming favourites for the rugby World Cup, the rescue plan worked. England must now show similar commitment to coaching. This requires financial power, yet the FA are hardly awash with cash. It also requires will power, an unfaltering belief in a system that will take time to produce results.

The Academy and Centre of Excellence networks need strengthening, and hordes of properly-qualified coaches sent on missionary duty in the inner cities and shires. Sponsors like McDonald's are pouring resources into creating more coaches, so perhaps the fightback has started.

Go to Manchester United, where they appreciate the importance of developing native talent, and the quality of coaching for the youngsters is exceptional. Across the car park from the first-team HQ at Carrington, United's youth-team coaches nurture a generation who could blossom into something special. Sadly, places like United and Middlesbrough, and a few other Premiership finishing schools, are the honourable exceptions rather than the rule.

The crusade for better coaching would be simpler if there was a focus point, almost a command centre, which is why the mothballing of the proposed National Football Centre at Burton was so short-sighted. Backing Burton would have sent out a message that the FA takes coaching seriously.

Many parents do selfless work up and down the country, coaching kids, ferrying them around, but they need help. The white shirts of England need a touch of All Black.

therecklessone

Players like Rooney, Walcott, Lennon and Bale get hyped way out of proportion in England, precisely because English football does so little to nurture native talent. Over reliance on European and African coaching yields short term gain for football clubs, but long term damage to the football culture.

Carcharodon

PHB wrote:

I mean full back is still the least important position in the game, just as it was when we played as kids.

Quite the rediculous statement :rolleyes:

MrJoeSoap

Sizzler wrote:

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!

The transfer "saga" as you put it, just happens to be ripping the club apart at the moment so I'm not just going to sit back and discuss a transfer "when" it happens.

There is a divide in the board as to whether or not he should be sold now at his most valuable, or left in the squad as we try and push for promotion. If we do get promoted, then surely there would be a great chance that he would stay with us. On the other hand, if we aren't promoted then his value will be lower as his contract comes towards an end, and the club will have lost out on both fronts.

There is increasing unrest amongst *some* fans as to why we should bother to continue supporting a player who is refusing to sign a new deal, and who they believe it is quite clear does not want to be at the club any more. Then, of course, there is a majority of fans (including myself) who appreciate Gareths position and want him to stay at least until the end of the season and help us push for promotion.

hes a 17yr old left back at Soton FFS, get over it.He has potential but hes done fúck all yet !

Potential is such an awful word, the thing about Gareth is that it's all here and now.

The guys talent shouldn't even be in question. At a rough guess I would say he has easily twice as many "man-of-the-match" awards as any other player in the Championship this season, and probably has more assists as well. I'd almost certainly say he's the highest scoring defender and is currently ranked 5th on the Actim index for the Championship, highest full-back by some way.

I could go on about "Wales' youngest bla bla bla" but I'd just be repeating myself I'm afraid.

The thing that annoys me is that people come on here and say "It's only the Championship etc..." and "he's done **** all" despite having never seen the guy play, and despite the fact that there are well-respected managers creaming themselves over him and practically throwing money at us. But what would they know :rolleyes:

PHB wrote:

I mean full back is still the least important position in the game, just as it was when we played as kids.

No doubt from the same kind of fan who would immediately wax lyrical about Gary Neville or Denis Irwin. If you thought you were about to sign a 17 year old who was better than either of those two, how much would you pay?

eirebhoy

I've never seen Bale play but I certainly can't think of an average player that can take freekicks as well as him.

astrofool

eirebhoy wrote:

I've never seen Bale play but I certainly can't think of an average player that can take freekicks as well as him.

What about that Japanese lad plying his wares in the SPL?

eirebhoy

hehe.

Sizzler

He played a stormer today didnt he against "top class" premiership opposition :rolleyes:

Xavi6

Sizzler wrote:

He played a stormer today didnt he against "top class" premiership opposition :rolleyes:

You watched it I presume?:rolleyes:

madds

Saw the highlights on sky last night. Bale made one great clearance off the line....but then was at fault for a goal where he tried to tackle the City player on the edge of the box with his left foot when his right foot looked like being the one he should have led with. This allowed the City player to go by him, get a cross over, and which eventually to the goal.

Only brief highlights so can't make a judgment on him. I believe AF and Queiroz were both at the game, and another bid is expected from Utd before the window closes on Wednesday.

WhiteWashMan

madds wrote:

but then was at fault for a goal where he tried to tackle the City player on the edge of the box with his left foot when his right foot looked like being the one he should have led with. This allowed the City player to go by him, get a cross over, and which eventually to the goal.
.

bit unfair, no?

i mean, what about the defending when the ball came over?
where was the keeper?

who allowed the ball to be passed to the man city player?
who gave the ball away first on the southampton side?

to say he was at fault becuasehe missed a tackle is unfair i think, and its not something i would judge him on.

from what i have seen he is an exciting prospect. i cant think of too many teams in the premiership that wouldnt want him added to their squad. but he is 17 and he has a lot to learn.
oersonally, if he signs for spurs, and all the signs are that he wont now, but if he does, im certainly going to be pleased. if we dont get him i will be disappointed.

PHB

No doubt from the same kind of fan who would immediately wax lyrical about Gary Neville or Denis Irwin. If you thought you were about to sign a 17 year old who was better than either of those two, how much would you pay?

About 10 million if it was a banker, for Bale, I think 7-8 million with performance clauses within that is pretty fair, since he's not a banker as he hasn't proved himself at the premiership level. [p.s. Thats the sorta bids that Southampton are currently getting btw]

Gary Neville and Irwin are great, but they are full backs, and full backs very rarely win you games. Most full backs are solid, and theres nothing wrong with them. They don't make mistakes, don't really do anything, just make sure they don't get shown up, and they've had a good game.

Of all the positions, full backs are the least important, and I can't imagine how people would disagree with that statement.

event

so he's staying anyway

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/6311979.stm

gar120

wonder what his value is now??

markesmith

gar120 wrote: »

wonder what his value is now??

How about now?:)

CR 7

markesmith wrote: »

How about now?:)

£40m.

MrJoeSoap

Southampton had me kicked off Youtube for the video in the original link. I'd love to think that some of the bigger managers in the world saw it before it was removed It had nearly 100k views in a week or two.

I'm definitely due a few quid from Mr. Bale

YouTookMyName

Bale scores his first goal in about a year. Wankfest ensues.

QPR are fucking gash as well

BERBA

YouTookMyName wrote: »

QPR are fucking gash as well

Chelsea thought that as well before last sunday;)

MrJoeSoap

He scored last month as well, against Wigan.

everdead.ie

YouTookMyName wrote: »

Bale scores his first goal in about a year. Wankfest ensues.

QPR are fucking gash as well

First goal in like 4/5 games actually..... true their is an over reaction but so is yours

paddy kerins

BERBA wrote: »

Chelsea thought that as well before last sunday;)

Chelsea had 9 men and controlled the game

BERBA

paddy kerins wrote: »

Chelsea had 9 men and controlled the game

So? and how many points they take away from Loftus Road?

pssstt no need to answer that one.

Mr. Guappa

YouTookMyName wrote: »

Bale scores his first goal in about a year. Wankfest ensues.

QPR are fucking gash as well

9 posts in four hours = wankfest??

Any actual facts or reasoned thoughts to share on the thread topic?

MrJoeSoap

It was only 3 posts when he commented...;)

YouTookMyName

Mr. Guappa wrote: »

9 posts in four hours = wankfest??

Any actual facts or reasoned thoughts to share on the thread topic?

I was on about the Sky/Media bollocks.

MrJoeSoap

YouTookMyName wrote: »

I was on about the Sky/Media bollocks.

He had a great game, scored two very good goals. You know what you get with Sky, they overhype everything to do with their "product". Still doesn't justify your post, which was just as equally nonsense... First goal in about a year etc.

Xavi6

Poor man's Kevin Kilbane

handsomecake

great thread

Xavi6

The OP needs to post a pic of that 'Bale 22' Southampton shirt he got in September 2006.

Great call it has to be said!

ciano1

This guy was a flop, right?

Kold

The first page of this thread had me giggling away at Pool fans.

larchielads

hope we dont have every tom dick and harry startin a thread about a promisin youngster just cos one guy got it right

the forum could be full of ....introducing (insert name here) threads just hopin theyre right one day:o

Xavi6

larchielads wrote: »

hope we dont have every tom dick and harry startin a thread about a promisin youngster just cos one guy got it right

the forum could be full of ....introducing (insert name here) threads just hopin theyre right one day:o

Big difference between a shot in the dark and opinion based on watching a player week in, week out though as in this case.

larchielads

Xavi6 wrote: »

Big difference between a shot in the dark and opinion based on watching a player week in, week out though as in this case.

now the op doesnt say he watched him week in, week out at the time but the op did say he got another "free kick again today" as in at the time he saw it back in 2006. im not sayin the op took a shot in the dark but we could watch a young guy put in a couple of performances geta couple of goals and say hey lads this guy his next whoever and turn out to be totally wrong.

people should just be careful when goin down that road is all im sayin

Xavi6

larchielads wrote: »

now the op doesnt say he watched him week in, week out at the time but the op did say he got another "free kick again today" as in at the time he saw it back in 2006. im not sayin the op took a shot in the dark but we could watch a young guy put in a couple of performances geta couple of goals and say hey lads this guy his next whoever and turn out to be totally wrong.

people should just be careful when goin down that road is all im sayin

The OP is one of my best mates so trust me, he's a Saints fan and wouldn't shut up about Bale in 2006

MrJoeSoap

Xavi6 wrote: »

The OP is one of my best mates so trust me, he's a Saints fan and wouldn't shut up about Bale in 2006

Should I post the picture of my 21st?

larchielads wrote: »

now the op doesnt say he watched him week in, week out at the time but the op did say he got another "free kick again today" as in at the time he saw it back in 2006. im not sayin the op took a shot in the dark but we could watch a young guy put in a couple of performances geta couple of goals and say hey lads this guy his next whoever and turn out to be totally wrong.

people should just be careful when goin down that road is all im sayin

I was a huge Saints fan at the time, was subscribed to SaintsTV and watched them every week. I posted a compilation video of Gareth Bale to Youtube in December 2006 after his first few months in the team, because it was clear he was very special. I actually met him in January 2007, by chance, when over at a game and the team were staying in our hotel. No need to be so cynical.

This is the video I uploaded that coincided with this thread (notice the same name?), it was taken down from Youtube at Southamptons request but someone else re-uploaded it with sh*tty music...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4e74eeQAsk

MrJoeSoap

eirebhoy wrote: »

I've never seen Bale play but I certainly can't think of an average player that can take freekicks as well as him.

A great reminder of why eirebhoy was one of the best contributors to this forum. RIP.

RandolphEsq

larchielads wrote: »

hope we dont have every tom dick and harry startin a thread about a promisin youngster just cos one guy got it right

the forum could be full of ....introducing (insert name here) threads just hopin theyre right one day:o

Any Brazilian youngster posted will get this :rolleyes:

Xavi6

Bumpidy bump, he's trademarked his celebration by the looks of things -

http://www.ipo.gov.uk/tmcase/Results/1/UK00002657917

Super-Rush

Two Gareth Bale threads on the first page eh?

KingdomYid

Super-Rush wrote: »

Two Gareth Bale threads on the first page eh?

One thread for each of his footballer of the year awards

bad2dabone

Trademark celebration? can't be for real can it?

KingdomYid

bad2dabone wrote: »

Trademark celebration? can't be for real can it?

I would say more like trademark the symbol with the number 11 in the middle, purely for merchandising profits. It does not mean someone could not celebrate using the love heart.

colly_06

I think Op did good

jank

This brings me back. Great Thread.

MrJoeSoap

Where's my cut?

Francie Barrett

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

Who would have thought that a young Welsh lad could have scored the winner in a Champions League final...

mike65

The Insider wrote: »

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 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.

Oh dear! :pac:

Washington Irving

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Who would have thought that a young Welsh lad could have scored the winner in a Champions League final...

He's come a long way alright