Gareth Bale: The Greatest British Footballer

fergiesfolly · 10-01-2023 11:25pm

United fan and would've loved Bale in his prime.

But if you look over his career as a whole, he's underwhelming. Fantastic at Spurs but won nothing. And couldn't lift them when they faltered. His time at Real is trophy laden but they probably would've won the same or similar without him.

Looking at their careers in hindsight, I'd take Gerrard over him in a heartbeat. Certainly wouldn't swap Scholes or even Rooney( who I didn't like as a person, but great player) for him. And I won't even go into more historical players like Charlton, Charles, Daglish or Finney.

His stock would probably be higher if he transferred his passion, enthusiasm and workrate for Wales to his club performances. But in the second half of career in particular that rarely happened.

Why didn't Spurs make his loan spell permanent? Why did he end up at LA Galaxy at 32? Greatest British player ever? Really???

Fitz* · 10-01-2023 11:39pm

It's frankly ridiculous to use a team trophy to promote / put down individual players. Stupid argument.

Bale won a Champions League while playing a grand total of 7 mins in the whole campaign, touching the ball a total of 3 times. None of them mattered. Real Madrid won it without him, yet people are using this medal as a yardstick to make him the best player. He doesn't deserve that medal.

On the other hand, players have won player of the year while not winning the league. He was the best individual in the league, yet his team fell up short. And people are using this as a reason to say that individual is not the best.

Have to laugh.

yourdeadwright · 11-01-2023 10:44am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120090919#Comment_120090919

Watch players actually play football week in week out for a decade , & you'll come to the conclusion not many British players ever where better then Gerrard its simply a FACT .,

I'm NOT saying he was the greatest ever as many i wasn't around to watch week in week out but i can say he was better player week in week out than Bale in my opinion ,

Bales had one good season since he turned 27 , He's had good performances since but he only manged to put together 1 good season of constant performers since turning 27 ,

WesternZulu · 11-01-2023 11:33am

There is a lot of bias here from United and Liverpool fans.

I would absolutely have Bale ahead of Gerrard and the likes of Scholes. Someone mentioned that he didn't drag Spurs anywhere...in 2012/2013 he was immense and dragged them to a league position they had no right to be in considering the form the rest of the team was in.

The fact that he obviously had more of an interest for playing for his country is commendable in my view. He lifted them to heights greater than any of the other players mentioned in this thread has done for England.

TipsyMcStagge · 11-01-2023 11:50am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120093342#Comment_120093342

He also dragged them through a CL campaign as well.

tastyt · 11-01-2023 12:04pm

I would imagine nobody here has seen John Charles even in a highlight reel .

I have only seen clips of Bobby Charlton but for everything he did , basically dragging a club out of the Munich disaster where he personally lost friends and teammates to win the European cup and then go on to win the World Cup too . Won the Ballon Dor and came second in it twice . I’d say you won’t find anyone with a better argument than him .

On who Iv seen myself , the best for me was Gerrard . A force of nature on the pitch , he could do everything and as many have said he played in some god awful Liverpool teams . Have a look at the bench Liverpool had in Istanbul when he brought them to the title .

And btw I’m not a Utd or Liverpool fan

yourdeadwright · 11-01-2023 1:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120093342#Comment_120093342

Football all about opinion,

Bale for my money is only in this conversation because of his 3 Champions leuage final goals in tournaments leading up to them moments he was very average in ,

Week in week out over the course of a decade Scholes & Gerrard where better footballer's & more reliable than Bale , So for my money better players ,

Bale has had one good season at Club level where he performed constantly since he turned 27 ,

noodler · 11-01-2023 9:08pm

Back to the Wales point.

Dragged doesn't even begin to describe it, he literally seemed to make the defining contribution every time Wales got a result. Goal after vital goal.

Four or five campaigns, three final appearances, semis in one and last 16 in another.

Even in the last year he scored the goals that got them to the WC in the playoffs against Ukraine and Austria as well as winning and scoring their only goal there.

corcaigh07 · 11-01-2023 9:51pm

Bale burned brighter than any English (or Scottish) player in the time I've been watching, just didn't sustain it anywhere near as long as the others.

Prime Bale for Spurs was unstoppable. Thankfully, the rest of the team were very stoppable!

Ashbourne hoop · 12-01-2023 10:32am

Was it Talksport who first flew this kite ? Bale is nowhere even close to being Britain's best ever player, I don't even think he's Wales's best ever, Giggs for me. Bale was a fantastic player, but Britain's best ever ? Not a chance

yourdeadwright · 12-01-2023 10:40am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120097444#Comment_120097444

Giggs for me is out ,

Giggs biggest strength in the argument was longevity ,

If we are honest he never lived up to his very early hype talent wise , Literally peaked at 21 , he looked like he would be one of the best wingers to ever play the game at that age but he never reached that height again , He was still very very good but that was peak Giggs ,

Don't get me wrong he had a fabulous career & was great player not knocking him , Bale was clearly a better player for a longer period .

Ashbourne hoop · 12-01-2023 10:52am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120097468#Comment_120097468

Peaked at 21 ??? He won the PFA Award at 35. His longevity was achieved because he was a brilliant player. Over 20 years playing at the highest level is an achievement that will never be matched. Streets ahead of Bale imo.

yourdeadwright · 12-01-2023 11:04am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120097512#Comment_120097512

Yes he peaked at 21, The best version of Giggs was the 21 year old version i don't think anyone could disagree with that ,

Yes i agree its an incredible achievement & he deserves all the respect (football wise) But i don't think in there prime he was as good of player as Bale,

His player of the year in 2009 was an absolute farce , He completed 90 minutes 12 times that year & wasn't even close to the best United player that was Vidic by a long shot then you had Ronaldo, Gerrard (won the writers award again it should have been Vidic) who had better season's , That was more of a life time achievement award than anything else ,

TipsyMcStagge · 12-01-2023 11:13am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120097512#Comment_120097512

That was a disgrace of an award that year like has already been said he wasn't even close to being the best players in his own team that year. He was also "injured" a lot when it came to international call ups.

yourdeadwright · 12-01-2023 11:22am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120097596#Comment_120097596

Ye Vidic was by far the best at United followed by Ronaldo then probably VDS,

An "associate" of mine had a vote that year & voted for Giggs ( because he was his hero growing up) & let me tell you he still gets abuse over it ,

Ashbourne hoop · 12-01-2023 11:23am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120097563#Comment_120097563

I'd be inclined to agree with you about the PFA Award, but the fact that he was even mentioned for it at his age was an achievement in itself. As the years progressed he changed his game and became a very good CM, he was a fantastic passer of the ball. As I said, I'd have him ahead of Bale in terms of Wales's best ever, but it's all about opinions.

Ashbourne hoop · 12-01-2023 11:26am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120097596#Comment_120097596

Ferguson definetely pulled him from Wales squads, mostly for friendlies as far as I can remember. That may have contributed to his longevity.

TipsyMcStagge · 12-01-2023 11:27am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120097634#Comment_120097634

No doubt about it a fantastic player(albeit a pretty deplorable human being) and to reinvent himself as a CM at the highest level was incredibly impressive. For me his lack of commitment to the international really let's him down whereas Bale literally dragged Wales to new heights.

Ashbourne hoop · 12-01-2023 11:29am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120097650#Comment_120097650

No question on the deplorable human being. Sleeping with his brothers wife ffs, that's before you even mention his current "legal difficulties".....

yourdeadwright · 12-01-2023 11:32am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120097634#Comment_120097634

I agree with you that he was fantastic & showed a great understanding of the game to be able to change into CM & be a very good one,

I just think Bale was that 21 year-old Giggs for a longer period , Plus he contributed to Wales National team 10 fold of what Giggs ever did,

As you right say its all about opinions there is no right or wrong ,Its interesting to hear peoples views ,

Are you a United fan ?

Ashbourne hoop · 12-01-2023 12:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120097679#Comment_120097679

More Shamrock Rovers, but yeah, Utd would be my English team. Perhaps that's clouding my judgement a little, I'd have loved prime Bale at Utd, but I'd still have Giggs ahead of him. In terms of Britain's best ever Bale is way off imo.

Liam O · 12-01-2023 12:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120097633#Comment_120097633

Chris Smalling wouldn't have been allowed vote for Giggs I'd have thought. Edit: Of course he was at Fulham at the time.

I think the overall argument from that period would be between Rooney and Bale. From the point Ronaldo left United I'd say Rooney was probably about the 3rd best attacker in the world until 2012/13 when it was potentially Bale for a few seasons in an argument with Neymar and Suarez.

The problem I think is that Bale was not the best player even on his own team. Very much a Scottie Pippen to Ronaldo's Michael Jordan. Great in his own right and made huge contributions but was never "the guy" and probably got more freedom because of this. Now football is more a team game than basketball obviously but being the 2nd or 3rd option in attack I think is a legitimate stick to to beat someone with who you are calling the greatest.

yourdeadwright · 12-01-2023 12:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120097815#Comment_120097815

Not sure what the Smalling comment means & he was at Fulham then anyway , Obvious I'm a alluding to an Irish players not that it matters

I agree with the rest but lets not forget its just the greatest British player we are looking at, But i do agree i don't think its Bale ,

SlickRic · 12-01-2023 12:54pm

Giggs isn't really in the conversation, let's have a bit of honesty. If it's Giggs, then you're leaning totally on his longevity, and the domestic club trophy haul. You have to be honest about the output comparisons and what you see with your eyes.

Giggs is phenomenal, but Bale, in his pomp, is a tier above.

Bale's laziness is an issue, absolutely, but he's still a tier above.

Giggs was never his club's best player, he never dragged Wales to anything of note, and had a lull long enough in his mid to late 20s (his prime) where people were talking about transfers away. we talk about Bale having Ramsey and Allen. you're being disingenuous if you think that makes Wales a team that would've been anywhere near the tournament, let alone in the semis of a Euros, and making a World Cup.

There's a reason Giggs' FA Cup semi final goal is replayed constantly. It's one of THE great goals, but it's also the only real big-game defining moments anyone can remember. You can think of at least 4 or 5 of Bale's for club and country without thinking.

12-01-2023 1:08pm

I've said it before but bale didn't play long enough at his peak or even close to it to be in the conversation for me, he has had loads of iconic moments no doubt buy the greatest, the best they need to have show consistentcy at that level, week in week out year in year out..

Ronaldinho might be the most talented player I've ever watched and could have been one of the greats but again isnt because his career was short.

AdamD · 12-01-2023 11:46pm

If only Scholes was as good during his career as he seems to have gotten in retirement. Having him above Bale is laughable at best.

You won't find anyone in Wales choosing Giggs over Bale either

bucketybuck · 13-01-2023 1:32am

Ashley Cole has greater claim to "Greatest British footballer" than Bale does.

Best player in the world in his position, won every major trophy going, actually played games...

Pick a greatest ever British 11 and Cole plays, Bale doesn't.

13-01-2023 4:53am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120088377#Comment_120088377

Just started reading this thread.

Bale > Best?

13-01-2023 5:06am

Rooney wipes the floor with Bale imo.

Go back further, Keegan, Dalglish, Charlton

WesternZulu · 13-01-2023 9:06am

What ever about Bale being Britain's best player Giggs has to go down as Britain's most overrated.

He was brilliant for a short period when young and to be fair that was when the EPL was at a lot lower level than other European leagues. For the vast vast majority of his career he operated below world class levels and was never the main man at United.

His attitude towards playing international football has to go down as a major black mark against him. When Giggs did play for Wales he did sfa.

There is no way in hell Giggs is Wales best ever player. I'd be surprised if any Welsh person would pick him above Bale and that says it all really.

Weepsie · 13-01-2023 9:26am

Bale "dragged" Wales to 2 euro es when it was easier than it ever was to qualify for them. It's a disservice to the rather good squad he had around him. Giggs with wales were fairly bleak, Gary Speed aside. They clicked in 2002-2004 and gotto the playoffs which would have qualified them for the last 2

BenK · 13-01-2023 10:31am

Thread needs a poll!

castletownman · 13-01-2023 10:37am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120101311#Comment_120101311

Banks

Wright

McNeill

Moore

Cole

Bremner

Charlton

Best

Bale

Charles

Law.

Some legends, cult heroes in that

yourdeadwright · 13-01-2023 12:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120101311#Comment_120101311

For me Cole is the most under rated player in Prem history & he is actually rated quite highly so that says a lot,

For my money there has NEVER been a better LB than Ashley Cole in world football

I rate him higher than Maldini (as a LB) & Carlos , he is more complete player,

IF he was not English he would be talked about as true world great

jacool · 13-01-2023 12:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120102429#Comment_120102429

and to think that Arsenal were only going to give him £60,000 per week!

13-01-2023 1:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120102470#Comment_120102470

He left a sinking ship in 2006, and manged to bag plenty of top honours with Chelsea. Arsenal haven't won the league since. Fair to say he made the right choice!

Gareth Bale: The Greatest British Footballer

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