Gareth Bale
 Gareth Bale with Tottenham | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gareth Frank Bale[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 16 July 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Cardiff, Wales | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Playing position | Left wingback/Left winger | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Tottenham Hotspur | ||
| Number | 3 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2005–2006 | Southampton | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2006–2007 | Southampton | 40 | (5) |
| 2007– | Tottenham Hotspur | 60 | (9) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2006– | Wales U21 | 13 | (3) |
| 2006– | Wales | 27 | (3) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 November 2010. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Gareth Frank Bale (born 16 July 1989) is a Welsh footballer who currently plays forPremier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Wales national team. He is a left wingback who can also play as a left winger.
Bale began his professional career with Championship side Southampton in 2005 and was transferred to Tottenham Hotspur two years later.
Contents[hide] |
[edit]Early life
Bale was born in Cardiff, the younger of two children[citation needed], and attended Eglwys Newydd Primary School at Whitchurch.[2] He is the nephew of former Cardiff City footballerChris Pike.[3] It was while at this school he first came to the attention of Southampton at nine-years-old, when he was playing in a 5-a-side tournament with his first club, Cardiff Civil Service Football Club.[citation needed]
Bale then attended Whitchurch High School in Cardiff,[4] where, as well as football, he played rugby and hockey and was a distance runner. Because of his superior skills, the school's PE teacher, Gwyn Morris, had to write special rules. These restricted Bale to playing one-touch football and not using his left foot. Whilst at Whitchurch, Bale trained at Southampton's satellite academy in Bath, although there was initially some doubt if Southampton would give him a scholarship due to his height.[citation needed]
Despite being only 16 at the time, he helped the school's under-18 side win the Cardiff & Vale Senior Cup. He left school in the summer of 2005 with a Grade A in PE amongst hisGCSE results. In his final year at school, he was awarded the PE department's prize for services to sport. In the presentation, Morris commented:
"Gareth has a fierce determination to succeed and has the character and qualities to achieve his personal goals. He is one of the most unselfish individuals that I have had the pleasure to help educate."[5]
[edit]Club career
[edit]Southampton
On 17 April 2006, at the age of 16 years and 275 days, Bale became the second youngest player ever to play for Southampton (after Theo Walcott) when he made his debut againstMillwall. Southampton won the match 2–0. On 6 August, Bale scored his first league goal, a free kick, to level the score at 1–1 against Derby County. The final score at Pride Parkwas 2–2.[6]
He scored again, at St. Mary's, against Coventry City[7] in the team's second game of the 2006–07 season with another free kick. Bale further developed his reputation as a free kick specialist when he struck the post from one against West Bromwich Albion.[8] By 16 December 2006, Bale's goal count had risen to five, thanks to a late equaliser against Sunderland[9] and free-kicks away to Hull[10] and at home to Norwich City.
In December 2006, he won the Carwyn James Award for the BBC Wales Young Sports Personality of the Year,[11] and was named the Football League Young Player of the Year on 4 March 2007.[12] This capped what was described in the local press as an "incredible" first full season as a professional footballer in which he was one of the Saints' "most creative players even (though operating) from the left-back position whilst his defending improved immeasurably as the season progressed."[13]
His final game for Southampton was in the first leg of the Championship play-off semi-final against Derby County on 12 May 2007. Bale suffered an injury during the second half, preventing him from appearing in the second leg.[14][15] In total, he made 45 appearances for Southampton, scoring five goals.
[edit]Tottenham Hotspur
Bale completed a transfer to Tottenham Hotspur on 25 May 2007, arranging a four-year deal, with Tottenham making an immediate payment of £5 million, with further additional payments that could see Bale's transfer go up to £10 million.[16]
He played his first game for Spurs in a friendly against St. Patrick's Athletic on 12 July 2007, but was substituted on the 80th minute with a minor dead-leg. He then made his competitive debut for Tottenham Hotspur on 26 August away against Manchester United. In just his second Spurs appearance, he scored his first goal for Tottenham in the 3–3 draw with Fulham on 1 September when he latched on to Robbie Keane's flick, charged down the left flank unopposed and coolly slotted past goalkeeper Antti Niemi.[17] Bale then went on to score again against Arsenal in the North London Derby, scoring a free kick inside the near post.[18] He then scored in the League Cup home tie againstMiddlesbrough,[19] making it three goals in four starts for the then 18-year-old. He also set up Spurs' goal against Anorthosis Famagusta in the UEFA Cup.
Bale was substituted after sustaining an injury resulting from a tackle from Fabrice Muamba in the league fixture against Birmingham City on 2 December 2007. A scan revealed that Bale had suffered ligament damage to his right ankle, consigning Bale to an extended period on the sidelines. Spurs' sporting director Damien Comolli announced in February 2008 that Bale would miss the rest of the season through injury.[20]He signed a new four-year deal with the club in August 2008.[21]
Bale played a record 24 Premier League games for Spurs without being on the winning side.[22][23] His first involvement in a Premier League victory came against Burnley on 26 September 2009 – more than two years after signing for Spurs – when he came on as an 85th minute substitute.[24]
In June 2009, Bale underwent surgery for a knee injury, ruling him out for up to eight weeks. He missed the pre-season matches and it was projected that he would miss the first few weeks of the 2009–10 season.[25] On 26 September, he made his comeback as a substitute in the Spurs' 5–0 thrashing of Burnley. However, he endured a frustrating time on the bench as Benoît Assou-Ekotto was in good form. When Assou-Ekotto was sidelined with an injury, manager Harry Redknapp decided to give Bale a chance and he impressed in the Spurs' FA Cupthird-round 4–0 win over Peterborough.[26] He finally tasted victory for the first time as a starter in a league game in the 2–0 win over London rivals Fulham.[27] His good form continued and he was named Player of the Round after helping the Spurs to a 3–1 win in the sixth round replay of the FA Cup against Fulham.[28] In April 2010, Bale scored another goal against Arsenal after a pass from Defoe he tapped the ball past the Arsenal keeper.[29] Three days later, Bale slammed in Tottenham's second with his weaker right foot in a 2–1 victory over leaders Chelsea and was named Man of the Match.[30] He was named Barclays Player of the Month for April.[31] He signed a new four-year contract at White Hart Lane on 7 May 2010 as a reward for helping the club reach the Champions League qualification place.[32]
On 21 August, Bale scored twice in a 2–1 win at Stoke City, the second of which was a head-high volley into the top right hand corner of the goal.[33] On 25 August, Bale set up all four goals to help Spurs overcome Young Boys 4–0 (6–3 agg.) in a Champions League play-off atWhite Hart Lane.[34] Although Assou-Ekotto had already returned from injury, Bale continued his good form and cemented his place in the starting eleven. On 29 September 2010, Bale scored his first Champions League goal for Tottenham in a 4–1 home win against Dutch champions FC Twente in their second game of the group stages. In recognition, he was named Welsh Player of the Year by the FAW.[35] On 20 October, Bale scored his first senior hat trick against European champions Internazionale at the San Siro in the Champions League. Tottenham lost the match 4–3, having been 4–0 down inside the first 35 minutes and playing with ten men for over 80 minutes of the match after goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes had been sent off in the eighth minute for a professional foul on Inter's Jonathan Biabiany.[36] In the return match at White Hart Lane on 2 November, Bale provided a man of the match performance, setting up goals for Peter Crouch and Roman Pavlyuchenko to earn Spurs a memorable 3–1 win.[37]
On 4 November, Bale stated that he intended to stay at Tottenham for the remainder of his recently-signed four-year contract, despite links with Real Madrid and Barcelona.[38]
[edit]Style of play
Bale is known for his ability to run with the ball at high speeds and beat his fullback, but also doing this for long periods in the game. Bale is also known to be able to whip crosses into dangerous areas for his forward teammates.
On 2 November 2010, after a Champions League group stage match against Internazionale, teammate Rafael van der Vaart said, "Everyone is scared of him [Bale]. Maicon is one of the best right-backs in the world — he killed him."[39]
In a report of the same match, Spanish newspaper El Mundo said: "Bale combines the height and build of an 800-metre runner like Steve Ovett with the acceleration and directness of a rugby winger like Bryan Habana. And, when he gets to the byline, he delivers curling crosses like a Brazilian. Big words? Yes, but that's what Bale is like – easily the greatest sensation in the opening month and a half of the Champions League. Ask Maicon what he thinks after the two exhibitions Bale turned in against Inter. Yesterday he left Maicon for dead and then a wily old fox like Lúcio was left in his wake like someone trying to follow the vapour trail of an aeroplane. Three goals and two assists — against the European champions. His performances have been stunning."[40]
Off the pitch, Bale has a kindly and easy-going nature. His manager at Spurs said, "He's such a fantastic boy. He's low-maintenance and easy to manage. He never causes problems."[39]
[edit]International career
Bale was selected by Wales at the end of the 2005–06 season and made his international debut on 27 May 2006.[41] He first appeared as a substitute in a 2–1 win over Trinidad and Tobago, making him the youngest ever player to play for Wales.[42] Bale, who was just 16 years and 315 days, assisted the winning goal scored by Robert Earnshaw.
Brian Flynn commented that Bale was potentially a future star of the game, comparing his technical ability to Ryan Giggs.[43] On 7 October 2006, Bale became the youngest player ever to score a goal for the full Welsh national team in the Euro 2008 qualification match againstSlovakia with a trade-mark free kick.[44] He scored his second goal for Wales in a 3–0 win over San Marino on 28 March 2007.
Bale was eligible to play for England, through his grandmother, but he stated in 2007 that:
"It is an honour to play for Wales... Nobody ever got in touch with me personally from England, only through my agent."[45]
After a long injury lay-off, he returned and started in the World Cup qualifier against Finland on 10 October 2009. On 14 October, he played a part in Wales' final World Cup qualifier by setting up David Vaughan to score the opening goal against Liechtenstein and won the free kick that led to the second, Aaron Ramsey's first at senior level.
[edit]International goals
- Scores and results list. Wales' goal tally first.
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 7 October 2006 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales |  Slovakia | 1 – 2 | 1 – 5 | Euro 2008 qualifying |
| 2. | 28 March 2007 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales |  San Marino | 2 – 0 | 3 – 0 | Euro 2008 qualifying |
| 3. | 12 October 2010 | St. Jakob-Park, Basel, Switzerland |  Switzerland | 1–1 | 4-1 | Euro 2012 qualifying |
[edit]Career statistics
- As of 13 November 2010.[46]
| Club | League | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other1 | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Southampton | Championship | 2005–06 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2006–07 | 38 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 5 | ||
| Tottenham Hotspur | Premier League | 2007–08 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 3 |
| 2008–09 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10 | 23 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 3 | ||
| 2010–11 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 8 | ||
| Career Total | 99 | 14 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 140 | 19 | ||
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