GARETH BALE HAS hit back at his critics, saying they “don’t know what they are on about”, and claims to have embraced his “golfer” nickname at Real Madrid.
The Wales international endured a difficult summer, with an entire transfer window dominated by speculation surrounding his future .
Another deadline passed with no move made, despite links to teams in China and across Europe, and the 30-year-old has played his way back into favour under Zinedine Zidane.
Bale claims to have never had any doubt regarding his ability to prove his worth at the Santiago Bernabeu, with the exit talk which raged around him having been shrugged off.
“I don’t listen to the critics because they don’t really know what they are on about! I don’t read anything and I don’t listen to anyone,” he told reporters while away on Euro 2020 qualifying duty.
“I know most people don’t know or don’t understand the situation. What they write means nothing. It didn’t impact on me too much.
“It’s obviously not been great, but I wouldn’t say it’s the worst time of my career. I remember not playing for a year [at Tottenham] under Harry Redknapp.
“It’s not been ideal, but I have been here before and I know how to deal with it. I had a great summer holiday. Coming back to pre-season I just kept my head down.
“I know there was a lot of talk with everybody saying whatever they wanted. I just worked hard in training and got myself ready.
“The things that happened will stay private with the club. If you want answers, maybe you need to ask Real Madrid. Football can turn quickly.”
Bale added when quizzed on whether he now feels more settled, with two goals and a red card collected in his last outing for Real : “I suppose so. The transfer window is closed now! I am obviously fully fit and I am ready to go. Maybe I wasn’t in the summer.
“I don’t think mentally it [the criticism] affected me at all, but not playing for four, five or six weeks meant physically I wasn’t where I wanted to be. I am a professional and I am paid to play football.
“You go through ups and downs and people like to say whatever they want.
“At the end of the day I keep working hard in training. If you keep working hard things will turn and you will get rewarded for that.”
When the transfer rumours peaked over the summer, Bale was painted as an outcast in Madrid who lacked the support of both his manager and many of his club colleagues.
Comments from Thibaut Courtois in which the Welshman was branded “the golfer” were considered to be a slight on his inability to integrate in a star-studded squad, but such talk has been laughed off.
Bale added: “I am a golfer. Have you not seen the pictures? I spoke to him [Courtois] about it and he said it as a joke. People took it out of context, but I’m very happy with the nickname to be honest.
“It’s a great one. Football is my No.1 sport. I’m paid to do it and I always give my best. Golf is a hobby like anyone else would have a hobby. There is nothing wrong with having a round.
“People make a lot of it, but a lot of footballers play and it’s one thing I really enjoy. It keeps me calmer off the pitch and gives me time away from football which is nice.”
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Decent game to watch… Liverpool not amazing by any stretch tonight but results like that is how you become champions….fair play to them…it’s their year.
@Billy Big Baws: it’s obviously thier year.. But salah and mane are a disgrace at times, make them very unlikeable players. Cheating When there’s no Need
@Billy Big Baws: oh shut up
@Ross: stop!! Nonsense
@Ross: Yeah but that’s not as bad as capital letters When there’s no Need :)
Epic stuff , no team is gonna play 100% and cruise through 38 league games comfortably, tonight was another uncomfortable one but this team just never gives up and keeps creating chances , begrudge at your peril , to have played 27 and won 26 at this stage of the season is phenomenal , on the back of being European and World champions and on the league run they have created … just appreciate ..
I could care less about results at this stage. Enjoyable game to watch though. End to end. Bobby Firmino got through some amount of work. Does everything right but can’t get a goal at home. Has to be one on the way for him. 3 points in the bag and miles in front
@my name: well done mick
@A: thanks Aido. Best of luck with that Mayo thing
@my name: If you could care less why don’t you? or do you not want to?
@eoin carroll: I’ve just noticed my typo there Eoin, could care less about “performance”. Thanks for pointing that out
@my name: embarrassing there Mick
@A: not half as bad as you forgetting what profile you were signed into
@my name: you couldn’t care less you mean?
@eoin carroll: that’s the one
Even when far from their best, this team keeps on winning. They are well on their way to being the most dominant league winners in the history of English top flight football.
To have equalled the league points tally of United’s treble winning side with 11 games to go is incredible. 4 more wins.
@Seàn Mc: possibly the most dominant winners of every league not just PL!
@Ado Smith: could happen but unlikely, I think PSG hold the record (in Europe anyway) with a 31 point lead. City’s English record of 19 points is definitely achievable though.
On the ball Paul, the live updates didn’t even have the full time score by the time this was up!
4 more thank you
Somebody will be on to say that it was a fluke / lucky / won by VAR. They were far from top of their game – hardly the first time this season – but that’s resilience.
It says a lot about the spirit and never give up attitude that Klopp has instilled in this team that when they losing with 25 minutes to go I was 100% certain of a win. Thanks Fabianski I hope you get a nice pay out if Liverpool do go unbeaten. If Salah, Mane and Firmino play like that against Atletico there will be no chance of a league/CL double.
@Ger Power: need a hug Ger ,aaw poor diddums:)
@Ger Power: it’s just one of those years for Liverpool
We got a glimpse of it last season Just enjoy it
They can’t even loose a coin toss this season
That’s the way it goes I guess
They’d want to defend better against Atletico Madrid that’s for sure. Firmino and Keita were so wasteful it was shocking.
@Ashley Rowland: Europe is not there priority this season
@James Lynch: That statement would hold some water if they were involved in a tight title race. The league is done and dusted and they are in a position where complete focus can shift to the Championz League. It’s only Poil fans that are throwing up that excuse in case they get knocked out by Ath Madrid.
@Pools Punter: haven’t seen many pool fans saying this, in fact he seems to be the first. Europe absolutely is a priority and they will have to do very well to get through the second leg of this tie.
LuckyPool get lucky again
@A: ……and not a Howard Webb in site!
@A: yeah dam var helping Liverpool again tonight… Oh wait.
@A: when you’re the best people always think you’re lucky.
@A: As I’ve said before A it is lucky being a Liverpool supporter and you can be one too. Go on… you know you want to.
@Manbackonboard: u do remember those white suits from 96
@A: Nope, I’m too young.
@A: LOL – You’re a United fan just bitter this LFC team will soon be considered the greatest ever team and so erasing the memory of United in ‘99, the jammiest ever bunch of flukes.
@Manbackonboard: To become a Liverpool supporter I’d need to move to England. No thanks!!
@james dimaggio: I don’t see anyone suggesting you become a Liverpool supporter in this thread? Unless…. no, wait, A, is that you? Oh Dear…
@Hakaman: Interesting statistic, this Liverpool team have now achieved the same points total as Man United’s ’99 team, 79 points with 11 games left to play!
@Roger Paltry: more competitive teams in 99
@A: Man United and Arsenal drew a third of their games (25 in total), Leeds and West Ham finished 4th and 5th. Do you want to have another go at that?
@james dimaggio: Oooops. You messed up there A.
@A: in any sport you make and earn your own luck
@james dimaggio: Liverpool is the capital of Dublin
@A: I remember those white suits very well. It had been six years since Liverpool won the league and the players were all loving stardom and not doing it on the pitch.. (reminds me of the social media hoors at a club who haven’t won the league in 7 years) Took quite a while to get back to the top for Liverpool. Here’s hoping it’s a good 23/24 years before we have to look at a United league win again.
@A: 26 wins out of 27 games. Yep, luck. Good man.
Disjointed performance, although I felt like it was similar to the Villa game back in…eh…long time ago..;-) Their muddlefield was just that…sloppy, slow, sticky…it never pushed on. Glad to see Trent got out of that horror show from last Tuesday…still..a win is a win..resilience, vigilance to the end prize…yeah..3 wins..3 draws in that order I’ll be happy..puts a few records to bed…
Out of Jail
The only thing that will stop Liverpool winning the title is the Corona Virus.It looks like it could be threat.I doubt if its going to get contained in Italy.
Arh the Liverpool of the eighties …. last minute winning goals snd then …….. obscurity. Lightning can’t strike the same spot – can it?
@Nigel Barlow: yes
@Nigel Barlow: the Liverpool of the 80’s, the teams that were preceded by the teams of the 70’s is that what you meant to say?