Gareth Bale a different player from a year ago

Tottenham’s Welsh wing wizard Gareth Bale has started fulfilling his potential.

He broke into the Southampton team as a youngster and everybody who saw him play knew he was set for big things, however he endured a frustrating start to his Tottenham career (more on that later).

Hat-trick

Bale scored one of the best hat-tricks I’ve ever seen in Tottenham’s 4-3 defeat at Inter in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

He took the European champions defence apart with sheer pace and athleticism.

His ability to take on opposition defences is just incredible. There are very few players in the modern game capable of beating a man with such ease. He is almost a throwback to the old fashioned wingers who love to run at defences.

Full-back

Gareth Bale was considered an attacking full-back in his early career. In the last 12 months however his life, position and career have been transformed. A year or so ago he was struggling to get a game for Tottenham at full-back.

As a young player he really wanted to play and was getting frustrated. Bale had played as a winger earlier on in his career and Redknapp realised his attacking abilities were best used further forward. The canny Redknapp switched Bale to the left-wing and the rest as we say is history.

Wanted

Although he is only now fulfilling his potential Bale has already been linked with moves to Barcelona and Manchester United. He wouldn’t have dreamt that he would be getting tracked by two of the biggest clubs in world football a year or so ago.  He has gone from benchwarmer to star within a relatively small space of time.

Confidence

For a youngster he is very confident. He has never looked intimidated by opponents no matter who they are. He made the Inter backline look past their best and like amateurs on Wednesday night. In yesterday’s game with Everton he came up against veteran Phil Neville.

The Everton captain used all his experience to marshall the youngster. He showed how to defend against the Welsh star and it was a good lesson for the youngster. He used every trick in the book to stop the 21 year-old.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp had to switch him to the other wing but he then came up against England full-back Leighton Baines and wasn’t allowed much space by him either.

Finished

Gareth Bale has been producing some outstanding displays in recent times but he is by no means the finished article. Ironically he may need to learn more about tracking back and the defensive side of the game.

That explains why Redknapp was reluctant to pick him as a full-back earlier in his career, he believed he wasn’t strong enough defensively.  With him playing on the left-flank he can develop his defensive qualities and help out the full-back behind him.

Welsh

I hate to say this, as I come from Welsh stock but I wish that Gareth Bale was English. He is the sort of player that England is currently lacking. Unfortunately for him his Welsh teammates don’t have the same potential as the Spurs winger.

Top

At 21 Gareth Bale has the world at his feet. He has all the qualities to become a top player for both club and country. Whether he’s allowed to really blossom at Tottenham remains to be seen with European giants taking an interest in signing the Welsh star.

Wherever he plays his football I’m sure that Gareth Bale will become a star. I just regret that he was born in Cardiff and not Coventry!

Will Gareth Bale develop into a top player?