I love to watch you go and I love to watch you leave…
Gareth Bale was probably the happiest man in Madrid on Thursday when the news broke that Zinedine Zidane was stepping down from his post.
Bale and Zidane didn’t enjoy the most fruitful of relationships. Prior to Zizou taking his place on the hottest seat in the Bernabeu, Gareth Bale was the second hottest ticket in town, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo of course.
But the Welshman could deal with that. It would take something special for him dethrone Ronaldo but as long as he was getting the chance to knock on the Portuguese’ door, that would keep him ticking over.
He was beating that door as hard as he possibly could, and knowing the 28-year-old, he believed he was more than capable of establishing himself as Madrid’s talisman.
That’s because Gareth Bale is the polar opposite of that misinformed stereotype of the modern day footballer in that he most definitely isn’t motivated by the celebrity lifestyle or by money. Gareth Bale always gives off the impression that, despite the astronomical levels of success he has enjoyed as a footballer, he’s still salt of the earth and he’s still motivated by getting the very best out of his considerable ability as a footballer.
Before Zidane took the reigns in 2016, the former Tottenham Hotspur winger was going the right way about that. In 2014 under Carlo Ancelotti, for example, Bale had scored the winner in both the Champions League and the Copa Del Rey finals against Atletico and Barcelona respectively.
Benitez took over from Ancelotti and though Bale was again dogged by injuries, he was still delivering whenever he was given the chance. It all began so well for Bale and Zidane, with the winger providing a crucial assist, and scoring a crucial penalty in their 2016 Champions League final victory over Atletico.
From there, however, it would go down the glen. The pair didn’t see eye to eye and their relationship became fractured last season after the Frenchman told Bale to track opposition full-backs and help his teammates when they lost possession. The forward didn’t think he should have to do this and Zidane responded by dropping him from the first team.
Isco settled in ahead of Bale, who’s starting opportunities would become fewer and further between.
You can’t keep a good thing down, and Bale stayed performing when he got the chances. In last week’s Champions League final, this trend couldn’t have been encapsulated any better than when, with Madrid struggling, he came on and scored a brace and earned the man-of-the-match award.
Sorry Man United fans https://t.co/vGivd4lYj5
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) May 31, 2018
What was telling, however, was his reaction immediately after the game. Rather than being overjoyed at the impact he had just made, at the trophy he had just won, Bale was low key and relatively sombre in his post-match interviews.
The only thing he wanted to talk about was his frustration at the season he’s had, with the comments clearly directed at his manager Zidane.
“Obviously, I need to be playing. I need to be playing week in, week out. That hasn’t happened this season for one reason or another,” he said in frustration.
“I had a five, six week injury at the start of the season but I’ve been fit ever since. Obviously, I’ll have to sit down with my agent and discuss it, and we’ll take it from there.”
“I was disappointed not to start, I felt I deserved it…but you have to keep working until the end.”
So as the tributes flowed in from all corners of the Real Madrid dressing room on Thursday afternoon to say goodbye to their departing French manager, it says it all, really that Gareth Bale said nothing at all.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjcVfOHFT32/?taken-by=cristiano
Gracias Mister! It’s been a pleasure!🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/99VzaBxUoV
— Toni Kroos (@ToniKroos) May 31, 2018
As a player and coach you decided to say goodbye at the top. Thank you for two and a half incredible years. Your legacy will never be erased, one of the most successful chapters in the history of our beloved @realmadrid pic.twitter.com/dO6bw74aA3
— Sergio Ramos (@SergioRamos) May 31, 2018
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjcQGPdAwL2/?taken-by=marcelotwelve
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjcMTjiDs3K/?utm_source=ig_twitter_share&igshid=uw7hpcm8ezh
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bjci8fkFuDm/?taken-by=lukamodric10
Gareth Bale remained tight-lipped. He’ll probably stay at Madrid now, won’t he?
