Gareth Bale – A star is born

21 Oct, 2010 Jonathan F Europe, UEFA Champions League

Every once in a while a player puts in a performance that announces his name on the world stage. Think Wayne Rooney as a sixteen year old at Everton against Arsenal, or Thomas Muller in South Africa. Despite a phenomenal first half performance by European champions Inter Milan, the game between Spurs and Inter will likely be remembered for another reason – the emergence of Gareth Bale on the international scene.

A wonderful second half hat-trick from Bale turned a 4-0 thrashing for Tottenham into a respectable 4-3 defeat to the Italian treble winners. Bale himself was magnificent, showing energy, dynamism and a daring sense of adventure as he took on and beat seasoned professionals like Javier Zanetti almost for fun.

Bale’s performance made him the first Welsh player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League (remarkable when you consider the career of a certain Mr. Giggs), and it was a truly stunning display from the 21-year-old. To steal the headlines from Inter’s flowing football and the limelight from Philippe Coutinho (who was similarly excellent) it had to be.

In a way, some Spurs fans will be disappointed with the hat-trick. Bale will now be the talk of agents and directors engaged in post-match chatter and refreshments the continent over and, if they weren’t already, several top European clubs will take to monitoring his progress. Spanish sports daily Marca have already identified Bale as a player Jose Mourinho is interested in. After this display there will be others.

A night on which a new Welsh wizard announced his name on the world stage.

VIDEO – Gareth Bale hat-trick.

Champions League, Gareth Bale, Tottenham Hotspur

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About Jonathan F

The boss of this here... Creator and Editor of Just-Football.com, world football analyst, watcher, freelancer and all-round enthusiast. French football analyst for Football Radar. Write for FourFourTwo, have also written for ITV, When Saturday Comes and others.

13 Comments

Mal
October 21, 2010 • 12:54 am

No. Spurs fans have known Bale as a star for at least a year. It may be news to people who watch football part-time, but if you actually paid attention, you’d have realised how good he was a while ago.
Jonathan F
October 21, 2010 • 12:56 am

Yeah because I’d never heard of Gareth Bale before tonight. Thanks for the notice Mal.
Mal
October 21, 2010 • 1:01 am

Part-time football fan. I’m sure you’re looking forward to the X-Factor on saturday.
- Mad Brend
  October 21, 2010 • 2:53 am
  
  He is not as good as Gamu.
mEXsPUR
October 21, 2010 • 1:18 am

It is such a shame that Bale will not be able to show his talent at international team level with Wales. As I see it, this causes a problem for Spurs, as he will no doubt want to go to one of the world’s top club teams to let everyone see what he can do week in week out at CL level. Unfortunately, Spurs are not quite going to be able to compete with the likes of Real, Barca, Inter etc in order to keep him happy forever at WHL. What a pity.
- Jonathan F
  October 21, 2010 • 1:43 am
  
  Thanks for the comment. I agree with you. It means Spurs are going to have to remain at this level to be able to keep him in the long term, I imagine. He’s getting a taste for football at the highest level and, with displays like this, proving he is definitely not out of place. With that comes pressure on Spurs to match his ambitions.
  
  That isn’t to say that Spurs won’t be able to match those ambitions – after all, they’re in a good position to qualify.
  - mEXsPUR
    October 21, 2010 • 2:59 am
    
    True enough, JF. It’ll be interesting to see how this Rooney issue pans out as this ‘may’ have an adverse effect on Manu, who frankly looked out of sorts today. Then throw the red half of the scousers into the CL qualifying mix and it might just be that Spurs have the ability to hold on to a top 4 finish and thus to their top players plus attract those other two ‘Arry is publicising! While I don’t honestly feel Spurs have got what it takes to get anywhere close to getting by the QFs of the CL this season (and that would depend entirely on a kind draw after the group stages, which I think they are good enough to get out of), a good run to the last 8 and a foothold in the top four of the EPL come January may well be ‘Arry’s bargaining point in the next window to set up a very, very interesting 2011-12 CL and EPL campaign for Spurs.
Jonathan F
October 21, 2010 • 1:19 am

Whereas you’re writing from an internet cafe in Milan no doubt!
Mal
October 21, 2010 • 1:26 am

Yeah, having a nice cappucino, asking the nearest waiter, “What’s the Italian for “Part-time football fan”?”
Aicher
October 21, 2010 • 2:03 am

This gets on my nerves
every post match interveiw i have heard have all said either Bale is sold, going, Spurs cant keep hold of him! Bale has never said anything about going to another club. He has said tonight he is happy at Spurs and wants to keep playing well for Spurs and stay in the team, but every single Jorno has asked a different manager if they would be intrested in him

He is not Rooney or Fabregas, players who dont want to play for there respected clubs,no, He is Gararth Bale, he’s happy and he plays for Spurs
bill
October 21, 2010 • 2:04 am

Class act. Tonight, he showed how powerful, direct and quick he is and how he can finish with eagle eye precision, but what you foreigners haven’t seen yet, is Bale’s ability at assisting others mainly with his amazing crosses. Some of his crosses in the Premier League have been outstanding, curl, whip, pace, across the 6 yard box, just ask Defoe!

Plus he’s 21 and only really started playing regularly 12 months ago due to injury problems and lack of first team opportunities. He’s scored against Chelsea, Arsenal and now Inter, big game player definitely.

Please come to Old Trafford. Get rid of that traitor Rooney and bring Bale and Torres in. Bale is welsh as is Giggs, perfect replacement. Bale on left, Nani right and Torres and Berba up top, not bad!