TOO BIG FOR YOUR BOOTS
Bale hits out at ‘enemy’ England
GARETH BALE has provided an explosive start to Euro 2016 by calling England ‘the enemy’ and claiming they ‘big themselves up before they’ve done anything’.
The Real Madrid star delivered his withering criticism as England prepared to face Russia tonight a few hours after Bale’s Wales side kick-off their Group B opener against Slovakia.
And with Wales meeting England in Lens on Thursday, Bale has fuelled what was already due to be a fierce encounter by claiming his nation have ‘more passion and pride’ than Roy Hodgson’s side.
He said: ‘It is like any derby, you never want to lose to the enemy. We have a lot more passion and pride than them. We’ll show that on the day. They (England) big themselves up before they’ve done
anything so we’re going to go there and believe we can beat them. ‘It’s one we are looking forward to. There’s no pressure on us. I’m sure it will be a very good game — and hopefully we can come out on top.’ Bale, who may play at centre forward against Slovakia today as manager Chris Coleman searches for the way to get his talisman most involved in the game, was asked about his reaction when Wales drew England in Group B. ‘I had a chuckle,’ he said. ‘I knew it was going to come. For me it is probably the stand- out game in the group stages.’ In an age when players are trained to avoid making provocative prematch statements, Bale has laid down a challenge, but after scoring seven goals and making two assists in qualifying to rank highest across the continent in terms of points accumulated for his side by an individual, he probably feels able to express such strident opinion. He recalled his Cardiff childhood where each tournament summer went by without Wales being involved. Twice England beat Wales during qualifying for the last European Championship, Bale played once, and it was the same outcome in the 2006 World Cup qualification campaign. Wales have lost the past four encounters without scoring. Bale is reminded how it was once a possibility, through a grandparent, that he could have represented England. The FA made an enquiry during his teenage years only to receive a swift knock-back. When it is suggested that decision has now been vindicated, he snaps: ‘No. I wouldn’t care if I never qualified, I’d never play for England. It doesn’t vindicate anything.’ Such strong national feeling may be rare among modern footballers but Bale sees the Welsh as a breed more wedded to their identity than anyone else, pointing to the impromptu singing of Land Of My Fathers late in last summer’s 1-0 win over Belgium as evidence. ‘We feel that pride and passion,’ he said. ‘Look at the national anthem, everyone sings, the whole stadium. ‘I remember the Belgium game, we were all tired, and the whole stadium started singing it. I don’t think any other nation would do that. Being Welsh just brings it out of you.’ Not since the 1958 World Cup have Welsh pubs been able to show their national team in tournament action and the intervening years have seen a number of near misses to intensify the agony. For Bale, that came in 2004’s Euro play- off defeat by Russia at the Millennium Stadium. Two years later he was making his Wales debut aged 16, to become the country’s youngest ever player. Harry Wilson has since taken that record but Bale is still Wales’s youngest goalscorer, a free-kick against Slovakia in a Euro 2008 qualifier in October 2006 on his first competitive start. That Slovakia are today’s opponents provides a neat personal narrative for Bale, who never gave up hope of playing at a major finals. ‘I don’t think we stopped believing but we had to get more experience — grow together,’ he said. ‘The difference from when I was 18 or 19 to what I am now — it’s changed. A lot of us have, we’re stronger and mentally tougher. ‘ There’s probably been more downs than ups for Wales but if we give 100 per cent and have no regrets, we can’t do any more. ‘If we qualify then it will be the next game. We can’t afford to think about the future because we have to get there first.’