Bale blows my mind
WILLIAMS IN AWE OF STAR COLEMAN’S GETTING SHIRTY ALREADY
GARETH BALE is in full mind-blowing mode ahead of Euro 2016, according to his Wales skipper Ashley Williams.
Bale – in Stockholm for his nation’s final warm-up match against Sweden today – was the flame igniting the Dragons’ qualification campaign with seven of their 11 goals.
And Williams (below) has revealed that Bale still ‘ blows his mind’ every time he steps on the field, whether in an international match – friendly or competitive – or just in training.
The Swansea centre-back said: “In every single game and every training session we have, there is a Gareth Bale moment – a time when you just go ‘ Wow!’ and he blows your mind.
“You watch him and wonder, ‘How did he do that?’ At times, he can look almost superhuman – especially when he’s practising his free-kicks.
“He was brilliant for us in qualification. Whenn you you’rere watching from the back, , you can almost feel sorry for thehe other team’s defenders becauseuse there is so much Gareth can do.”
Bale finished the season ason with 21 goals for club and country, and a second nd Champions League winner’sner’s medal with Real Madrid drid after his coolly taken penaltyalty in the shoot- out with ith Atletico last week.
The 26-year-old goes to France as one of the most feared players at CHRIS COLEMAN has called on his Wales squad to “honour the jersey” in France after an emotional send-off in Cardiff.
Hundreds of fans turned out to wish Coleman’s history-makers well yesterday as they jetted out of the Welsh capital.
Schoolchildren sang the national anthem and fans thronged the airport for a glimpse of Gareth Bale and Co as they flew to Stockholm for today’s friendly with Sweden.
It is Wales’s final preparation ahead of Euro 2016 after they the tournament, with the only issue for manager Chris Coleman this afternoon being how long he dare keep him out on the pitch against the Swedes, and theoretically at risk of injury.
Williams admits that others in the team are grafters – but only Bale is the true virtuoso.
“Gareth can win you games on his own. We all play our part and put a shift in behind him, but he’s the match-winner. He’s like no one I’ve ever seen,” said Williams
Bale may be in a class of his own with Wales, but his status as a Madrid Galactico has not set him apart in the dressing room.
“He may fly in on Madrid’s private jet sometimes, but he’s down-to-earth and humble – still a kid who likes to be a bit of a prankster.
“The whole squad are on a WhatsApp group, which makes us like a club side, and Gareth takes banter and gives it out just like everybody else. It mean means young players coming into the sq squad are not intimidated by this bi big star.” Wales faces a player at the oth other end of the ego scale to today: Zlatan Ibrahimovic – a man who looks in the m mirror every morning a and loves what he sees.
Bale v Ibrahimovic will be seen as a taster for France, though Williams warned: “We h have a few things to iron o out – but we are in a good place.” qualified for a major finals for the first time since 1958.
Boss Coleman said: “As we arrived at the airport the reception was incredible – it makes you feel a little bit special. It gives you an incredible feeling of honour and pride and we have to make sure we do our country proud.
“There were loads of school children singing the national anthem, the send-off was just fantastic. I’ve talked about honouring the jersey, we need to do that. We don’t fear anyone. This group is capable of great things.
“What we have to get right is tournament football, we have never been here and are learning on the job.
“It will be disappointing if we don’t get through the group and even more disappointing if we don’t perform. You can play really well and sometimes it goes against you.
“But I want us to come back, whenever it is time to come back, safe in the knowledge we couldn’t have done any more.”