SO, WHAT NOW FOR BALE?
Wales fans have their say
HE remains one of the most expensive footballers in the history of the game and last weekend firmly reminded fans around the planet why.
And yet, for reasons that positively boggle the mind here in Wales, there remain a very select few (in Spain at least) unconvinced by the Whitchurch wonder.
Gareth Bale has now won more European Cups than Manchester United and only one fewer than Liverpool and Barcelona.
His spectacular overhead kick last Saturday was his second winning strike in a Champions League final.
And yet this season he has clearly felt unloved, having been regularly left out of Real Madrid’s starting eleven.
After last weekend’s victory over Liverpool he stated as much.
“Obviously I need to play,” he said.
“I’ll have to sit down in the summer, discuss it with my agent and take it from there.”
It looked for all the world like his affair with the Spanish capital was over.
Then, in a dramatic twist, the man who had forced his hand to make those comments, Zinedine Zidane, resigned as the manager of Real Madrid.
So where did that leave the 28-year-old? Should he stay or should he go?
We asked some prominent Welsh football fans to give us their views on the next move for the Welsh wizard
Elis James, comedian, radio presenter and host of the Elis James Feast Of Football Podcast
Unless he fancies playing for the Swans, I’d like him to stay in Spain, as La Liga is less physically demanding than the Premier League.
Anything to keep him fresh for Wales.
I imagined him retiring from international football the other day and my blood ran cold.
I never thought I’d see anyone better than Rush/Hughes/Southall, and then Giggs came along.
At which point I thought “that’s it, he’ll be the best Welsh player of my lifetime”.
But Gareth... it’s like he’s from space! He’s the first player to make me feel like I’m 10 years old since I was 10 years old.
Jonny Owen, director of Don’t Take Me Home – the story of Wales’ Euro 2016 campaign
I think Zidane leaving will obviously change things.
Gareth Bale is a world-class player and any club would want him but he’s already at arguably the biggest club in the world and has always said he is happy there.
He simply wants to play. He feels he’s been fit and yet not started, so I’m sure he’ll be saying to the new manager coming in that he’ll want to be playing.
What will happen after that, who knows? Ultimately Gareth Bale wants to play football. He wants to be picked to start.
A lot will hinge on who Real bring in and what they tell him.
James Watkins of Wales fans band The Barry Horns
It has seemed as though Bale’s face didn’t fit at Real Madrid for a while now.
Even after scoring possibly the greatest ever cup final goal last week, he cut a lonely figure after the final whistle, with only the red dragon of his Welsh flag keeping him company.
He was even relegated to the back of the crowd when they lifted the trophy.
Yet, despite the obvious cultural problems at Real, both among their players and their fanbase, a new coach means a new start.
So I’ve changed my mind. I think he should stay and try and usurp Ronaldo as the main man there. Viva Gareth Bale!
Russell Todd from Welsh football podcast – Podcast Peldroed
Bale has three to four years at the very top level left in him so has to be at a club that will allow him to showcase his talents.
I’m not sure the blood and thunder of the English Premier League is that place, unless Man City are interested, and I’ve heard nothing from Pep Guardiola to suggest they would be.
No other club in England is going to be competing for top honours either at home or abroad consistently.
That said, the managers at the continent’s top clubs are at the start of their projects: Tuchel at PSG, Kovacs at Bayern, whoever comes in at Chelsea, and Real.
Even Valverde at Barca has only a single season behind him.
Bale would need convincing about the vision these managers have and what role they see him having.
This makes Mourinho at Manchester United the safest option, as everyone knows what to expect from a Mourinho team. Bale can take his time, though, and see.
After his Champions League exploits he’s in the box seat.
Darren Jones, Editor of International Wales Fanzine
It’s a difficult one for Bale at the moment. When a manager leaves there’s always uncertainty as to who’s going to come in.
They bring their own methods and backroom staff and it could be a completely different set-up as to what a player has become used to.
For Gareth, there’s also the added ingredient that over the past season he didn’t start as much as he would have liked.
Will the new boss start him every week or will he be in the same position as he was under Zidane? Noone can answer that question at the moment.
On the flipside, if Bale was to leave where would he go?
Football clubs in Europe don’t get much bigger than Real Madrid, there’s only a realistic possibility of moving sideways rather than up.
Personally, I would think he’s going to sit tight for the minute, see who’s appointed and discuss his future with his agent and new manager as soon as possible.
I would imagine Madrid already have somebody in mind, and things will move quite quickly.
That said, there’ll be a few top clubs waiting in the wings. After all, who wouldn’t want a Gareth Bale in his prime in their team?
Neil Roberts from Wales football website Dragonsoccer.co.uk
My personal opinion is that Zinedine Zidane went before he was pushed, failing to win La Liga and also for the handling of Bale over the last six months.
He was fit in March and in the China cup for Wales. Age is catching up with him, though, and he has lost that yard of pace, but he is still quick and strong.
For the future, it might be now that he stays, but your guess is as
Obviously I need to play, I’ll have to sit down in the summer, discuss it with my agent and take it from there GARETH BALE
good as mine, but again it might depend on who comes in to Real Madrid. Hales Evans of feWales, clothing for the female members of the Red Wall I don’t think he should be making any decisions until he knows who the new manager is and has had a chat with them to see how he fits into their plans.
Up until yesterday, I was 100% in the “he needs to find a new club where he can be playing week in, week out” corner, but Zidane going changes everything.
Phil Stead, author of Red Dragons: The Story Of Welsh Football
I think he should wait and discuss his position with the new Real Madrid manager.
If he’s in the new man’s plans, then stay. Whatever he does next, he should not go to be ruined by Mourinho at Manchester United.
He’s got a four-year contract. I think only PSG could afford him, and I’m not sure they need him. Real have been good with Wales – let’s hope he stays there.
Tim Williams, Spirit of ’58 clothing
If he’s not happy at Madrid it’s time to move on. Maybe Barca? And win another five Champions League trophies. He must be enjoying the lifestyle in Spain.
I think he’d look the part at Juventus also, with that classic shirt on. I would love to see him in the Premier League and give Man City a run for their money, either at Manchester United or Spurs, although I’m not sure Vincent Tan at Cardiff City could afford him.
Otherwise I hope he moves to Wrexham – we need someone who can score goals and get us out of this bloody league! Simon Price, music journalist, Manic Street Preachers biographer and Wales fan He needs a new challenge. Winning the Champions League year after year with Real Madrid is too easy.
He should move to a club who are nearly there, but not quite.
Who’s the most nearly-there club of all? Liverpool, obviously.
Which has the added advantage of being but a short hop from his beloved Wales (and I’m sure Jurgen Klopp wouldn’t mind expanding the attacking three to an attacking four).
Longer term, he needs a project closer to home.
Investing his millions in Barry Town United, as player-coachowner, and turning them into a European powerhouse is the perfect fit.
These are sound footballing arguments, and in no way related to any personal bias.