Bale looks back to best, insists upbeat Mepham
CHRIS Mepham believes Gareth Bale is back to his best ahead of Wales’ crunch Euro 2020 qualifier with Azerbaijan.
Having struggled in the defeats to Croatia and Hungary, speculation was rife over what the future would hold for Bale, who had been deemed surplus to requirements at Real Madrid.
He was set to join Chinese Super League outfit Jiangsu Suning, although the move collapsed, with Bale eventually being re-introduced into the first- team fold in the Spanish capital.
The 30-year-old scored his first goals for the club since March in a 2-2 draw with Villarreal on Sunday night, a game in which Wales’ talisman was also sent off.
But defender Mepham believes Bale is back in top form ahead of the international break, adding that the four-time Champions League winner cut a broken figure in the dressing room after the losses to Croatia and Hungary in June.
“He seems like he’s at home when
he’s around the Wales set-up. It means so much to him every time he puts the Wales top on. You can see that,” said the Bournemouth star.
“When we lost the two games out in Croatia and Hungary I saw him in the dressing room afterwards and he was devastated, as we all were, but it just shows how much it means to him.
“He always wants to be the player that can get a goal. I’d imagine that if he feels he hasn’t contributed he would be disappointed in himself. It’s great to have him back.
“I was in a room with Harry Wilson and he said, ‘Have you seen the Real Madrid score (against Villarreal)? Gaz has scored two.’
“It was really good to hear and especially good timing coming into this important game.
“It’s good to see him back out on the pitch performing because he had a lot of speculation over the summer and it’s good he has that focus back.
“By the sounds of it, he is back to his natural sharp self.”
Mepham himself was left disappointed following the 2-1 defeat to Croatia as he was dropped by Ryan Giggs for the 1-0 loss to Hungary in Budapest.
“When you don’t get the nod you will be disappointed. It was important we tried to get the result and I tried to be supportive from the bench,” admitted the centre-back.
“We have a team meeting the day before the game and we normally find out the team in the morning so we can work on set-pieces for that training session.
“He pulled me, Harry Wilson and Connor Roberts before the meeting and said why we weren’t playing (against Hungary). At least you know before the meeting and the team sheet pops up on the board. It’s always frustrating not playing, but hopefully I don’t experience that again.”
The 21-year-old is now in line to feature at the heart of Wales’ defence against Azerbaijan in the Welsh capital, with Joe Rodon, James Lawrence and Tom Lockyer among those fighting for a centre-back berth with Ashley Williams not included in the squad.
And Mepham admits – despite being one of the younger members of the squad – that he feels like a senior player having been a regular in the international set-up under Giggs.
“Each camp I feel more mature and more experienced. I feel like I need to be more of a leader each time I come,” he added.
“We have got quite an inexperienced backline with Ash not being involved in this camp, so it is important I don’t feel like a young player.
“It is important to step up to the plate and be that natural leader.”
Wales host Azerbaijan at Cardiff City Stadium on Friday (7.45pm) before taking on Belarus at the home of the Bluebirds in a friendly three days later.