IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT ME, SAYS BALE

GARETH BALE has insisted Wales are not a one-man team, instead declaring the squad a band of brothers capable of going deep into Euro 2016. The Real Madrid star said the ultimate ambition is to win the tournament but stressed that as long as Wales leave France with no regrets they can be pleased. Much has been made of Bale’s importance to his nation, having scored seven goals and made two assists in qualifying but he maintained the unity among players is the side’s biggest strength. ‘No, it’s never a one-man team,’ he said. ‘For us, it’s a squad thing. We’re together stronger — we don’t just say it for no reason. We all work hard as one unit — we attack as one and we defend as one. ‘When we lose the ball, we all fight to get it back. ‘People can write what they want but we all know that we work very hard on the training pitch every day. ‘We all get on so well — we are like brothers. We are all friends and we joke around and play together but, when it comes down to serious business, we fight for each other.’ Bale (right) has not started for Wales since the final qualifying game last October, scoring in a 2-0 win over Andorra. In his absence, Chris Coleman’s team have lost three and drawn one of four friendlies but Bale is confident that once the real action starts, Wales will show their true colours. ‘We want to go home with no regrets,’ he said. ‘If we give 100 per cent every game, you can’t ask for any more. ‘Obviously, we would like to win the tournament. ‘Realistically, it’s very difficult — we know that but we’ll go into each and every game looking to win and, if we give it 100 per cent, we never know how far we can go.’ Bale was speaking during a break from training in Dinard. At the start of the Press conference, he was involved in a video link with his old high school, Whitchurch in Cardiff, and took questions from two current students, with his former PE teacher Gwyn Morris also in attendance. One pupil asked Bale which former Wales player he would like to have with him in France. ‘I’m not that old, so I don’t know too many,’ replied Bale. ‘Ryan Giggs. He was my hero growing up. It would have been amazing for him to be on a national stage like this.’