Gareth Bale – Time for Harry to cut his losses?

When Gareth Bale was bought by Tottenham for £5million in May 2007, he was one of the hottest prospects in English football. A left back/winger with a superb ability at free kicks and a brilliant left foot, it looked like the Welshman was destined for stardom. While at his former club Southampton, there was speculation of a move even to United but he opted for the London club believing his ambitions for first team football would be better realised there. It would be harsh to ask the question of where it is has all gone wrong for the Welsh international, he is only 20 years old and has a full career ahead of him, but a better question to ask is: where should Bale go from here?

His time at Tottenham has not been spectacular, although there have been high moments such as scoring only in his second appearance in a 3-3 draw at Fulham, and then in the following game, opening the scoring in his first North London derby with Arsenal with a superbly struck free-kick, what has really troubled me is that there seems to be a lack of clarity as to where he fits in the Spurs team. In his first season at the club, he was unfortunate enough to pick up a foot injury during the 3-2 home defeat to Birmingham which limited him to only 12 appearances for the club in 2007/08. During his second season he managed 30 appearances for the club and he played both left back and left winger, but again last summer he picked up a knee injury which kept him out for the start of this season.

Bale’s career at Tottenham has not really got going, injuries no doubt have played a big part in that but what we really worries me is whether Tottenham and Redknapp know what they want to do with the player. There were the pretty unfair press articles about Bale’s curse, that in 24 league games for the club, he had not been on the winning side, a run which was only ended in September this year when Harry put Bale on in the 84th minute during a 5-0 thrashing of Burnley. The points were surely safe but after the match Redknapp said something that questioned my view of the player. Redknapp admitted he put the Welsh winger on to break the curse:

That’s why I put him on. I thought we needed to break that hoodoo. It’s affected him, I think. He’s a left-back really and he could be a top player.

Here’s my issue with Bale, Redknapp believes him to be a left back but he hasn’t ever proved himself in the position. When he replaced Assou-Ekotto at half-time against Everton on Sunday, he had a torrid time against young Seamus Coleman and he allowed the Irishman to go past him far too easily for the first Everton goal which allowed the Merseysiders back into the match. In my view, Bale has only ever looked comfortable in the opposition half, whether putting in crosses with his fantastic left foot, making over lapping runs for wingers or scoring pin-point accurate free-kicks. He seems to be more at home as a left winger.

There are real stumbling blocks to Bale becoming a first team player in either position. At left back, Benoit Assou-Ekotto has had an excellent season and is unlikely to be replaced as first choice any time soon. Redknapp has said as much in recent months:

We have a great left-back in Benoit Assou-Ekotto. He’s a terrific payer, he’s quick, he’s a great passer. He whips it into feet and he has it all to be a top player.

In the left midfield position you have the two Croats in Niko Kranjcar and Luka Modric, neither will be easy to dislodge if both fit. Bale himself last month believed his performances for Wales might just persuade Redknapp to start including him in the starting line-up:

I am starting to get back in the frame at Tottenham now. Hopefully I can continue playing well, hopefully I can keep winning for Wales.

So we go back to the main question, what should Tottenham do with Bale? Bale has ruled out a loan move in January as Assou-Ekotto is away at the African Cup of Nations in January with Cameroon and he will no doubt get more opportunities in the starting line up. In my mind, he has a lot to prove at left back and during that month when Assou-Ekotto is away, Bale has to prove he is worthy of a position in the team full-time. If he fails or gets another injury, even though he is only 20, his time at Tottenham maybe coming to an end and Redknapp may decide to cut the club’s losses on the player. There are rumours of a bid of £3million from Birmingham City being on the cards and it seems the Welsh international maybe on his way out of the club, if not in January, then at the end of the season if he doesn’t establish himself in the team before then.