Gareth Bale

[Neil Young]

What publication do you think that's from, Chester?

1. A newsletter from a school or similar institution where people might not be aware that Frank the caretaker is actually called Frank Bale.
2. The Times.

Take as long as you like.

[Lee]

Them lugholes.

[AnfieldForever]

How many times do you think his parents thought "He'll be fine once he grows into those"

[Chazza]

Tottenham Hotspur's Gareth Bale reveals secrets behind the techniques that led to 'double' honours from PFA

It is an Oscars-style tradition at PFA Player of the Year ceremonies for the recipient to thank team-mates, coaches, loved ones and advisers. Gareth Bale acknowledged all those influences on his career. He also name-checked a former Brazilian international now playing in Major League Soccer.

Currently at New York Red Bulls, Juninho Pernambucano is best known in Europe for embarrassing every keeper in the Champions League from Victor Valdes to Oliver Kahn during his prolific Lyon days.

Juninho developed a type of free kick called “knuckle-balling”, minimising spin and maximising dip. It involved a straightish run-up with Juninho planting his standing leg close to the ball. His right instep then struck the ball the centre, the foot going down and then powering through, imparting the dip.

It is a technique that Bale has worked on, seen most thrillingly this season against Juninho’s old club Lyon on Feb 14 in the Europa League.

Each time, he placed the ball down, took five steps back, moved slightly to one side and then stood there composing himself. Bale’s stance was similar to that of Cristiano Ronaldo as well as his inspiration, Juninho.

Each time, the Lyon wall leapt up. Each time, Bale’s delivery cleared the barrier, dropping to elude Rémy Vercoutre, the French keeper.

It was about speed, placement and dip. “I know if I strike it well, it’s got a good chance of troubling the goalkeeper and going in,” said Bale, finding a quiet room at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane to chat after the ceremony.

He has analysed Ronaldo’s technique as well as Juninho’s. Ronaldo’s approach involves occasionally pushing the ball into the ground then hitting down into it to encourage dip or making contact with the valve, lending occasional unpredictable movement. It needs emphasising that it is not an exact science, particularly with a modern ball that can be flighty.

Teams also use different balls in different competitions.

The specialists like Bale simply want to deceive the keeper.

“You use everything – the valve, the floor, everything. You just keep practising the technique. I’ve been practising it for a while now. The first one to do it was Juninho Pernambucano at Lyon and obviously Ronaldo then took it to the next level and it’s something that works. I’ve been practising it for a while and obviously it has paid off.”

Now 23, the PFA senior and young Player of the Year initially started practising with no mannequins or keeper, simply striking the ball over and over into the net.

Then he gradually added the artificial wall, before getting in one of the keepers. For all the practice, Bale smiled at the suggestion that he knew automatically what trajectory the ball would take.

“No, not a clue!” he said. “You can hit it right and then it goes left. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it looks stupid, but it’s obviously a great weapon to have. It’s one of those things that can be the best thing in the world or the worst.”

This is hardly a recent phenomenon; Bale’s first league goal was a free kick, for Southampton against Derby County seven years ago, but he has honed his dead-ball skill, adding to his repertoire of threats.

This season Bale has scored 29 goals in 48 games for Tottenham Hotspur and Wales, his freer role clearly giving him more opportunities.

“It’s great to have,” Bale said of his new versatility. “After the [‘Taxi for Maicon’] Champions League season, when I was playing on the left, the following season it became a lot more difficult.

"They used to double-mark me and even treble-mark me sometimes and it became quite difficult to get involved in the game. Sometimes I wouldn’t even get the ball.

“It was a challenge ahead of me and I probably had to move into the middle to create more space to develop my game. I’ve managed now to learn to come inside.

"I’ve worked on it all season in training and hopefully improved as the season has gone on. I’m still trying to improve. It was massively important that I was able to learn to do that, otherwise I would still probably be stuck out on the left, just hugging the touchline.”

It is a journey that Ronaldo made, although Bale is far too modest and sensible to allow any comparisons with the Real Madrid attacker. “Not really. He and Lionel Messi have set the bar where everyone wants to be.”

Bale will simply carry on accentuating his techniques in training. “It’s constant hard work. It’s not just the last couple of years. It’s also from the years before. You learn from bad experiences.”

At times at the start of his career at Spurs, he was out in the cold, held back by form and ankle and knee injuries. “I wouldn’t say I was wondering if I’d make it, but obviously I wasn’t playing for a time.

"I had injuries when I was younger, so there have been bad experiences, but you try to use them in a positive way, try to make yourself a bit stronger mentally and physically. It’s all about belief. I’ve got a good team around me – my agent, my family – and that gave me a lot of confidence going through that time.”

Judging by the warmth in the hug between Bale and Andre Villas-Boas as he went up to collect his Young Player of the Year award, the pair get on well. “He’s been amazing this year,” Bale said of his manager.

“I don’t think he got given the time at Chelsea, but since he came to Tottenham, he’s been amazing. All the hard work he puts in is amazing. We tried things in pre-season and spoke about things. Bringing me inside was one of them and obviously that has been a good decision in the end.

“We set out at the start of the season wanting to qualify for the Champions League minimum. We can still reach our objectives. We’re playing some good stuff. We just need to keep focused now.”

He still checks on the results of Chelsea and Arsenal, who occupy third and fourth respectively above fifth-placed Spurs. “If they play before us, you can’t help but look for their score.”

Bale is looking onwards and upwards. “I’ve grown up as a person, as a player. Hard work pays off. It’s just about your motivation in the game. Thankfully I’ve got that and hopefully there is more to come.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/tottenham-hotspur/10025890/Tottenham-Hotspurs-Gareth-Bale-reveals-secrets-behind-the-techniques-that-led-to-double-honours-from-PFA.html

[fah-q]

Frank the Caretakers son?

Was Frank Bale's surname a massive secret? Was there more than 1 Frank Bale?

His Dad was a gangster; Frank the Caretaker, Larry the Librarian, Malcolm the Milk Monitor, etc.

[fah-q]

Then he gradually added the artificial wall, before getting in one of the keepers. For all the practice, Bale smiled at the suggestion that he knew automatically what trajectory the ball would take.

“No, not a clue!” he said. “You can hit it right and then it goes left. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it looks stupid, but it’s obviously a great weapon to have. It’s one of those things that can be the best thing in the world or the worst.”

Reminds me of my free kick technique, I too have no idea where the ball is going to end up.

[Fosterbloke]

Reminds me of my free kick technique, I too have no idea where the ball is going to end up.

I bet you know where it won't end up

[danperkins]

Absolutely hilarious moment

Drogba i'm sure has done this a few times too.

[Shaggy]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22382641?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=BBC

Tottenham Hotspur's Gareth Bale has been named as the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year.

The 23-year-old Wales international adds the writers' prize to the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards he won last week.

Bale has scored 19 goals in 29 Premier League appearances this season.

Manchester United's Robin van Persie, winner last year with Arsenal, was narrowly beaten into second place.

Bale becomes the first Spurs player to win the award since David Ginola in 1999 and the first Welshman since goalkeeper Neville Southall in 1985.

The former Southampton man will receive the prestigious prize, which was first presented in 1948, at a dinner in London on 9 May.

Bale has scored 24 goals in all competitions this season, helping Tottenham reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League and maintain a challenge for a top-four place in the Premier League.

[Sarb]

Suarez only got 2 votes.

On a different note, they'd be better off renaming these awards to 'Person of the Year'. Sorry, but some journo voted Cazorla. I bet it was John Cross

[Reece]

Two votes

[Chris]

Spineless journo's. There was one saying the other day he bottled it and voted Van Persie because he was the easy, safe choice. Pathetic.

[dom9]

Spineless journo's. There was one saying the other day he bottled it and voted Van Persie because he was the easy, safe choice. Pathetic.

I presume that voting probably took place after the bite. If that's the case, then there's no way many people would vote for him as player of year, having taken that into account.

It's really not that pathetic.

[Sarb]

I presume that voting probably took place after the bite. If that's the case, then there's no way many people would vote for him as player of year, having taken that into account.

It's really not that pathetic.

So why vote for a guy who has been booked 5 times for simulation. Bit hypocritical. Yeah, a bite is worse, but Bale still cheats.

[dom9]

So why vote for a guy who has been booked 5 times for simulation. Bit hypocritical. Yeah, a bite is worse, but Bale still cheats.

I dunno. I'm not them. I didn't vote.

But you do accept that Souarez is practically unvotable for in light of the bite? It ruined everything for him.

You know the funny thing about Bale being booked 5 times for diving? It's in bold. He's not got away with it and he's been punished. It's practicaly the norm for the majority to get away with it without any punishment at all.