Can Gareth “Bale” Real Madrid Out?

He’s not worth it. Wales’s international winger Gareth Bale, who recently completed a high-profile move from English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur to La Liga giants Real Madrid for a staggering fee of €100m ($132m or £85m) that made him the most expensive player in the history of the game, is not worth his transfer fee at all. I know that it’s uncanny for me to begin this blog with such a pessimistic approach, but the facts are plain, simple and as clear as water. He’s just not worth his world record fee.

Let’s not get things wrong. Gareth Bale is an exceptional player. He’s one of the fastest on the circuit, he’s got that morale-boosting aura that can lift a team when all hope seems lost (Remember his hat-trick against Inter Milan at the San Siro?) and not to forget he’s got a lethal left leg that can make any goalkeeper contemplate calling in sick before an important match. In fact, Bale is undoubtedly a player who any manager would die to have on their team. But when a team shells out money just to satisfy the “ego” of an individual, that’s when I draw the line between intelligence and lunacy.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is the “individual” whom I’m talking about. In some ways one can call him the “Real-messiah” due to that colossal reputation he’s earned of giving the fans what they want. He’s been known to have a history of acquiring elite footballers by paying extremely high prices. Some might call it his undying “passion” towards the club and the beautiful game while others might call it his dire need to satisfy his inflated “ego”. The debate is open and is something that will never end.

Reuters Photo

It was Perez’s bold initiative that led to the “Galacticos” era when the football fraternity was graced by the presence of Ronaldo, David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos, Iker Casillas, and Co. playing for the same team at the same pitch all the same time. And it was when he began his second term as club President in 2009 that he first bought Kaka from AC Milan for £58 million before breaking an eight-year world record transfer fee deadlock to sign Man United’s Cristiano Ronaldo for £80 million.

Perez’s exploits are something that are known quite well in the footballing world and therefore when rumors started floating that Real Madrid would be willing to breach the €100m mark just to get Bale to play at the Bernabeu, no one seemed surprised. It was kind of like what else is new? However, what people started doing almost immediately was drawing up career statistics comparing Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale and whether or not the Welshman actually deserved his world record price tag.

Let’s look at the statistics ourselves, shall we? In his six seasons at Old Trafford, Cristiano Ronaldo scored 118 goals thereby leading the Red Devils to three Premier League titles, two Carling Cups, one FA Cup, one Community Shield and one Club World Cup. On the other hand Gareth Bale, in his six seasons at White Hart Lane, has scored just 55 goals without winning any elite championship. Not to be rude or anything, but Ronaldo scored 54 goals just last season with Madrid. That’s six seasons combined in one.

Also, during his tenure, Cristiano Ronaldo bagged one FIFA Ballon D'or, one World Player of the Year award, two PFA Player of the Year awards, one Young Player of the Year Award and two Fans Player of the Year Award (The list actually goes on but I’ve left out quite a few so that the die-hard Bale fans don’t get demoralized). However, Gareth Bale only bagged two PFA Player of the Year awards and one Young Player of the Year Award.

Another very interesting thing to note is the fact that Bale, unlike Ronaldo, is solely dependent on his left foot. Which is why his playing positions on the football field are limited. At most what he can do is do a to-and-fro between the left back and left wing positions. On the other hand Cristiano Ronaldo, who was once complimented by a commentator as being able to score with any part of his body, scored 54 goals last season with 29 goals off his right foot (excluding free-kicks and penalty-kicks), 16 with his left foot and 8 with his head.

Bale’s move has become one of the most talked about sagas in football history not just among the fans, but also among the football community. Leading coaches have openly condemned the move with new Barcelona manager Gerardo Martino going to the extent of calling it a “joke”. I don’t know what the problem with the world is. Real Madrid seem to have everything figured out. At a time when the world economy is in chaos and Spain is embroiled in a financial crisis that seems never-ending, for football club to take loans just to pay €100m for player who according to his own national coach is “injury-prone” and not “fit enough” to play a full 90-minute match makes "perfect" sense. Don’t you think so? ;)

The Prodigal Son Returns..

“It’s Chelsea’s title to lose now.” This is what Jose Mourinho said when the Blues were being managed by Guss Hiddink who had taken over the affairs from Luiz Felipe Scolari who had taken over from Avram Grant who had taken over from Mourinho himself. Of course Chelsea didn’t win the title that season, but they did go on to clinch the FA Cup. But was that what they really wanted? The answer is No.

Ever since the London club was taken over in a ruthless transaction by Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich, they’ve had just one goal – to win trophies. And quite frankly Roman does not care which one. All he wants is the trophies because those are directly proportional to the moolah influx. And Mourinho was Roman’s “chosen one”. Or as Jose likes to put it, he was the “Special One”. He was specifically bought to win the Blues those elusive trophies. And that he did.

In Mourinho’s first two seasons in-charge he won four trophies, out of which the domestic league title was Chelsea’s first in 50 years. Jose led Chelsea to 64 consecutive home league matches without defeat in his four seasons at the helm; signed notable players like Didier Drogba, Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack and did everything possible to make the Russian billionaire very “happy” and “rich”.

AP Photo

However, in a move that was seen by millions as completely irrational and illogical, Chelsea and Mourinho parted ways by “mutual consent” to make way for better things. Now only people in the Abramovich clan know what conspired between Roman and Jose by the end of the Mourinho’s fourth term at Stamford Bridge when he left the club. But just like an infant without his mum, both Chelsea and Mourinho could not exist without each other.

 Chelsea tried a handful of managers and Jose tried a handful of clubs, but it was quite evident that both needed each other to co-exist.  Even though Mourinho won the Champions League with FC Porto before moving to London, the kind of buzz and aura that surrounded Stamford Bridge when the Special One was around was matched by none other.

 The bottom line was that Mourinho was not happy being away. The biggest example of that was seen by the world when Real Madrid was knocked out of the Champions League last season and Jose went on national television to say that he wants to be someplace where he will be happy and respected.  Almost immediately, just like putting the final piece of the puzzle in place, the stage was set for the Special One to make his second “homecoming” at the Bridge.

The worst kept secret in Footballing history was out on June 3rd, 2013 when Jose Mourinho was confirmed as Chelsea coach for the second time. And things immediately started to fall in place for Chelsea. Frank Lampard and John Terry reacted as if Dad was coming home. And why shouldn’t have they been happy? Their careers were literally created by the Special One. And now it was time to finish some unfinished business.

In ten seasons of club management, including an eight-month sabbatical in 2007–08, Mourinho has led his club to win its domestic league seven times, the UEFA Champions League twice and the UEFA Cup once. Since 2002, Mourinho has not gone a full calendar year without winning at least one trophy.

And now with Sir Alex Ferguson retired, Arsene Wenger vowing to never win a trophy ever again, Manchester City without a seasoned manager and Liverpool just being Liverpool, the English Premier League is practically begging Chelsea to grab it by the throat and take it away after spending an eternity at Manchester. This can indeed be Chelsea’s season as it has started by giving out vibes that promise to deliver a season like no other. It promises some thrilling action and with the deadly yet deliberant combination of Jose Mourinho and Chelsea, the Blues will surely be aiming to give their prodigal son the perfect homecoming present. Another Premier League Medal.