Ginola is wrong to defend Bale

The ongoing row surrounding diving continues to dominate the papers, despite other pressing footballing matters supposed to take charge. Tuesday saw former Tottenham Hotspur winger David Ginola come out in defense of Garth Bale after the Welshman was booked for simulation during the club’s recent wins over Liverpool and Fulham.

While replays show that both times Bale was touched when going down, it’s his reputation that has brought the unnecessary attention upon him. Caught diving against Liverpool and Aston Villa last season, coupled with the penalty he won against Scotland for Wales back in October, referees are beginning to decide against giving the Spurs man a free kick as a result of his theatrics.

Nevertheless, it has seen former White Hart Lane hero David Ginola come out in defence of the young winger. The Frenchman insists that the reason Bale may be perceived to be diving is due to the injuries he has suffered in the past, thus looking to avoid a repeat.

However, it portrays Ginola in a negative light. While his quotes suggest otherwise, it appears as though the former France international has come out in defence of his antics, rather than the reason why it may look as though he goes down easily when touched.

You can understand that Bale doesn’t want to suffer another injury that would rule him out for some time, regardless of his recent hamstring knock which will keep him sidelined for a fortnight. But, the defence from Ginola is unlikely going to help matters, no matter what reasoning he gives in defence of the Welshman. 

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Comments

[The Blue Hornett]

Rubbish

[Brilliant]

Ginola shouldn't defend Bale, even though he's right?

Ginola shouldn't defend Bale, even though (as you say) for his last two "dives" he was actually tripped?

What point exactly are you trying to make? Because judging from this you're a cretin.

[ParkLane67]

Did you even read Ginola's comments? He never said anything about avoiding injury. He was simply explaining to us mere mortals that when you run at pace, it only takes the slightest touch to knock you off balance. Ginola is absolutely right and if we persist in this persecution, we will simply drive Bale out of English football, as we did with Ronaldo. That is the path to a mediocre league, if that's what you really want!

[Woodsy]

Total and utter nonsense.

Bale is the most exciting player to watch since Ronaldo. We love pace and attacking intent in this country but support players hacking at those who deliver this type of football.

A couple of seasons ago Bale was routinely battered two or three times a game and missed matches through injury. Now he's learning to avoid the hits by anticipating them. He's been caught twice and by the speed he's moving he's gone down. Then he gets punished for it.

There's a difference between dangling your leg to draw a foul and trying to protect yourself against getting clobbered when running at pace.

People need to be careful about this because quality is flooding out of the league and will continue to do so if we don't protect the top players from thugs.

[Tom]

You obviously do not know what you are talking about. Stop filling the internet with rubbish.

[cyril]

sorry to say but you are very misguided. either that or simply there is a village somewehre missing you
he received two bad injuries against that thug adams playing for liverpool, and as always we have this bizarre appraoch in this country, on the one hand we drool over barca and on the other we have th view of its aman's game and a good kicking is a part of it. watch chelsea leeds fa cup final 1970 and the figure out the complete lack of international sucess by the english national team, even a village idiot can do that.
the refs made mistakes, we all do. but decent grown ups come out afterwards and say it was a mistake. he is having his reputation trashed this week and for two incidents that were baseless and simply wrong
i for one pay my money to see exciting players whoever they play for, not thungs like charlie adams. when wilkinson was satrring for england at rugby there were any number of crude attempts to take him out of a game, two famous ones being by the springbok and then the french in the wc semi-fianl. happily he survived both and sin bin awards were made. always the same and i appluad ginola for pointing out that skill is to be encouraged

[delspur]

it's ridiculous, getting booked for being fouled, all because the referee can't keep up with the pace of the player, there should be an appeal procedure for such matters, if the ref looks at the replay in slow motion after the game, and decides that the player was actually fouled, then the card should be rescinded, if it proves that the player did actually dive then ban him for one game, it would put a stop to all this diving business.

[Thudd]

Btw for the Penalty against Scotland the Defender himself Claimed to have Clipped Him.. Lame Idiots!

[Me]

You are an idiot

[Kdh1942]

What a pompous,uneducated pillock,!

We don't want walleys like Foy building stupid personal reputations by taking their "notches" on the creative players we all want to watch play, who ever we support?

[Hmmm]

Where in the football rule book is there an entry "Reputation"?
When was it ever a Refs job to teach a player a lesson.

He is either fouled or not.

[serious]

Bale is no diver if your leg is planted in the ground you risk a very bad injury especially travelling at the speed he does. He does not scream rolling around looking to get players booked he is just avoiding major damage. Last time he was injured when stamped on bales ankle from an angle which would have been very painful. He will be off to Spain soon where skilled. Players are protected sad really.... David Ginola is right and he knows what it's like to be the hachet mens target..