Real Madrid actively pursuing Tottenham talisman

 

You could almost set your watch by it. Sergio Ramos has become the latest Madridista to wax lyrical about Tottenham employee Gareth Bale.

The use of the word employee is deliberate and motivated by the fact that this is a tried, tested premeditated and systematic tactic utilised to destabilise players owned by other clubs.

Ramos is quoted in the Sun: “Gareth Bale is a Real Madrid-quality signing. He has had an exceptional season. He can punish any team in the world and has the footballing qualities we look for in Madrid.”

If that’s not tapping up, pure and simple then I don’t know what is. Not only does it now appear to be an accepted part of the game but it’s becoming even more blatant.

Madrid did it with Ronaldo even if his heart was already set on a move to the Spanish capital; they did it with Modric, using Casillas and Davor Suker, a Croatian legend and current president of the country’s football federation (coincidently also a former Real player) to extol the virtues of what a good move it would be for the soon to be ex-Tottenham playmaker.

They even got Modric to then do a “come and join me” plea to Bale to try to entice him to the Bernabeu.

Then came Zidane, the sporting director calling Bale “the best player in Europe this year” even the former club president Ramon Calderon has been piping up about how they should break the bank for him.

It’s incessant and frankly all rather tiresome but there’s is no doubt it must get results.

Madrid aren’t alone in employing such manoeuvres, Barcelona too have mastered the art. Their annual pursuit of Cesc contained all the subtlety of someone sticking their tongue down your throat after the starter on a blind date.

Ex Barca trainee Pepe Reina committed the unforgiveable act of publically placing a Barcelona shirt over the midfielder’s head whilst he was still an Arsenal player, there would be no way back after that.

I’d probably be wrong to label this as strictly an Iberian trait but I’m going to because no one else seems to do it with either the regularity or the brazenness of the aforementioned Spanish duo.

If Bale leaves Tottenham let’s hope he doesn’t endorse such methods by signing for Madrid, if he does he will ratify the process and become another end that justified the means.

Allen Whyte

Follow @footyfriends

Comments

[caveman]

Well said. This is one end of the media that should be banned 'Worldwide'. FIFA and UEFA should come down heavily on players serving up this spiel to the media. I know it's impossible to stop, but there should be lines drawn and standards set.