Well, that was certainly a shock to Tottenham Hotspur fans, it must be said. Usually mild mannered Gareth Bale absolutely tearing into Charlie Adam on Sunday following his poorly timed tackle during the 0-0 draw with Liverpool on Saturday. Bale left the stadium following the stalemate on crutches and is believed to be out for the next six weeks.
Bale took it upon himself to heavily criticise the Scotland international, labelling the midfielder a ‘coward’ before claiming he is yet to apologise for the challenge and admitting it is unsportsmanlike to threaten his career. This isn’t the first time Adam has injured the Welsh star, with the winger forced to sit out the remainder of the 2010/11 campaign after the Reds player snapped his ankle ligaments during Blackpool’s 1-1 draw with Spurs in May last year.
Nevertheless, the 23-year-old’s allegations are ones that will be taken seriously. If Adam is in the wrong, he can expect to come under serious punishment from the Football Association. However, if Bale’s claims are erroneous, the Welshman could find himself in hot water and a possible court charge for slander.
The fact that he accuses Adam of purposefully going out to injure him is a severe comment to make which could have a detrimental effect on both player’s and their respective clubs. Many believe it to be karma due to Bale not taking part in the Olympics, an absolutely preposterous accusation to make.
Karma
Bale was suffering from a back problem at the time Stuart Pearce announced his Team GB squad at the beginning of July. The winger has previously insisted he wanted to take part in the games this summer and was prepared to defy the orders of the Welsh FA to do so. Spurs have come out in defence of the wideman, insisting they were communicating with the Team GB medical staff throughout the duration of his recovery.
The 23-year-old, fortunately, made a swift recovery from the problem, something he has suffered from before. However, some fans have conveniently forgotten that both Jake Livermore and Kyle Walker were tipped to be part of Team GB, but both were injured at the time of selection, like Bale.
However, the duo have also started all three of Spurs’ pre-season friendlies, yet nothing has been made of their inclusion by Andre Villas-Boas, while Bale was on-hand to net the equaliser during the 2-1 win over New York Red Bulls on Wednesday. Yes, it may’ve been his third start of the tour, leading to heightened speculation that Spurs faked the injury to not compete in the Olympics.
Yet, such allegations are simply absurd. The player’s injury was confirmed days before the 18-man squad was announced, while the 1-1 draw with LA Galaxy was played 23 days after the news was made public. The talk of karma for Bale, and suggestions he himself is a ‘coward’ for not taking part in the Olympics, are as bizarre and they are pointless.
Nevertheless, this Bale-Adam feud isn’t going to end any time soon. The agent of the Scottish midfielder insisted dismissed Bale’s claims, while the Spurs man himself insists he won’t accept any apology from Adam for the tackle during the recent 0-0 draw. You can be sure this will rumble on into the new season and that the former Blackpool ace will receive a more than frosty reception when the two sides meet at White Hart Lane in November.
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