Ray Parlour agreed with him, too. So, there you have it, bitter Mousers and Gooners. Case closed. This is the opinion of two highly regarded professional pundits, not the bitter denial of some deluded wum. I thought I would like to put the record straight, for you all.
Depends upon your definition of "world class". If the term is taken to mean "would get into a hypothetical World XI", then I'd suggest that Messi and Ronaldo would keep him and basically anyone else out of the wide roles. If you take it to mean "would get into virtually any team in the world", then it's closer to the truth. He's an excellent player. I don't think that anyone's really going to argue with that. He needs to stop diving (not that he did yesterday, though) and do more when he's doubled up on. I think he's working out how to do the latter, as it's becoming a weekly thing.
For what it's worth, Lawrensen also said that he would get into any team in the world. Nobody disagreed.
yep, I don't know what world class means, but he looked it last night. If, to prolong his career, he needs to take evasive action which results in him 'diving' I'm all for him keeping going down that route. The problem isn't Bale, the problem is the people who keep fouling/attempting to foul him, they're the cheats and destroyers of the beautiful game.
Well while we're at it - let's ban tackling and make football into a non-contact sport. ---------- I don't necessarily have an issue with 'evasive action' to avoid the heavy tackles - I have an issue with the couple of occasions where he's done it to get something. That needs to be sorted - and pronto
He isn't world class. The term is way overused IMO. I quite like Bale as a player but he isn't in that bracket of player for me. Before I'm labelled biased I don't think Hazard, Mata or any of ours are either. My idea of world class is: - Ronaldo - Messi - Xavi - Iniesta - Silva - Yaya Toure - Goetze - Hummels - Kompany - RVP - Ashley Cole - Alonso - Ozil - Cech - Neuer And that bracket of player. Below them I'd have: - Hazard - Mata - Bale - Cazorla - Kagawa - Rooney - Luiz - Vertonghen - Cahill - Lescott - Sandro - Hart etc. Players that are borderline but not quite world class level yet. It's a very subjective term but in my opinion over used. No disrespect but if you label Bale world class IMO we have 70-80 what I'd call "World Class Players". Where as I think a World Class list should only comprise of about 25 players (from all 4 positions) at best.
Goetze is not world class. He has not proved anything. He is behind Ozil and Kross for Germany. He has had one very good season. Has the potential to be world class but not there yet.
If we were to put Bale on the market in January, every team that had the money to buy, including Barcelona, would put in an offer for him. That makes him world class. Please, let's not try to split any hairs, here, but trying to apply so narrow a definition to the term "world class" that only a few players would qualify. And DL - Bale is at least as good as half those players that you have placed in your "world class" list. And Ashley Cole world class? Really? He used to be, but I wouldn't put him in that class any more. Up to about two years ago, perhaps, but Leighton Baines is now better than him.
Would you say RVP is world class? Serious question - he has only really had 1 amazing season and the rest he's been dogged by injuries.
No he isn't. Ashley Cole even at 32 years of age is still the best Left Back in the Country, no sensible pundit would disagree with that. I like Baines and think he's world class but he wouldn't last 5 minutes against the likes of Barca, Napoli and continental opposition. But anyway this is about Bale, who for me is a very talented young player but would he displace anyone in the current Barca/Real XI? No. Bale would still get into any Premier League side with the exception of possibly City and Chelsea
That one season was sensational. But then he went and had a stinker for Holland in the Euro's. If he continues his form from last season and leads United to trophies then he will be world class.
Being World Class is also about proving yourself against the best. Something which Ronaldo and to a lesser extent Messi has done. As well as many of the other names I mentioned. Drogba was and perhaps still is the only genuine natural World Class CF we had in the PL. He delivered on a consistent basis against the likes of Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Arsenal, United, Liverpool etc the list goes on. All of those clubs were considered to be the best in Europe at one time For Bale to be considered World Class he needs to either help Spurs to the Champions League where he can pit himself against the best on a consistent basis or move club where can do that. I rate Juan Mata highly but I think the criticism of him not performing in the big European games was justified. Although he did perform v Spurs, Arsenal, United, City and Newcastle.
The problem is "world class" is a phrase that has been so overused by football journalists, it has no meaning - it lost all meaning when Alan Shearer was described as "world class", and has yet to recover.
Oh, come off it! Why would he have to "displace" anyone at Barca/Real to be considered world class? Are you saying that only those 22 players who play for Barca/Real are world class and that no other player, in the entire world, is world class? That's a pretty silly argument. There are very few players in the world who are guaranteed starts, in any team, let alone the very best teams in the world. It wouldn't be a case of Bale displacing anyone at any team, rather him being part of the larger squad, to be called upon when the occasion required it.
Sorry, but that is far too simplistic an argument. Bale has shown, time and time again, for both club and country, that he can be the difference between winning, drawing, or losing. For Spurs to win those titles you mention, it would take a team effort, not be down only to Bale. Anyway, Chelsea won the Champions league, but no sensible fan would accept or believe that the Chelsea players are better than the Barca or Real players, would they? But that doesn't stop you having a couple of world class players in your squad.
Bale would walk into your team, or City's. As for Barca, they would take him in a heartbeat, if they thought they could get him.
In my world Bale is class..therefore he is world class. Hummels,Goetze are not world class DL Falcao should be in your list surely? if Cech is world class then so is Hart.
As I said at the start of this thread, only bitter rivals would consider Bale to be anything other than a world class player, whatever definition - limited or otherwise (to include the likes of Shearer) - you want to use.
I wouldn't pay attention to his lists, as DL trys his best to be "the straight talking neutral" , that says it how it is, yet then slips up by churning compete and utter crap, such as his laughable list. Anyhow, as for Bale, he does have world class talent, yet to be a world class player, their world class talent has to be their norm, not be produced in spells, which is why I agree with Luke on this one. Bale has some way to go before he is a world class player, yet he clearly has the ability to reach that status.
