Angry Spurs star was left on crutches after horror tackle and
insists "I’m not going to accept his apology"
Gareth Bale has branded Charlie Adam a “coward” for the
challenge Spurs claim could have put their man in
hospital.
The Tottenham star fears he may miss the start of the season
after limping out of a Baltimore
friendly following another late foul that the Welshman
claimed was a deliberate attempt to injure him.
Adam has history with Bale, after a shocking challenge in 2011
snapped the Welshman’s ankle ligaments and sidelined him for three
months. The feud continued last season when the midfielder was
dismissed at White Hart Lane for another bad tackle.
A frustrated Bale directed a furious attack on the Liverpool
player as he left the Ravens Stadium on crutches with his ankle in
a protective boot support, following the pre-season showdown with
the Reds.
“From what I’ve seen of him on pitch, I think he’s a bit of a
coward,” said the Wales star insisted afterwards.
“I was surprised to see a challenge like that in a friendly.
We’re all over here to build our fitness and get a good workout and
what he did was over the top, to be honest.
“But some people are like that and it’s just wrong.”
Spurs were furious about the foul in a friendly game used for
conditioning, with boss Andre Villas Boas insisted the Liverpool
man should have been dismissed for a “very, very nasty
challenge”
The Portuguese coach is puzzled by the bad blood Adam has shown,
with Bale seemingly targeted by the midfielder without
provocation.
The Tottenham winger will have a scan in New York on Monday
before the friendly match with the Red Bulls, and he fears it could
be bad news for the start of the new season.
“My ankle is sore - very, very sore. We’ll have to wait and see
how it goes. I’ll probably have to have a scan,” he said.
A shocking feud has developed between the two players, yet Bale
is genuinely puzzled – and intensely angry – about the reasons he
seems to have been targeted by the former Blackpool skipper. “There
are pictures on the internet of what he did before when he snapped
all my ankle ligaments,” said Bale.
They have history: Charlie Adam, then of Blackpool, tackling
Gareth Bale
“I was out for three months that time and one player
told me he went out to do the same thing to me again.
“Seriously, I haven’t ever done anything to him. He’s obviously
come for me twice now – and he’s got me twice.
“I would have understood it had it been a slightly mis-timed
tackle, even though it was just a friendly. But the ball was 10
yards past him already and was nowhere near him when he came
through my ankle.”
After the game, Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas was also furious
with Adam, and insisted the Liverpool player should make a public
apology for the challenge.
Yet Bale is so unimpressed by the man he branded a “coward”, he
insisted that he will refuse point blank to accept any apology
should it be extended.
“When someone makes a very bad tackle on you in a game you
expect him to come up and apologise. But I’ve had no apology from
him and I don’t really want one from him to be honest,” he
said.
Returning the favour: Spurs Jake Livermore pulls down Charlie
Adam
“That’s what kind of person he is like. He’s done it
before, so I’m not going to accept his apology.
“All I want to do is play my game and play it in the right way.
It’s flattering when players try to take you out in a game but
when it threatens your career, it becomes more serious that
that.
“It’s unsportsmanlike and I don’t think any player should be
like that.”
The incident completely overshadowed what was otherwise a
cautious friendly between the two clubs in the searing heat of
Baltimore, with temperatures touching 40 degrees.
Tottenham’s allegations about Adam are so serious that they
could even prompt the FA to investigate, given a player claimed he
was told Bale would be deliberately targeted.
Yet the Liverpool midfielder was unimpressed by Spurs’ claims,
dismissing the opportunity to reply when asked afterwards.