Jol hails Bale and predicts great things
Gareth Bale has been tipped to emulate countryman Ryan Giggs on the
wing but Tottenham boss Martin Jol feels the Wales youngster will
eventually settle at left-back.
Jol has been impressed after testing Bale as a midfielder, and he
believes the 18-year-old is learning the responsibilities of being
a defender.
He was given a chance at left-back against Middlesbrough last week
and scored again, his third in three starts.
'That was the first time that he played left-back so there will be
a lot of progress,' Jol said.
'But he did well, just 18, scored three goals, made an impact
against Boro and before. That is why we bought him.
'He can play as a wide player but his best position would be as a
wing-back in a 3-5-2, what he does with Wales, but we play
4-4-2.
'In the win last week he showed me that he listens but he has great
potential.'
Jol feels Bale is still a work in progress but the £10million deal
Spurs agreed with Southampton in the summer looks a good investment
at the moment.
It was at Southampton where Bale stepped into the limelight by
scoring two free-kicks at the start of last season, and he showed
his accuracy against Arsenal two weeks ago.
'I feel that was his biggest strength with Southampton, his
free-kicks, but as a full-back you have to do different things and
I feel that he could be one of the best in the Premier League,'
said Jol.
'We've got to work on a few things as with other young players but
what he did so far was good.'
Jol first spotted Bale two years ago playing for Southampton's
reserves alongside Theo Walcott, with the pair earning big-money
moves to north London.
Sir Alex Ferguson was interested in bringing Bale to Manchester
United to team up with Giggs but conceded in January that Spurs
were ahead of them in the race. Bale waited until the summer before
signing for Spurs.
'It was him who decided which club he was going to,' Jol
said.
'If you buy players, especially the young players, you've got to
play them. That is very important.
'And I promised his mum as well that he would have a few starts,
and we would develop him into a good player.'
