How to save Bale’s brand
Step 1: Leave Madrid. Accomplished...sort of. A loan is a great start though. For years now, Bale has been an outcast to the Madrid media and fans. Saving his brand starts with getting him out of Madrid and onto a pitch again.
There’s little respect for him in the media, after all, he’s only scored 105 goals (including the stunner bicycle kick he scored only 2 minutes after coming off the bench to win the Champions League Final), held 68 assists, won 2 La Liga titles, and 4 Champions League titles. In a statement about his transfer, Madrid could only write a comical 2 sentences about his loan spell. To be fair, he hasn’t helped to rebuild his image—especially with his viral Wales flag. He’s joked around on the bench and in training. As a player, I still think Gareth Bale has a lot more to offer, but his attitude at times can say otherwise. Many say that Madrid doesn’t deserve Bale—I think it’s more of a toxic relationship.
With Bale going to Tottenham, there’s a chance to start again and rebuild his reputation with fans who’ve appreciated his contributions over the years. He’s coming into a very good (on paper) Tottenham side who has been building depth but needs a competitive kick. And I think Bale’s got that in him. It seems like a beneficial deal here for all parties. Madrid stops hearing about their expensive bench warmer in the media, Tottenham has a hero returning in time for them to make a push in the Premier League, and Bale has the chance to step foot on the field once again.
2020 is also a pivotal year for Bale’s brand as his lucrative Adidas partnership is coming up on time. It’s hard to make the case for a boot sponsorship when your boots aren’t caught on camera. But with the potential to perform well at Tottenham, Bale may just have enough leverage if he can retake the spotlight. The difficulty here is the talented men who also will be competing for a spot in Mourinho’s eleven—Bergwyn, Son, Lamela, Moura, Lo Celso. Mourinho is bold enough to bench any who he sees fit despite what the fans or the media may think. Bale’s brand redemption story all comes down to how he presents himself on and off the pitch.
There are three major arguments from Madrid made against Bale: he only cares about himself, he has a “lack of appetite”, and his love for golf tarnishes the name of the club. So how should Bale present himself this season?
He’s no longer Tottenham’s golden boy. And he shouldn’t try to be. Tottenham’s season in 2020 is not about Gareth Bale, and he needs to accept it early on. There will be days for him on the bench and some on the pitch. But across his time at Tottenham, Bale needs to stay focused on helping the club succeed and remove the brand of “selfish” off his back. It may be alright for Bale to be on the bench, but he eventually needs to get off of it as well. At Madrid, many accused him of not having an “appetite”. He can’t repeat this at Tottenham—he must compete. Jose Mourinho’s time at Tottenham has shown his selections of players are heavily biased towards those who work hard in training. And for Bale, that’s just where it starts. He’s got to show effort on the pitch — offensively AND defensively — to impress Mourinho. The final argument made by the Spanish media is an interesting one. In many ways, I actually think Bale’s love for golf is ownable. Yes, it’s been used to snub Madrid; however, it’s something that the world adores in a way. It’s something that makes him human. And most importantly, it’s a part of who he is. Do I think that Bale needs to focus on football first? Absolutely—it’s his job. But do I think that there’s no place for golf in his brand? 100% no. In fact, keeping Bale true to himself will be essential to his success back at Tottenham.
He only has a year (for now) to make a difference. But then again, in his second year at Madrid, Bale netted 19 goals and 10 assists. That’s a difference that would have any fans cheering his name again.
