Jermain Defoe says player who left Tottenham in 2021 was an ‘animal’ on game days

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Gareth Bale is one of the most talked about ex-Tottenham players in recent decades and Jermain Defoe has been giving some insight today.

Bale had two spells with Tottenham. His first earned him a stunning mega-money move to Real Madrid, before he returned on a season long loan in 2020.

During his time as a player, much was made of Bale’s ability to produce in huge moments despite being quiet in games.

And speaking about his former teammate on The Player’s Channel podcast, Jermain Defoe has explained what made so special.

Jermain Defoe sings Gareth Bale’s praises

Speaking about players who didn’t quite do it in training but could produce on matchdays, Defoe was quick to jump in with the example of Bale.

“Mate, Gareth Bale was like that, he never used to train. He’s on the side with the ball chilling. I said Gareth, are you not joining in? He said, ‘Nah, nah, nah.’ Then you go inside and he’s on the treatment bed for about two hours and I’d be OK, it’s tomorrow, we’re good for tomorrow yeah? Come tomorrow, animal, machine,” Defoe said.

Bale was world class

Few players in the last few years for Tottenham can class themselves as being truly world-class but Gareth Bale is firmly in the bracket.

Alongside Harry Kane, Bale is probably the best player to pull on a Tottenham shirt in the last two or three decades, he was that good.

As Defoe says, Bale had the knack of not being really invested in training only to then turn it on when it really mattered in games.

That is hard to find in players, and we hear stories of players like Paul McGrath being able to do the same in years gone by.

Bale’s retirement and the way it ended for him was a bit of a disappointment. However, few can deny the career he had wasn’t a huge success and Bale succeeded at the very highest level.