Fans Need Patience, Like Mourinho for Tottenham Star

In the full press conference following the Brighton victory, Jose Mourinho elaborated on Gareth Bale’s progress and set the stage for his next start for Tottenham in Europe.

Gareth Bale’s return to both form and fitness is a process, Jose Mourinho likes to remind everyone of that every chance they get. In the what have you done for me lately world of professional sports, it is good to remember, sometimes good things come to those who wait, and Tottenham Hotspur fans have certainly been waiting?

However, based on Mourinho’s comments about the Welsh winger, Spurs fans will likely not have to wait another seven years for the next goal. So, what did Mourinho say and what does it mean for Bale and Tottenham moving forward?

Bale is Improving

The biggest thing Jose did was reemphasize the process Gareth Bale is going through, where he has to work to get into footballing shape for the rigors of the Premier League. Mourinho noted that it is not just visually “watching the process” of development, rather relying on the “data that supports” the training process to make informed decisions about what Gareth is and is not ready for.

Those decisions are based on the science, the eye test, and of course the thoughts of the player himself. In listening to comments from Bale himself, he completely agrees noting how long it has been since he has put together a string of games and needing to get match fit.

What should be scary about this to other teams on the Tottenham schedule is that he is already proving to be a difference maker and has barely been on the pitch. Once he has the legs for an hour or more in League, we may be in for a treat.

Bale is IN the Tottenham Thursday Team

Jose Mourinho noted Bale is not ready to go 90 in the Premier League but did make it clear in the presser that Bale is going to be in the team on Thursday at home for Ludogorets. The idea is to “use Europa to compliment” the training and fitness regime with the club. And while he is not ready for 90 minutes in the League, is he not likely to go for 90 midweek either, but the hour or so runout should be good development work for Bale.

Ultimately, like Jose Mourinho, the club, and Gareth Bale himself, as fans we must be patient. It would be great to see him go for 90 and do it all the time, but the last time he went for 90 – with Wales – he did not play for a while following that. The hope must be that the team is getting Bale fit enough to take on the inevitable national team call-up coming and then be able to return and be available to face Manchester City following the break.

The City game is several weeks out, and a lot can happen between now and then, so we just have to be patient and enjoy the process. After all, getting there is half the fun and if in the end we are getting a fully fit and functional Gareth Bale, maybe the other long wait for Spurs fans might be over soon too.