Transfer news: Tottenham winger Gareth Bale would adapt well to life at Real Madrid says Wales manager Chris Coleman

The 24-year-old's national boss, who spent time managing in Spain, has admitted his belief that Bale would fit in should he complete a move to the La Liga club

Jack de Menezes
Wednesday 14 August 2013 16:17 BST
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Chris Coleman remonstrates on the touchline with Gareth Bale as Wales take on Scotland
Chris Coleman remonstrates on the touchline with Gareth Bale as Wales take on Scotland (GETTY IMAGES)

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Wales boss Chris Coleman has no doubt that Gareth Bale would be just fine with handling a move to Spain as talks continue over a potential transfer to Real Madrid.

The Tottenham ace has been heavily linked with a world-record transfer to the Spanish club, having made it clear that he would like to join Real to Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, although he has so far refused to try and force a move due to his good relations with the north London club.

Bale is currently on international duty with Wales although he will take no part in tonight’s match at the Cardiff City Stadium against the Republic of Ireland as he continues his recovery from a foot injury. He has been seen training away from the rest of the national side, but he will be in the stands to cheer on his team-mates when they take to the pitch later today.

The 24-year-old made it clear on Monday that he doesn’t want to talk about the speculation, telling the Spanish media who caught him outside the national team’s hotel "Now's not the time to talk."

But Coleman, who spent half a season in Spain with then-Segunda Division side Real Sociedad in 2007 and early 2008, has spoken of his believe that Bale would fit in well with life on the continent.

"I have no reservations about how he would handle it," said Coleman.

"When you move to another country you have to embrace the culture and you can't expect everybody else to change for you.

"For Gareth as a player wherever he goes he will have to learn the language and the culture, but his ability will always be there.

"His mentality is fine. He is a superstar, he is, he is a super talent, but he is not caught up with that.

"The best players don't stop and think how well they have just done, they are always striving. How can I do better? How can I improve?

"That's why the best stay there for so long, players like him and Ryan Giggs don't care about how much money they have got, what fancy car he's driving, or what big house he is living in or the stardom of it. It is all about being on the pitch and producing because they love football, genuinely."

Coleman also spoke of his hope that good results against Macedonia and Serbia in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers as well as tonight’s match against their Celtic rivals could generate some much needed momentum to take into their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.

He said: "In our current group the top two seeds (Belgium and Croatia) are first and second. We were sixth seeds coming in but there was pressure on us to qualify, but that's how it is.

"We now have to top the rest of the group. If we finish third we have made a lot of ground and it puts us in a good position for the Euros.

"It would mean we would have a kinder group in the Euros, rather than the group we have now which is extremely difficult.

"That means tomorrow night and in the four remaining qualifiers we have to perform and win, we have to aim for that."

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