I headed west for the World Cup qualifier between Wales and Scotland last weekend, and although I left the Cardiff City Stadium frustrated at the 2-1 defeat suffered by Craig Levein’s side, I also left with a feeling of privilege to have seen a fantastic performance from Gareth Bale.
The Welsh winger was a joy to watch, even if I was willing him to fall over the ball every time he got hold of it.
He didn’t of course, he just simply tended to glide past every Scotland defender that tried to get in his path, and left-back Danny Fox in particular will be having nightmares about what Bale subjected him to over 90 pulsating minutes.
The Tottenham Hotspur man was simply two sets of head and shoulders above every other player on the pitch, and he wasn’t even playing in his favoured left-wing spot.
The Welsh played him on the right of midfield, and he was able to cut inside or take on his man on the outside with equal, devastating effect.
I know Wales were only playing a Scotland side that would probably struggle to finish halfway up the Barclays Premier League, but I would suggest that Bale is the only British outfield footballer worthy of the ‘world-class’ tag that is thrown around far too often nowadays.
In recent years I have seen Scotland play the likes of Spain, Italy and Holland, and no player for any of those teams went close to destroying them as Bale did in Cardiff. He was brilliant.
World-class is a label that has been pinned on many England players in the recent past, but none of them are close to being the player Bale is.
I mean listening to the groaning reaction to England’s 1-1 draw in Poland on Wednesday - which I actually thought was a good result - there were still several supposedly expert pundits referring to Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard as ‘world-class’.
Well I’m sorry, I just don’t see it. Very good players? Yes. World-class players? No.
But Bale, I reckon he is pretty close. He is surely destined to make a move to one of the giants of European football, as he a special, special player.
So although I was cursing under my breath in the final minute as Bale rattled that spectacular 25-yard drive into the top corner of Alan McGregor’s net in the final minute, I also found myself almost wanting to applaud.
I didn’t, because at that moment I was a bitter Scotland fan, but it really was an ‘I was there moment’, and I am so glad I was.
I HAVE NO FAITH IN UEFA TO HIT SERBIA HARD
Another trip to Eastern Europe for an England team, another night of missile throwing and racist abuse - cue another pathetic hand-slap from UEFA.
Stuart Pearce’s under-21 players and coaching staff were involved in ugly scenes at the end of their European Championship play-off in Serbia on Tuesday night.
The players had been subjected to missiles being thrown from the crowd, with the black players having to endure racist chanting throughout the game.
Then it all really kicked off at full time following England’s last-gasp winner, with both sets of players and management getting involved in ugly scuffles.
It was a disgrace, and despite the laughable denials of racial abuse from the Serbian FA and the nation’s president, it was the home supporters at the root of it all.
What UEFA should do now is throw the book at the Serbia FA, ban the under-21 side from the next competition and throw in a suspended sentence for the senior team as well. At the very least.
Perhaps the Serbia supporters then might think twice before racially abusing any player in future.
But of course that won’t happen.
Indeed, knowing UEFA, they’ll probably hit the Serbian FA with a paltry fine - and punish England with a bigger fine for failing to control their players.
It’s just what they do...
SORRY SEEMED TO BE THE HARDEST WORD FOR TERRY
Sticking with the issues of race, John Terry this week at long last apologised for racially abusing Anton Ferdinand in the Premier League clash between Queens Park Rangers and Chelsea 12 months ago.
But let’s not beat about the bush here, Terry only apologised because it suited him, and his club, to say sorry.
For the past 360 days, sorry seemed to be the hardest word.
The central defender spent a year trying to dodge all responsibility and punishment for his crude and disgraceful abuse of Ferdinand at Loftus Road, and it is only because he has nowhere else to turn that he has now held his hands up.
Indeed, Terry knows that if he had appealed the Football Association decision to ban him for four games and fine him £220,000, then those punishments would more than likely have been increased.
And he, nor league leaders Chelsea, wanted to risk that.
So, as welcome as Terry’s apology may be, forgive me if I take it with a pinch of salt as to how sincere it really is.
 |  |