Gareth Bale coy over “chaos” in his footballing future

Gareth Bale knows where his future lies. He’s just not telling anyone about it yet. After scoring a late brace to lead Spurs to a dramatic come from behind 4-2 end of season victory at Leicester City, a match that earned Spurs qualification to the Europa Conference League next season, Bale was asked about the end of his one season Tottenham loan, and what he’s planning to do next. He declined to answer, not because he doesn’t know, but because he didn’t want to “cause chaos” ahead of Wales’ campaign in this summer’s EURO 2020 competition.

“It just has to happen after the Euros. I know what I’m doing but it’ll just cause chaos if I say anything now.

“I am not thinking about anything other than Wales.”

That’s not a big quote, but there sure is a lot to unpack there! I’m not sure what “cause chaos” means in this context, but it certainly does sound as though whatever it is it might not include another season on loan at Spurs. Bale has another season on his Real Madrid contract, and while returning to Spain would mean basically another season of training, possibly away from the first team, and a lot of golf, Bale seems to be fine with making sure that Madrid pays him every cent they owe him on his mammoth contract.

Bale’s comments suggest that he has made a decision, not that one has been made for him, so it sure seems as though whatever chaos would be caused would be mostly on Madrid’s side. There is supposedly a year extension on his Tottenham loan that could mean he’d stay until the end of the 2021-22 season, but would that “cause chaos?” I’m not sure. It could be that he’s got a plan to stay at Spurs but is waiting to see how it shakes out with the new manager and possibly Harry Kane.

What probably would cause some chaos is deciding to retire, and we maybe should consider that possibility, but that would also go against his apparent intent to make sure Madrid stays on the hook for his contract.

Or maybe Bale’s just f—king with everyone and is enjoying getting the entire media apparatus wound up. That’d also be fun.

Anyway, as things stand Bale is returning to Madrid to see out his last year at the conclusion of the EUROs. My guess is that’ll change and we’ll know more either before that competition kicks off, or soon afterwards.