Gareth Bale talks Alonso, Zidane, Ancelotti, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ramos, Real Madrid | OneFootball

It has been almost a couple of months since Real Madrid decided to sack Xabi Alonso as the head coach.

But the move has remained a key talking point in European football, particularly following the team’s recent struggles under Alvaro Arbeloa.

Most of the footballing fraternity has backed Alonso for the way in which he was fired in the middle of the season. However, for one of Real Madrid’s former players, Gareth Bale, it was hardly a surprise.

Bale on Alonso’s sacking

In a recent interaction with the Stick to Football magazine (h/t AS), Bale offered his thoughts on Alonso’s unceremonious exit at Real Madrid.

“I wasn’t surprised that Xabi was sacked. At Real Madrid, if you overdo it, the players don’t want you… you just need to be a great coach, not an exceptional strategist,” he said.

Having played for Real Madrid for eight long years, Bale is well aware of the politics inside the Los Blancos dressing room, especially given that he has shared the dressing room with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos and others.

He had previously said the same thing about Alonso, highlighting the need for managing the egos at the Bernabeu.

Bale on everything Real Madrid

Alonso’s sacking was not the only talking point of the conversation, as the Welshman also revealed that Manchester United were interested in his services during his time at Spurs.

“Manchester United and Real Madrid were the two interested clubs. In fact, they offered more than Madrid. I spoke with David Moyes, who was the manager at the time, but my heart was with Madrid,” he said.

Bale also talked about Florentino Perez, highlighting his focus on the Champions League while hailing him as the best president in the club’s history.

“Real Madrid prioritises the Champions League. The president is there the day before the match and you don’t want to disappoint him.

“He’s passionate about football, he likes to be seen, and he wants to leave a legacy. That makes him the best president in Real Madrid’s history,” he said.

Bale believes Perez is the best president in Real Madrid’s history. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

The Welshman went on to talk about the revered BBC trio as well, notably hailing him as the fastest of the three.

“We understood each other perfectly. Karim was very calm, especially with Varane and the French players. We played well together, and everything seemed to work flawlessly. It was natural; we didn’t do much tactical work,” he said.

“Cristiano? He was a more stylish player at United. He started to become a goalscorer two or three seasons after I arrived. He was so motivated that all he wanted to do was score goals.

“Was I the fastest at Real Madrid? Cristiano would say otherwise, but I would say it was me,” he added.

However, the Welshman didn’t shy away from heaping praise on the Portuguese legend, notably lauding his goalscoring abilities.

“The hardest thing in football is scoring goals, and Cristiano did that. When he came on in a match, you felt he was going to score a goal, and that always gave you confidence,” he said.

Bale also talked about Sergio Ramos, notably hailing him as the true captain at Real Madrid despite the presence of other experienced stars.

“Cristiano was a leader in his own right. But the team leader was clearly Ramos. He was very loud, very expressive, and spoke Spanish, so at first, I had no idea what was going on. He was a true captain,” he said.

During his time at Real Madrid, Bale primarily played under two coaches in Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane. He spared no respect for either of them.

“Zidane was highly respected for what he was as a player. Carlo’s management style was the best; even when you weren’t playing, he made you feel like his best friend. He had that ability to keep everyone happy and willing to give their all,” he said.

“I’ve said it before: at Real Madrid, it’s not about being the coach, but about managing the players; of course, they do some tactical things, but it doesn’t have to be that much.

“Ancelotti was like your best friend. But he had a twist: if you didn’t train well… he’d tear anyone apart. The same at halftime, but he had that perfect balance,” he added.

As for Zidane, Bale said the Frenchman’s focus was never much on tactics. He even called Ancelotti as the best coach he has ever worked with.

“Zidane? He didn’t do much tactical work; we did the bare minimum: training, possession, shooting, and that was it. Fifteen minutes of defensive tactics. But he earned respect for who he was as a player. He joined the training sessions.

“The best coach I’ve ever worked with? Carlo Ancelotti,” he said.

Bale has called Ancelotti the best manager he has played under. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

Speaking of training, Bale labelled Toni Kroos and Luka Modric as the two most impressive players.

“They never lost the ball, and Isco was the same. On a bigger pitch, he might have struggled a bit more, but in small-sided games, it was different. He’s the player most similar to Zidane that I’ve ever seen,” he said.

Talking about Eden Hazard, Bale added, “The Chelsea lads would say the same. He injured his ankle and never fully recovered.”

Finally, Bale was asked about the infamous Wales, Golf, Madrid. In that order, the poster that caused quite a controversy a few years ago.

Defending the banner, the Welshman said being a Real Madrid player involved more than just playing football, something he wasn’t ready for.

“I just wanted to play football, go home, and be with my family. I think in Madrid they want you to give interviews and be a star, but that wasn’t me. I felt attacked by the press, more than I should have been. But I didn’t change and I stood firm,” he concluded.