By Graham Thomas
Gareth Bale was always destined for greatness says the former teammate who shared cups of tea with him on Wales duty when others went out on the town.
The Wales skipper will earn his 100th cap on Saturday night when Wales host Belarus at the Cardiff City Stadium in their penultimate World Cup qualifier.
It will be a landmark occasion for Bale very few others have reached, but former teammate Sam Ricketts believes the clues were there when the Real Madrid star was a fresh-faced youngster.
“The century of caps is a real testament to Gareth’s longevity,” says Ricketts, ahead of Saturday’s crunch tie which is live on S4C.
“He is up there with any Welsh player, any Welsh great who has come before.
“Whether he’s the greatest will be a matter of debate, depending on your view point.”
Bale first broke into the Wales team as a fresh-faced 16-year-old in 2006, when Ricketts was also establishing his place in the side in his mid-20s.
What strikes him now was Bale’s off-field maturity and single-mindedness as much as his raw talent.
“I can remember often when we went away, we would sometimes have to stay overnight again the night of the game itself,” says Ricketts, who has managed both Wrexham and Shrewsbury since his own retirement.
“Most of the players used to go out and have a few beers and relax. But I liked to stay in the hotel and I noticed so did Gareth.
“He wasn’t attracted by the bright lights. He was driven by the football and wanting the be the best he could be.
“He had great ability and a maturity about him. He was playing in the Championship before he moved on to Spurs, but there was an awareness of what was needed.
“He had the right temperament and personality and his attitude was great. He wasn’t in the game for the flash things that can be achieved through football.
“He was in the game because he loved football and he wanted to do well and commit himself to it. He lived the right life off the pitch and that gave him the best opportunity to progress.
“There is no right or wrong way of acting, but Gareth wasn’t influenced by others. He made his decisions to live his life as he wanted.”
As a player, Bale has gone on to win four Champions League titles, two La Liga crowns, a Copa Del Rey, three Club World Cup medals and two European Super Cup trophies.
But Ricketts says more than the match-winning goals and assists he has brought to Wales over 15 years, it has been the raising of standards and expectations that is his most powerful legacy.
“He has been the catalyst for all the success Wales have had over the past six or seven years. It really all stems from Gareth and his ability to carry the team at crucial moments,” says Ricketts.
🏴@Cymru manager Rob Page confirms that captain @GarethBale11 is a couple of weeks ahead of schedule following his recent injury and is set to make his 💯 appearance for his country against Belarus in @FIFAWorldCup qualifying tomorrow #WCQ #TogetherStronger
— Mark Pitman (@UEFAcomMPitman) November 12, 2021
“Other players have joined in and embraced that and reached the higher standards that Gareth set for them.
“He doesn’t always win every game for Wales, but by setting those high standards, by being so influential in that sense, he has always had a really big impact on the team.”
Wales will look to Bale to drive those standards in their final two qualifiers – against Belarus and at home to Belgium next Tuesday – in order to gain the four points they need to clinch second place.
That would provide them with a play-off route likely to be more favourable than if they finish third and have to utilize their back door pass secured from their Nations League success.
For Ricketts, the current campaign has been an impressive one and caretaker manager Robert Page – like Bale, another of the ex-Swansea City, Bolton and Wolves defender’s former teammates – deserves a great deal of credit.
Wales manager Rob Page says Gareth Bale is the best player the country has ever had 🏴
— Peter Gillibrand (@GillibrandPeter) November 12, 2021
“I played alongside Rob when I was a young player coming through. I was only about 23 at the time and he made a big impression on me because he was a real talker on the pitch.
“As a player, he took responsibility on the pitch and carried the ball forward when he needed to, which some players wouldn’t do.
“I wouldn’t say he was a natural leader, but he was always willing to talk and organise. He has done really well because these were not ideal circumstances in which to take over.
“He kept the ship steady and made sure players performed for the country. There was no discontent. It was just forward to the next game and the next challenge.
“They now have a chance to qualify for another major tournament and that’s not to be sniffed at.”
S4C – Saturday, 7.15pm: Wales v Belarus.
Live coverage of Wales’s 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign fixture at home to Belarus.
English Subtitles.