Bale gets a boost with rare praise from Mourinho

Wycombe Wanderers鈥� Nigerian midfielder Fred Onyedinma, left, vies with Tottenham Hotspur鈥檚 Welsh striker Gareth Bale, right, in Monday鈥檚 match in London. (AFP)
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  • Mourinho鈥檚 assessment will boost the spirits of the 31-year-old Wales star

LONDON: Gareth Bale鈥檚 goalscoring performance was labeled as 鈥済ood鈥� by Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho after the Premier League club came from behind to beat Championship side Wycombe 4-1 in their FA Cup fourth round tie.

Mourinho鈥檚 assessment will boost the spirits of the 31-year-old Wales star, who has had an underwhelming second spell at Spurs since coming on a season long loan from Real Madrid.

He has been hampered by fitness issues, and mostly been confined to Europa League games, playing just 45 minutes of Premier League football since early November.

Mourinho, though played him for the full 90 minutes of the Wycombe game, and Bale showed his rustiness in front of goal by spurning several chances after he had drawn the sides level.

However, Mourinho said his overall performance 鈥� which set them up with a tough fifth round trip to Everton 鈥� had been pleasing.

鈥淚t was good,鈥� said Mourinho.

鈥淪ome good movement.

鈥淪ome one against one, beating people, attacking people, creating chances. Of course scoring a goal.鈥�

Mourinho had spoken ahead of the game of how Bale could not expect to be given game time and that he had to earn it on what he did on the training ground.

鈥淎part from that I never felt he couldn鈥檛 play the 90 minutes,鈥� he said.

鈥淚 never felt that I needed to change him.

鈥淥f course the Championship is a good, competitive level and the aggression is high and the intensity is good.

鈥淪o I鈥檓 happy.鈥�

Mourinho鈥檚 side are still involved in four competition鈥檚 including the title race and face out of form champions Liverpool on Thursday.

Should the Portuguese wish for a relaxing moment prior to that his Wycombe counterpart Gareth Ainsworth, who sings in a rock band, gave him a tantalising invite.

鈥淗e (Mourinho) said he might not be able to sing but I bet he can play a mean tambourine,鈥� said Ainsworth.