Above is a video of Liverpool’s Charlie Adam tackling Tottenham’s Gareth Bale. It happened at a friendly in Baltimore over the weekend (0-0 draw) (you’re welcome, Baltimore). After the match the Spurs winger called Adam “a bit of a coward.” This is the second time that Adam has tried some amateur podiatry on Bale. Back in 2011, Adam — then playing for Blackpool — sidelined Bale for several months after injuring his ankle.
Woof. It’s no wonder Bale had strong words after the match: “What he did was over the top. Some people are like that and it’s just wrong. It’s flattering when players try to take you out in a game but, when it threatens your career, it becomes more serious than that … There are pictures on the internet of what he did before when he snapped all my ankle ligaments. I was out for three months that time. He’s come for me twice now — and he’s got me twice. When someone makes a very bad tackle on you, you expect an apology. I’ve had no apology. And I’m not going to accept his apology.”
On behalf of the world, I’m sorry, Gareth Bale, for using your injury in a friendly as an excuse to try out this headline. You deserve more.