FULHAM boss Martin Jol is not surprised by Gareth Bale’s rise to superstardom at Tottenham Hotspur.
The Dutchman handed an 18-year-old Bale his debut against Manchester United back in August 2007 after the wing-wizard’s arrival from Southampton.
Bale was named PFA Player of the Season at the tender age of 21 and Jol says the signs that the Welshman was special were there from the beginning.
He said: “I remember him in his first game against Man United and his stats were unbelievable. After that he was a bit unlucky.
“He’s so quick and has got a great left foot. He was a great talent and I remember when he took three or four free-kicks and scored so it was not hard to predict [he would become a great player]. I was so happy when he scored his goals in Italy [against Inter Milan]. Everybody knew him after that and that’s what he deserves.”
Bale has been in fine form so far this season, bagging six goals in 15 appearances for Spurs, including two in his last outing against QPR.
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