KEY POINTS

  • Gareth Bale has the chance to prove he still has game
  • Mourinho will utilize Bale at Welsh winger's favorite position
  • Mourinho feels Bale just needs more time on the field to recall his old form

Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho is keeping the faith in Gareth Bale. He feels the Welsh player can still recall his old form and can still play up to par if he is utilized the right way.

Bale could start proving that if he suits up this weekend when Tottenham plays West Ham United FC, potentially the first step he would need to get back to form. With things falling apart at Real Madrid, Bale ended up rejoining the Spurs on a season-long loan spell this summer.

Sharing his plans for the Welsh player, Mourinho said Bale is in "good condition," BBC reported.

"What I will tell you is that he's working very well. He's working the way he probably hasn't been able to do for some time," the Tottenham boss said. "The planning of the recent sessions had a big focus on him. His condition is good."

Bale has been involved in full training for the past weeks. This should be good news since the winger has been recovering from a knee injury since arriving at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last month.

As far as Mourinho is concerned, Bale just needs to be back on the field to recall the old form that once made him the world's most expensive football player. That redemption run could start this Sunday.

"When he reaches his continuity and when he reaches his normal intensity and dynamic, I think he can be the player that people saw, being decisive when he went to Real Madrid in a very similar position," Mourinho said via Goal.

Bale saw his talent go to waste with Zinedine Zidane not giving him playing time at Madrid. Mourinho believes that Bale could still be of use, and it all starts by identifying where he is most comfortable playing, though he has been known to have the ability to play different attacking positions.

Mourinho sat down with Bale to identify his favorite position on the pitch. It turns out Bale now prefers to play on the right side. However, the Spurs coach said that even if this is the position the 31-year-old prefers, Bale will still be playing where the team needs him most.

"But he was very clear by saying that his favorite position is on the right. It’s not as a No.10, it’s not as a striker, it’s not any more on the left side like he did in the first years of his career at Southampton and Tottenham. His favorite position now is on the right side," Mourinho said.

Real Madrid's Welsh forward Gareth Bale urges prudence before any return to football action
Real Madrid's Welsh forward Gareth Bale urges prudence before any return to football action AFP / PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU