Gareth Bale has revealed Zinédine Zidane’s methods at Real Madrid… and it is fair to say that the former player’s praise for his coach sounds a little unusual.
A former Real Madrid player under Zinédine Zidane, Gareth Bale reflected on the French manager’s distinctive approach. The Welsh winger explained that the Madrid coach relied more on trust and the respect of the group than on an especially advanced tactical system. According to Bale, training sessions under Zidane remained relatively simple. “He didn’t do much tactically: we did the minimum — training, possession games, shooting, and that was it. Fifteen minutes of tactical work on defensive positioning,” he said.
Zidane’s Authority Came From His Playing Legacy
The former Wales international stressed, however, that Zidane’s authority came above all from his extraordinary career as a player. “He earned respect because of who he was as a player,” Bale explained, recalling the aura enjoyed by the former French number 10 in the Real Madrid dressing room.
Zidane would even sometimes join in with the players during training sessions. “He took part in training, he even knocked me over a few times, he still had the level,” Bale added, proof that the former world champion still impressed his players on the pitch.
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