Jose Mourinho has suggested that Gareth Bale has been very impressive in training recently.
Bale, who joined Spurs on loan in the summer from Real Madrid, has struggled for regular game time this season.
The 31-year-old has managed just over 290 minutes of Premier League action, but he has recently hinted at returning to his old form.
Bale scored in both legs of the Europa League tie against Wolfsberger while he produced a virtuoso performance in the 2-1 defeat against West Ham United.
Mourinho has no concern over Bale’s quality and hailed him recently as a ‘special’ player. However, the Spurs boss was sceptical over his fitness, stating that Bale is currently not yet ready to start two matches in a row.
However, there are signs of improvement, and Mourinho has suggested that Bale is getting his confidence back.
“I think the mental is always a consequence of the physical – if a player feels great, if he is playing 100 percent and if the feelings are all good, there are no psychological problems or fears or barriers,” said Mourinho.
“When you have little worries, and especially when you have a recent history of injuries, it’s normal to have some fears and these fears have a consequence, but lately he has been fine.
“He looks happier than ever – he looks confident. In training, you can see he has his confidence back, the way he hits his shots.
“You could see from his goal on Wednesday. It was a confident shot. A player with fear or negative feelings would never have hit that type of shot. To strike the ball that way, I think that strike means a lot.
“It means freedom. It means freedom in relation to the brain muscle. For this, you need to be in good condition. He is in the best condition since he arrived.”
Mourinho has added that everyone at the club wants to see Bale playing at his best. He is an experienced and world-class player, and the next step would be to use him regularly in the Premier League.
Spurs are struggling badly in the Premier League, losing five of their last six games. If Bale and Dele Alli start to deliver regularly, a top-four finish may not be completely out of Spurs’ reach.
Tottenham will face Burnley in the Premier League on Sunday. Here is the predicted Spurs starting-line up – Alli starts as Mourinho makes six changes from the last game.
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