Graeme Souness wants to see more from Gareth Bale as Roy Keane tells the Tottenham Hotspur star to "look at [Cristiano] Ronaldo" after failing to make an impact until recent weeks.
Bale returned to Spurs from Real Madrid on-loan in the summer, but he struggled for form, fitness, and confidence for much of the year.
However, in recent weeks, the Welsh flier has begun to find his legs once more, scoring six goals and providing three assists in his last six games in all competitions.
This includes two goals in an excellent individual performance in Sunday's 4-1 win over Crystal Palace, both of which were assisted by Harry Kane, with whom Bale is beginning to establish quite the connection.
However, despite Bale recent uptick in form, Souness wants more from, questioning the 31-year-old's appetite as he has taken almost the entire season to make an impact in north London.
"I remember we had a conversation going back maybe six weeks, two months. If I'm him at that stage, I'm knocking on the manager's door telling him, 'I'm ready'," he told Sky Sports.
"We were getting pictures of him sitting on the bench, looking uninterested, not bothered, smiling, joking with his teammates who are subs."
He added: "We're 11 games out. He's been here all season. I just expected more from him. I'm an enormous fan of Gareth Bale when he's playing football, but I'm greedy. I want to see more of him.
"Those words he came out with at the end there, 'You know, I'm not 21 anymore. The body gets tired'.
"We've all been 31. Your career finishes too quickly when you're a football player. I'd like him to have a pint of enthusiasm more than what he's showing."
After Micah Richards briefly stuck up for Bale, stating that injuries have played a part in his slow start to the season, explaining that they take a physical and mental toll, Souness continued: "I'll go back to his period on the bench at Spurs this time around.
"On the bench would suggest you're fit to take part in some of the game and he wasn't. He was starting on the bench and finishing on the bench.
"If I'm him, and I'm being picked to go on the bench. I'm knocking on the manager's door. He's 31 years old. He should have an angry head on. 'I'm fit enough. Get me on for 15 minutes. Let me show you what I can do'."
In response to Souness' argument, Keane added: "He wants to look at [Cristiano] Ronaldo's situation and see what Ronaldo does.
"He plays the games and Ronaldo is what, 35?"
