Harry Redknapp insists Gareth Bale is still capable of playing at an elite level and that Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho needs to develop the Welshman's occasionally fragile confidence.
Bale spent four years working under Redknapp at Spurs and enjoyed his breakout season on the world stage in the Champions League, setting in motion his rise to the very summit of the game.
After seven successful but injury-plagued seasons at Real Madrid, Bale returned to north London in September on loan, but after considerable fanfare over the potential of pairing him with Harry Kane and Son Heung-min in attack, the 31-year-old has started just two Premier League games.
One of those was in the 1-0 defeat to Brighton on Sunday in which Bale, playing in the right-sided forward position, failed to offer much impact in the final third and lacked that natural explosiveness that was a tenet of his game during his best years at Spurs.
With Kane's ankle injuries expected to keep him out for at least two weeks, Mourinho needs Bale operating at a high level and Redknapp believes that starts on the training ground.
"He’s hardly had a chance, to be fair to him. He didn’t play well against Brighton, but who did? He was no worse than anyone else," Redknapp told Sky Sports.
“Gareth can play, again. You’ve got to know him. As great a player as he has been, he was in the top five players in the world when I had him and he went to Real Madrid. He’s not an overconfident person.
“You’ve got to get into him, tell him how good he is, get him out on the training ground, put a dummy against him, get the worst player you’ve got to defend against him, and keep giving Gareth the ball.
“Tell him you’re going great, I want to get you going. He can play, he’s a fantastic talent. He’s only 31, he doesn’t drink, he doesn’t smoke, has he lost his pace? He’s not had a run yet.
“If the team was playing well and Kane was on fire, he’s on form with Son, what a forward line that could be. Jose’s a top manager, it’s his job to get the best out of these players. They’re bringing people on in front of Gareth Bale who couldn’t lace his boots.”
