chose John Arne Riise over Gareth Bale.
Jamie Carragher claimed former Liverpool manager Rafael
Benitez thought Gareth Bale was not any better than left-back
John Arne Riise.
Carragher said after breaking into the Southampton team,
Benitez looked into signing Bale but decided not to pursue him,
instead preferring Riise, as the Welshman eventually joined
Tottenham in 2007.
Benitez and Bale are now working together at Real Madrid but
Carragher admitted it was difficult for the former to envisage the
27-year-old's rise to the top of football.
"He [Bale] has come so far since making his way at
Southampton. When he broke into their team, Rafa Benitez
looked at signing him for Liverpool," Carragher wrote for the
Daily Mail.
"Bale was playing as a left back then and Rafa didn't think he
was any better than John Arne Riise, so he never pursued it.
"Clearly the Bale that Benitez now manages is a completely
different prospect.
"Bale has been a success in Madrid, his stunning solo goal
against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final and the header that
gave Real the lead against Atletico Madrid were both moments
that only the special ones produce."
Carragher went on to say that Bale has the potential to be one
of the greatest players Great Britain has ever produced.
"Is he good enough to take a team to European domination, just
as Dalglish did? I believe he is," Carragher added.
"What he has helped Wales achieve is remarkable."
"Should he back it up with even greater displays at club level,
entry to the pantheon awaits."
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