Man Utd Transfers: 7 Reasons Why Gareth Bale Will Join In The Summer
5. A Brit Abroad
Diving headfirst into clichéd national stereotypes here, but British footballers historically tend not to thrive away from the comforts of the UK. There are of course exceptions to this. David Beckham carved out a successful career playing not just in England, but also in Spain, the US, as well as loan stints in Italy and France. Further in the past, Kevin Keegan thrived in Germany, Chris Waddle was loved in Marseille, and delving even further through history, Gary Charles had a hugely successful five year stint with Juventus from 1957-62. Yet for every David Beckham there is a Michael Owen. For every Gary Charles an Ian Rush. The problem with fully exploring the phenomenon of Brits plying their trade on the continent is one of sample size. There are just not enough British footballers willing to test themselves abroad. There could be myriad reasons for this; the financial might of the Premier League means players dont have to move abroad to earn a bigger wage, or the differences in style between leagues isnt complimentary to British footballers. Ashley Cole and Micah Richards are two other British footballers signed for clubs in Italy (Roma and Fiorentina respectively) who rarely get game time, perhaps suggesting moving abroad isnt always a gamble worth taking. With regards Bale, he has two young children. By all accounts he has failed to acclimatise to his new Spanish surroundings. It is entirely feasible that he would wish to return to familiar climes in the near future.
