Charlie Adam: I NEVER intentionally tried to hurt Gareth Bale

Charlie Adam: I NEVER intentionally tried to hurt Gareth Bale
Charlie Adam has strongly denied long-standing claims he intentionally tried to hurt former Tottenham forward Gareth Bale.The tough-tackling Scot had a number of wince-inducing tangles with the Welshman during his Premier League career, two of which led to serious injuries.3

Charlie Adam and Gareth Bale and a number of encounters in the Premier League

In 2011 Adam, while playing for Blackpool, injured Bales ankle ligaments with an ill-timed challenge against Spurs.The tackle led to Bale being stretchered off the pitch and miss the final three games of the season.Then in 2012, after joining Liverpool, Adam dealt Bale another injury blow during a pre-season friendly in the USA, which meant he had to travel from Baltimore to New York for scans on his ankle.That challenge led to Bale branding Adam a coward, saying he would not accept an apology from the Scottish midfielder.Adam joined talkSPORT host Jim White on Thursday and when quizzed about his aggressive history, the Stoke man insisted he has NEVER gone into a tackle with the view to hurt a player.There were a couple of challenges [on Bale], but in both of them I never intentionally tried to hurt him.There was a genuine opportunity to get the ball.3

Bale was out for the rest of the season after a bad challenge from Adam in 2011

I hold my hands up, both tackles look terrible. Slowed down they look horrendous, but thats true for any tackle.Adams comments came after Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was left raging at Burnley for their physical approach to Wednesday nights clash at Turf Moor.The Reds won the game 3-1, but Klopp was not happy with a number of tasty challenges from the Clarets, one of which saw Joe Gomez stretchered off the pitch with an injury.But Adam has backed Burnleys fair-but-touch approach, explaining that lesser teams have to lay a marker down against the top teams to have any chance of winning.3

Jurgen Klopp had words with Sean Dyche after Liverpool’s win at Turf Moor

He added: As a player, when you play against these top clubs – Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man United – you need to get an edge.If youre a Burnley player you need to get an edge, and how to you do that? You lay a marker down in the first minute.Im not saying maliciously hurt people.Not to leave something on them, but to show the top players that theyre in a game, that Im here and I respect you as a player but Im here to do a job on you.Fair play to Burnley, thats what they did against Liverpool and obviously Jurgen Klopp didnt like it.But they have to get their edge and get an advantage against these top clubs because if they try to match them and try to pass it like Liverpool, theyre going to get beat. You have to find some other way.

When you play against top players you need to get an edge by leaving your mark in the first minute"You have to let them know they are in a game especially the foreign players@Charlie26Adam says clubs at the bottom end of the table must be physical with the top clubs pic.twitter.com/qKuxgvhmRW— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) December 6, 2018

---

I genuinely love the guy and nothing anyone says will ever change that. he continues to speak well of us, particularly us fans, which he didn't have to do, and he gets shit from Liverpool fans and neutral fans and bantering journalists and pundits for it, but he still does it.
Willian's turn to get some rest - the key Chelsea points

---

Mauricio Pochettino suggests he will not join Manchester United as he vows to stick with Tottenham 'until the end' The Spurs boss is reportedly among one of Manchester United's first
Mauricio Pochettino suggests he will not join Manchester

---

Cardiff 1-2 Burnley: Neil Warnock 'absolutely gutted' by defeat. Cardiff came into the game having lost three consecutive Premier League matches, and have now gone 11 top-flight games without a win.

---

The headteacher of a school that Raheem Sterling bought FA Cup tickets for has said everyone has been 'blown away' by the Manchester City man's generosity. Sterling, who attended Ark Elvin Academy in London as a child, bought 550 tickets for pupils to go to City's FA Cup semi-final tie against Brighton on Saturday -…
Headteacher of Ark Elvin Academy issues thank you to

---

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino happy with squad and doesn't want new signings, claims Harry Redknapp on talkSPORT Ex-Spurs manager believes the Argentine is happy with his current squad and
Ex-Tottenham Boss Harry Redknapp Claims Mauricio Pochettino

---

Kevin De Bruyne has revealed he thought Raheem Sterling would be "a bit of a dickhead" before he got to know him at Manchester City. De Bruyne, who joined Manchester City from Wolfsburg in the
I thought Raheem Sterling would be a bit of a d***head

---

Jan 23, 2019 · Higuain completes loan move to Chelsea, with option to buy AC Milan, Álvaro Morata, Chelsea, Gonzalo Higuaín, Juventus and Atletico Madrid are also reportedly hot on the trail.
Alvaro Morata completes Atletico Madrid transfer to end

---

Manchester United fans on Twitter beg club to 'liquidate' after seeing Marouane Fellaini's shocking new haircut Express News SAMSON The midfielder, famed for his incredible afro, has finally decided to cut his magnificent hair Marouane Fellaini sent plenty of Manchester United fans on Twitter into meltdown after showing off his brand new
Man U News (@manunews) | Twitter

---

Brain injury charity Headway has demanded action from UEFA after Switzerland defender Fabian Schar was allowed to play on having suffered a concussion. The Newcastle United star was knocked
Fabian Schar knocked unconscious: Uefa needs to investigate

---

Tayla Harris was pictured kicking for goal by her club a TV network on social media and it later had to be taken down Aussie Rules star slams online trolls over sexist remarks as PM calls them
Tayla Harris photo comment AFLW controversy exposes sexism

---

MSN 'Living the dream' - The rise of Trent Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool Liverpool news: Brazil legend Cafu sends advice to Trent Alexander-Arnold after brilliant breakthrough
Liverpool youngster Trent Alexander-Arnold WARNED by Brazil

---

Brendan Rodgers has been spotted walking through the King Power Stadium after verbally agreeing to join Leicester from Celtic. The former Liverpool and Swansea boss, was linked with the position since Claude Puel was sacked on Sunday, following the Foxes' 4-1 home defeat by Crystal Palace. 7 Rodgers will return to the Premier League for…
Why Brendan Rodgers was right to leave Celtic for Leicester

---

MARTIAL LAW The France international's current deal was set to expire in the summer, but he will now stay until 2020 Manchester United have triggered a one-year extension on Anthony Martial's contract, it is understood.
Jose Mourinho sack: Chelsea great Michael Essien slams

---

Peterborough have announced the appointment of Darren Ferguson as manager until the end of the season hours after Steve Evans resigned from the position. Ferguson, son of former Manchester United
Darren Ferguson appointed Peterborough United boss hours

---