– Carlo Ancelotti says Gareth Bale went behind his back to engineer a change of position for himself
– Bale played on the right of a front three but asked his agent to tell Real Madrid president to move him centrally
– Ancelotti says he rejected the offer and gave his reason why Bale could not be moved from the right
Carlo Ancelotti has revealed how Gareth Bale tried to sabotage his job during his stint at Real Madrid by meeting the club president to change his position.
Carlo Ancelotti and Gareth Bale during their time together at Real Madrid
Ancelotti used Bale on the right hand side of a front three comprising the Welshman, Cristiano Ronaldo on the left and Karim Benzema in the center.
Ancelotti revealed in his new book; ‘Quiet leadership: Winning Hearts, Minds and Matches’ that the Welshman’s agent went behind his back to complain to president Florentino Perez during the 2014-15 season that he was not enjoying his position.
The season before the 26-year-old was an important member of the squad scoring crucial goals in the Copa Del Rey and Champions League final but suffered from inconsistent form in his second season.
Ancelotti wrote in his new book: “One morning in March I received a phone call from the Madrid general director saying that the president wanted to speak with me at the end of training that day. This was very unusual. When I visited the president, he told me that Bale’s agent had been to his office to speak about the ‘Bale situation.
“In January, Bale’s agent had been saying things and perhaps felt his position was strong because he had already spoken with the president. Now he was telling the president that Bale was unhappy in his position. He wanted to play more centrally.”
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Ancelotti revealed he rejected the chance to change Bale’s position and explained why.
Gareth Bale
“The president asked me what we were going to do and I told him ‘Nothing’, the Italian said. “It was impossible to change his position at that stage of the season because I would have had to change the whole system and move many more players around.
“I also told the president that I was surprised the player could not speak directly with me. That ould be normal. I would have expected the player to come to see me.”
“Bale had fantastic world-class qualities and all that I was trying to do was help him understand his core strengths so he could fulfil his potential and by the way, that I was more qualified than his agent or the president to help him with that.
“I told the president that I would speak with Bale myself the next day, which I did after training. I told him ‘I know that your agent spoke to the president. Why didn’t you come to speak with me about what you want?’. He said ‘Yes, OK, no problem.'”
Ancelotti left Madrid in 2015 to be replaced by Rafa Benitez after failing to win one of La Liga, Champions League of Copa Del Rey in his second season.
The Italian has already been confirmed as the new coach of Bayern Munich when Pep Guardiola leaves for Manchester City.
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