Gareth Bale appears to take swipe at axed Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho over negative approach

The Welsh winger says Spurs needed to show more attacking intent (Pictures: Getty Images)

Tottenham winger Gareth Bale appears to have taken a swipe at axed manager Jose Mourinho’s cautious and negative approach, saying the team needed to re-find their attacking intent.

The north London club announced on Monday that they had parted company with the Portuguese coach, who had overseen a disappointing period in charge of Spurs with the side sitting in seventh place when he was given his marching orders.

Tottenham had dropped 20 points from winning positions under Mourinho, with the self-anointed ‘Special One’ heavily criticised for his back-foot, overly pragmatic approach particularly when holding onto a lead.

Bale netted a superb equaliser before Son Heung-min grabbed a late winner (Picture: Getty)

It was the reverse situation on Wednesday evening under the watch of interim boss Ryan Mason as Spurs came from behind – the first time they have done so this season after trailing at half-time – to beat Southampton 2-1 and keep alive their slim hopes of Champions League qualification.

Bale, who found himself on the fringes of the team during Mourinho’s reign, netted a superb equaliser for Tottenham in an adventurous and up-tempo second-half display from the side.

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Speaking after the game – in which he was named Man of the Match – Bale made it clear that Spurs had been working on playing more offensive football and pushing higher up the pitch in what appeared to be a dig at the approach taken previously under Mourinho.

Asked what needed to change following Mourinho’s dismissal, Bale told Sky Sports after the game: ‘Just to be on the front foot a bit more. We want to attack, we’re a big team, we have great players.

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‘We need to attack more, we need to try and stay higher up the pitch. I think we did that today.’

Interestingly, despite the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min – who netted the winner against Saints from the spot – sending messages of thanks and good luck to Mourinho on social media after his exit, there was no such comment from Bale and, indeed, the majority of the first-team squad.

Despite enjoying an excellent run of form at the turn of the year, Real Madrid loanee Bale lost his place in the side under Mourinho and only played a peripheral role in the manager’s final games, though he played down the significance of his goalscoring return to the starting XI.

‘It’s important for me but more so for the team and club and fans. It’s not about me,’ he continued.

Bale helped Mason – who is two years younger – get a dugout debut win (Picture: Getty)

‘Everyone talks about me a lot but it really isn’t about me, I don’t care about me I care about trying to help Spurs and it was important to get the victory. We still have a chance for top four so we will fight to the end for that.’

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Spurs had been one of the rebel clubs who signed up to join the controversial – and now defeated – European Super League, but Bale says the players paid no attention to the drama in the build-up to their win over Southampton.

He added: ‘Us as players all we have been focussing on is trying to get the new manager to settle in, the matter’s closed as far as I’m concerned – it’s not happening so we’re all good and we can carry on as normal.’

MORE : Tottenham interim boss Ryan Mason hopeful Harry Kane will be fit for Carabao Cup final

MORE : ‘I’m always in football’ – Jose Mourinho promises to make immediate comeback after Tottenham sacking

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