Kay's View: If Only Gareth Bale Were English

"Taxi for Maicon" is what the Spurs fans started singing last night after Gareth Bale made a mockery of the highly rated defender.

Time and time again he would whiz past him with his pace and strength, while Maicon could only turn back and watch the Welsh Wizard pass by.

How the English fans would have loved him to be with England in their dismal World Cup showing this year.

But this is not the first time the English fans have been let down. There was also that other Welsh, left-footed boy who has been plying his trade in English football for years: Ryan Giggs.

English fans could have been forgiven for feeling "betrayed" with Giggs, though, because the Manchester United winger had actually played for England when he was a schoolboy.

The same cannot be said for Bale, however; he is 100 percent Welsh. At just 21 years old he has the opportunity to become the hottest player on the football market. Max Clifford, a renowned publicist, believes that Bale can make up to £20 million in image rights and endorsements alone in the next five years.

Even before his teens he showed how athletic he was. He has great balance and strength, unrivaled stamina, is extremely fast and has great defensive prowess. Although he cannot yet be compared to that Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, he could make his case.

The Welshman does not have the trickery of the Portuguese nor the ability to shoot prolifically with both feet. However, off the ball Bale is miles better than his counterpart, and he has a lot more stamina.

If England could prize Bale away to play for them, they would have done it in a heartbeat, because this Welsh boy is exactly the young, exciting blood that England need to move forward.