FOOTBALL
Giggs: "I'm not optimistic about Bale playing against Ireland"
Bale missed the defeat against Spain and Giggs said he is not optimistic that the Real Madrid attacker will be available for the Ireland game on Tuesday.
Ryan Giggs says he is not optimistic about Gareth Bale's chances of playing against Ireland on Tuesday night having missed Wales' defeat at the hands of Spain in Cardiff on Thursday. The Welshman joined up with the national team with Wales promising no risks would be taken.
"I'm not optimistic that we'll have him for the next game," he said. "In a few days, we will decide if he is available to face Ireland."
The Real Madrid attacker was taken off with 10 minutes to play against Alavés in LaLiga last weekend but this was put down to muscle fatigue rather than a specific injury. He was substituted at half-time against Atlético Madrid the week before but a scan on his leg showed no injury.
Bale has suffered in the past during at time of the year given the increasing of intensity and frequency of games but with Real Madrid in a slump of late, they will need him back to his best with Levante and Barcelona coming up after the international break and with Julen Lopetegui's job reportedly on the line.
Giggs disappointed with Wales' inability to do the basics right
"They are comfortable on the ball and when they lost it they got it back quickly - all the things we knew. The disappointing thing for me was not doing the basics," Giggs said after the 4-1 defeat. "In football you have to do the basics right, even if you come up against an average team. But when you come up against a really good team and don't do the basics right, you're in trouble."
"There was so many mistakes - we conceded some poor goals. To concede that early against this team so early, you're up against it and you have to chase."
