Sun Nov 16, 2014 11:33 am
Sunday 16th November 2014
' Eden Hazard is the best in Premier League... but he's no Gareth Bale '
Wales and Swansea City defender Neil Taylor admits Belgium's Eden Hazard is one of the best in the business but says he's not as good as Gareth Bale
Neil Taylor has insisted Belgium danger-man Eden Hazard is easily the best player in the Premier League – but he still wouldn’t swap him for Gareth Bale.
As Wales look to take a huge stride towards their qualifying ambitions in Brussels, the Swansea City star has backed the Real Madrid “freak” to help the national side achieve what many claimed was an impossible dream.
And rugby has been warned to watch out if Bale and the rest of Wales’ new breed of belief get the shock they’re after in Brussels with Taylor claiming it could spark a new level of love for international football.
Bale will take to the field at the King Baudouin Stadium with the hopes of his country on his shoulders as Chris Coleman’s aim for a shock result that can keep them on course to make it to Euro 2016 and a first major finals since 1958.
He will be backed up by a string of Premier League talents with Coleman blessed with bossing one of the most gifted generations in Welsh football history.
Taylor is adamant that Bale is better - and reckons they’ll be fearing what the £85m man could do to them later.
“We know all about the players and the dangermen Belgium have,” said Taylor ahead of the eagerly-awaiting Low Countries clash. “A lot of them are in the Premier League and we face them all the time so we know how good they are and what we need to do to try and keep them out.
Taylor knows all about how good Bale is having come through the Wales youth ranks with the Cardiff-born 25-year-old, insisting he’s gotten even better since becoming the world’s most expensive player a year ago.
And claiming Wales are seeing the benefits of a more mature talent, Taylor added: “I played against him when he was at Spurs but also alongside him through the age groups.
“And he’s just one of those freak of natures that comes along every now and then. He’s world class like the Messis and Roanldos; they were born to play football, technically and athletically.
“He’s developed and grown in confidence over the last year too; the pressure is on him at Real to train properly let alone win every game. That can take its toll on you and you need that change of mentality where you have to perform and win every game to produce.
“But he is in that mode where he knows he has to do it and it’s the same when he comes away with Wales. He’s matured, and physically has grown into a proper man and it seem as if he’s learning off Ronaldo and others at Real.
“I’m sure plenty of other nations wish he was their player but he’s proud to be Welsh and wants to be a part of this squad where we all feel we can achieve something.
“Because in the past teams might not have been worried about playing us - but they will be now.”