Liverpool Boss Reveals How He Would Have Dealt With Bale Interest

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has rubbed salt in Tottenham Hotspur's wounds by criticising the club for not fighting to keep Gareth Bale more ferociously from Real Madrid's clutches in the summer.

The Reds' 5-0 defeat of Spurs last weekend consigned manager Andre Villas-Boas to the sack on Monday.

Amid Tottenham's poor league form, Villas-Boas failed to manage the transition after Bale's record transfer move to Real Madrid with any assurance and subsequently paid the price.

Meanwhile, Liverpool have thrived this season having held onto Luis Suarez in the summer, and could finish the weekend top of the Premier League should they beat Cardiff City.

And Rodgers says Tottenham should have followed Liverpool's lead by being stronger over Bale's future.

"It's difficult. They have had a good couple of years; they were up there under Harry Redknapp. Obviously there have been difficulties from Bale leaving," said Rodgers.

"It shows you that when you have someone with that x-factor, sometimes eight, nine or 10 players can't replace that. That was why we fought like tigers to keep Luis Suarez here because he is a top player, he is a performer.

"There are many good players but very few who perform week in, week out to that level. I am more than happy with the choice I made to come here and hopefully in time it will prove to be the right one."

To combat the sale of Bale, Tottenham signed seven players in the summer transfer window but Villas-Boas failed to gel his new-look squad, leading to his sacking at the start of the week.

Fabio Capello and Glenn Hoddle are among the rumoured contenders for the job but technical co-ordinator Tim Sherwood has been placed in temporary charge and will lead the team in the Premier League trip to Southampton.

Liverpool are enjoying a renaissance under Rodgers and have been in inspired form since the return of Suarez from a ten match ban, with the Uruguayan scoring 17 goals in 11 league games, including a double in last weekend's win at Tottenham.