Bale was stunning again for Wales in Israel. With a little bit of help from his friends – notably Joe Allen, Aaron Ramsey and Joe Ledley – he has spearheaded the charge to the top of Group B.

Chris Coleman is arguably the luckiest manager in international football – Bale is shining for Wales at exactly the same time as the European Championship has been expanded, and it would be a huge failure if Wales didn’t qualify for the finals in France next year. Coleman is well on course to make history with his current squad.

But as brilliant as Bale has been for Wales, his form this season for Real Madrid is still a subject for debate. 

He hasn’t been good enough, and needs to step up to the plate between now and the end of the season to keep his reputation at the Bernebeu intact.

His supporters have expressed their disgust at anyone who dares to question Bale’s Real Madrid credentials.

Honestly, did these people think that Bale or any player for that matter, could go to a club the size of Real Madrid and not be scrutinised? It seems these people are unaware of the amazing history and traditions of this great club – and the demands that go with it.

This isn’t the Welsh national team, where a couple of goals in Israel makes you a national treasure. 

This isn’t Spurs where reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League is a once-in-a-lifetime achievement. 

No, this is Real Madrid, where they win their 10th European Cup and immediately ask if the players are good enough to win it again the following season. Where finishing behind Barcelona is almost regarded as a crime. Where finishing third last season behind Atletico Madrid AND Barca was seen as utter humiliation.

Standards are spectacularly high at Real Madrid and it’s hard to make a case to support the notion that Bale has maintained the level he reached last season.

As far as his Bernebeu future is concerned, Saturday’s man-of-the-match display in Haifa will have done nothing to appease the Madridistas. In a Wales shirt Bale is everywhere – it’s exhausting watching him. He scored two, he set up the other, he created more chances with some awesome passing. He ran at defenders, committing them, forcing fouls or mistakes from them. In short he was brilliant.

Compare that with the Bale who shrunk, disappeared (dare I say hid?) in the Nou Camp in the second half of El Clasico the week before. Now you can see why Real Madrid fans are so frustrated with Bale. Unless his form and impact changes at club level, Bale could be on the way out of Real Madrid this summer.

The club demands big-name signings every summer and Bale’s second-season slump may be enough to render him dispensable. It might seem harsh to some, but if you know how high the standards are at Real Madrid, then it’s perfectly normal.

Bale should come back to the Barclays Premier League. He’d be the perfect signing for Arsenal in so many ways, but he’d also fit perfectly into Jose Mourinho’s way of thinking at Chelsea. 

Manchester City’s inertia in evolving their team could be tackled by the signing of Bale.

But Manchester United should blow the others out of the water – they have bargaining chips in David de Gea or possibly Angel di Maria who has struggled to settle after his blistering start. Bale has the energy to raise United’s tempo and take them back to the big time.

Whatever happens to Bale he should feel proud of his achievements. He has helped create special history at Real Madrid, and he’s on the brink of doing the same for Wales.

(dailymail.co.uk)