Bale: no reason why we can’t push for the title

GARETH BALE firmly believes that Tottenham are capable of winning their first league championship in half a century this year.

The Welshman notched his 10th goal of the season on Tuesday to seal the 2-0 win over Newcastle which kept Spurs in the hunt for top spot.

And despite being 33-1 outsiders, Spurs boss Harry Redknapp believes his side can upset the odds and claim their first league title since the 1960-61 season.

Bale, who has been instrumental in Spurs’ success over the last 18 months, is confident that Tottenham can reduce the seven-point gap between themselves and leaders Manchester United and mount a serious challenge for top spot in the second half of the season.

“There’s no reason why we can’t push for the title,” declared Bale after Tuesday’s match, which ended with Spurs reduced to 10 men after Younes Kaboul’s sending off. “I think as we’ve seen, with 10 men we’re fully confident. We attack teams all the time and we’re up in the mix.

“Everyone fights for each other on the pitch. We are all close and get on with each other. That shows on the pitch and that’s why we’re getting results.”

Bale’s low drive rounded off Tuesday’s win shortly after Kaboul was dismissed for clashing heads with Newcastle’s Cheik Tiote.

The 21-year-old’s tally of 10 goals so far this season is a dramatic improvement on the six goals he had amassed during his previous three years at the club.

Bale has benefited from the more attacking role Redknapp has given him down the left flank and the former Southampton man is determined to keep on scoring in 2011.

“It’s nice to get 10 goals in the first half of the season,” said Bale.

“I didn’t have a target at the start of the season but I just want to keep going and keep plugging away and hopefully I can get a few more before the end of the year.”

The victory over Newcastle was the first time Spurs had recorded a clean sheet in the league since the club’s first game of the season against Manchester City.

Bale paid tribute to Tottenham stopper Heurelho Gomes, who he believes should be regarded as the best goalkeeper in the league.

“I think that Gomes has been outstanding all season,” said the winger.

“He has been producing unbelievable saves and that has been great for him and the team as well.

“He’s the best in the league. He pulls out saves from the middle of nowhere because he’s so lanky.

“He has shown for a long while now that he is a high-class keeper. He has made some of the best saves I have ever seen in my life this season.

“The criticism he sometimes gets is unfair. When a clean sheet comes his way he deserves it and hopefully he’ll be able to keep more in the future.”

Kaboul, meanwhile, has issued an apology to Spurs fans and his team-mates for his dismissal against the Magpies.

The defender, who will now miss the club’s next three games, appeared to headbutt Tiote after being robbed of the ball by a well-timed sliding tackle from the combative Newcastle midfielder.

“I received what I felt was a bad tackle from the player and that’s why I reacted the way I did,” Kaboul said.

“I apologise to my team and would like to say sorry to the fans and I hope we will not see that on the pitch again.”