Following their spat in a pre-season game in July, few people will have been expecting to hear Charlie Adam’s recent comments about Gareth Bale. The former Liverpool midfielder has claimed that Bale is one of the best players in the world on his day and Scotland will need to be at their best to keep him at bay when they face Wales in the next few days.

The players clashed in a summer game after Adam forced the winger off for the second time in his career. The first challenge, which occurred in 2011, happened to keep Bale out for several months and the former Southampton man subsequently branded Adam a coward after his second mistimed tackle.

Adam appears to have put the incidents firmly behind him and even revealed that, contrary to past reports, he has apologised to Bale about the challenges before. Moreover, he could not hide his admiration for the 23-year-old’s ability, saying, “I apologised to him during the game after a corner. I said to him I was sorry and thought everything was all right. I also apologised to the Tottenham manager at half time. Then all of a sudden I was being called a coward. That’s football and it won’t stop me tackling. I hope it is done and dusted now. I think he’s one of the best players in the world, on his day.”

Spurs will certainly be hoping that Adam won’t be up to his old tricks when the two sides meet. Bale has once again started the campaign in terrific style and having already made ten appearances for Andre Villas-Boas, he is definitely in a rich-vein of form. Moreover, he is continuing to be that big threat in front of goal having already bagged three goals for club and country this term.