Jose Mourinho continued his week of praise for Tottenham fringe players by claiming Gareth Bale is "happier than ever" and deserving of full trust following a strong mid-week Europa League showing against Wolfsberger.
Bale, on loan from Real Madrid, has been a non-factor much of the campaign but fired in a goal in the second leg of an 8-1 aggregate victory after scoring in the first leg the week before. Fellow squad outcast Dele Alli also shined in the continental round of 32 and was similarly backed by his manager.
Mourinho's positive spin on Bale (and Alli) comes as Tottenham tries to reverse a slump that has dropped them to ninth in the Premier League, suggesting the manager is ready to invite previously overlooked players into his domestic lineup.