COMMENT: Jonathan Barnett's words on Saturday night were clumsy - they were never intended to be destructive. But the timing of his 'pass Gareth the bleedin' ball' demands has left his client further isolated inside the Real Madrid locker room.
At first flush, Barnett's comments read as an attack on Real's players and coach Carlo Ancelotti. But the motivation came from the constant sniping at Gareth Bale from ex-player pundits, particularly Roy Keane, the former Manchester United captain, and ex-Liverpool manager Graeme Souness.
Barnett referenced favourable statistics highlighting Bale's workrate during games and what he was doing on the ball, despite having less possession than his teammates. He wanted to prove Keane and Souness wrong, but all it did was drive a bigger wedge between Bale and those he relies upon in Madrid.
The relationship between Ancelotti and Bale is virtually non-existent. The Italian rates the Welshman highly, but leaves the day-to-day management of Bale to his No2, Paul Clement.
In the pre-match build-up to Wednesday's Champions League encounter with Juventus, Barnett's words, particularly the timing of them, clearly upset the Real coach. It was the first time this year that any locker room tension had made it to the press.
Yes, there's been plenty of speculation. But nothing that could directly link a story to an unsettled player. But then Barnett took the bait from Keane and Souness - and in the middle of a Champions League semifinal. Ancelotti was furious.
But he also felt let down.
When Bale was injured earlier this season, Ancelotti instructed Clement to work closer with the former Tottenham winger. Bale was struggling with the tighter space available in Spanish football and also the defensive demands of Ancelotti's system.
For several weeks, Clement worked daily with Bale on the training pitch and in the video room. He and Ancelotti wanted Bale to choose better options when in possession. Bale applied himself, there were no complaints on that front. But upon his return, the Welshman still struggled with Ancelotti's directions.
Rather than persist, the coach, after discussions with Clement, agreed to let Bale loose. They agreed his education would have to be a gradual process and there was a danger of dulling his flair with too much information. So Bale was urged to play on instinct, as he had done with Spurs.
The locker room also was unimpressed.
Bale isn't the most popular member of the Real squad. Nothing to do with personality or wages, the Welshman simply has failed to nail down the local lingo. Bale can't communicate with many of his teammates, which has left him sidelined.
Of the main players in Real's first-choice XI, teammates regard Bale as the least required. Ancelotti knows he could withdraw Bale from his starting XI and team spirit would be unaffected.
Reading in AS and Marca that the reason for his slide in form was due to them not giving him the ball did not go down well inside the dressing room.
But they weren't the target for Barnett. If the agent had wanted to seek excuses and go in-depth on why it hasn't happened for Bale this season, he'd have highlighted his chronic back problem.
Barnett should be highlighting Bale's determination to put Real first ahead of any surgery. Real medical staff have urged him to consider a back operation to fix the problem once and for all, but playing commitments have forced the winger to put any such thoughts on the backburner.
At Valdebebas, staff refer to Bale as a "perfectionist" in physical preparation. Better than even Ronaldo. He is determined to be available to Ancelotti. For the coach's support staff, there is no doubting Bale's commitment to the Real cause.
And that's the story Real fans need to hear from Barnett.
He doesn't like speaking in public. But after taking the bait and making such a hash of things, if Barnett truly believes Bale's career belongs in Madrid, he needs to open up local communication lines and mend some fences.
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