by Tim Stannard

Jose Mourinho could be key to Gareth Bale's escape route from Real Madrid

Gareth Bale is back training with Real Madrid with some explaining to do. Or not. 

Indeed, the Welshman might not even be training as Thursday's post international break session was behind closed doors.

Either way, the feverish excitement in the Spanish capital is whether club president Florentino Perez is going to ask Bale for an explanation for the player being photographed on Tuesday during Wale's Euro 202O qualification celebrations behind the tremendous "Wales, Golf, Madrid, in that order" banner. 

If so, Sports Burst suspects that Bale's response might well be a 'banner? what banner" or "and what of it?"

That appears to be the current position of the stand-off between Gareth Bale and Real Madrid at the moment, a player that is seemingly uninterested in playing for his team and a coach that openly declared over the summer that he is uninterested in picking him. 

Despite the poor man's Gareth Bale, Lucas Vazquez, now being ruled out for a month with a broken toe, it is quite likely that Bale may not be seen playing for Real Madrid again before, as Sports Burst predicts, being shipped off on loan to Jose Mourinho's Tottenham in the winter transfer window. 

Thursday's locked down training center vibe will be a huge determination of what happens next with Bale along with Coach Zizou's Friday press conference ahead of Real Madrid's return to La Liga on Saturday, a session that will once again be dominated by a footballer who may not even play. 

The Sports Burst live show will be testing the Gareth Bale waters at 12PM ET on the beIN SPORTS USA Facebook page.

Mourinho eases into early 'happy' phase at Tottenham

One week, one month or one year? 

Three different bets on when Jose Mourinho is going to change from his traditional charm offensive "very happy, I have everything I need, the players are fantastic" phase when joining a new team to eviscerating the foundations of the club from the inside. 

Mourinho has already been calling up some old hits when talking to Tottenham's club channel on Wednesday after his very sudden appointment in the wake of Mauricio Pochettino's sacking on Tuesday. 

When rejoining Chelsea in June 2013, Mourinho described himself as 'The Happy One'. When being presented by Manchester United, the Portuguese declared in July 2016 that "this is the job that everyone wants." 

Rinse and repeat on Wednesday. "I couldn't be happier," declared Mourinho. "I really like this squad," added the Special One. And that's a good thing as The Guardian is reporting that there will be no money for Mourinho to spend in the January transfer window and that for any to be spent next summer, then Spurs need to finish in the top four, a position that is currently nine points away. 

Mourinho will have to do what he finds the hardest on Thursday and talk to the media in a pleasant manner for the first time ahead of Tottenham's Premier League clash against West Ham on Thursday. 

Golden State Warriors season gets worse 

Tottenham might have fallen from grace this season, but certainly not as much as the Golden State Warriors.

The NBA reached rock bottom and started digging on Wednesday night with the franchise's worst defeat since 1973. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Warriors 142-94 to leave the Steph Curry and co at the bottom of the Western Conference with a record of just three wins and 13 losses this season.

"Flush it down the toilet. Move on," was the sage advice from head coach, Steve Kerr. 

Happy days in LA though, with the Clippers fielding Kahwi Leonard and Paul George together for the first time in a 107-104 win over the Boston Celtics. 

Thursday Night Football sees a top two titanic tussle in the AFC South with the Houston Texans hosting the Indianapolis Colts.