Gareth Bale injury sustained at Tottenham say Wales

(GETTY IMAGES)

Wales boss Gary Speed has insisted that the injury keeping Gareth Bale out of the Euro 2012 clash with England on Saturday was one he sustained whilst with Tottenham.

It had been suggested that the winger had suffered a reoccurrence of an injury during training with the national side, but Speed confirmed it was an old injury that was highlighted by a scan.

" He did the warm up on Tuesday, we took him off and he went for a scan on Wednesday and he had an injury there," he said.

"It was an injury from last week and we do our utmost here to make sure we look after the players. Gareth is the most important person in this scenario."

Despite Bale being highlighted as one of the key players in Wales bid to beat England in Cardiff, Speed stressed that he is more interested in the long term rather than the short term benefits of risking him on Saturday

"The next three and a half years are more important than the next three and a half days," he added.

"We want to be successful and the best way we can be successful is to get our players out on the pitch in the best shape they can be."

Speed was also quick to suggest the injury is not a long term one, and that Bale is not injury prone.

"I dont think he's very fragile, his playing record this season when he played the first 30 games and the way he plays, he is so explosive, there comes a time in a season when he is going to need a rest. I'm sure he will play next week, I'm sure its [the injury] only a 10 day thing."