Swansea City boss Brendan Rodgers admits Tottenham star Gareth Bale didn't impress him as a junior.

Rodgers was in charge of Chelsea's academy between 2004 and 2006 and remembers one game against Southampton's youngsters.

"Bale was playing left back - he was not a stand-out player," said Rodgers. "They had Nathan Dyer, Leon Best, Dexter Blackstock, Adam Lallana and guys like that. Bale was steady.

"Then, when he first went to Tottenham, he didn't get in the team. He nearly left."