Harry Redknapp has told Gareth Bale to get used to bad tackling, just as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have had to.

Redknapp, who watched as Bale was fouled at the end of Tottenham's 1-0 win over West Brom this week, believes that the Welshman is so much faster than defenders that he is bound to be the victim of mistimed challenges.

"The last tackle at the end of the West Brom game, that was bad and from behind," the Spurs boss told the Daily Mail.

"He is so quick and can just move the ball away, people lunge in and suddenly the ball is not there and they catch him. I suppose when you are that good a player you are going to get that.

"The top players in the world – Ronaldo and Messi – who can run at people with the ball and beat people all get that. He has got quick feet and is maybe a little bit too quick for the people he is playing against."

Tottenham welcome League Two side Cheltenham Town to White Hart Lane in the third round of the FA Cup this weekend.