Rodriguez absence causing consternation in Colombia

Thursday, 20 May, 2021 25comments | Jump to most recent

James Rodriguez's latest no-show in the Everton line-up is apparently “concerning” his international manager, Reinaldo Rueda, who fears the club are trying to ensure he doesn't participate in this summer's Copa America.

The 29-year-old was set to play in the Blues' final home game of the season against Wolves yesterday but was withdrawn at the last minute due to what Carlo Ancelotti described as “feeling fatigued” following his 78 minutes against Sheffield United three days prior, the latest match he has missed through a lack of fitness.

James has missed four of Everton's last five fixtures as well as sitting out all of their games in March and former Colombian international Ivà¡n René Valenciano believes it's part of some plot to keep Rodriguez in England during the close season and fresh for next season.

Among Everton supporters, of course, the worry as been the opposite — that James has been trying to save himself so that he can play as much as he can for Colombia this summer.

In comments made to the VBAR Caracol program, relayed by Infobae, Valenciano said:

“I'm going to give you some news that has just been passed on to meâ€¦ James didn't play today because Everton don't want to loan him out to the national team,”

“It's a serious situation because when you don't want to loan a player to the national team, it seems to me that they're going to do everything they can to try to prove that he can't play.

“If they show that he is injured and that he is not fit to play, he is under no obligation to come.

“I think that is where the player should intervene, talk to the club and tell him, I want to go to my national team and I will do everything possible to go if he feels physically fit to come.

“This has a process, Everton communicates to the Federation that the player is injured and must send everything that has been done to him.

“If the Colombian Federation is not calm with what the team has sent, it can do all the checks to see if it is okay. It is not an easy issue and more so on a FIFA date.”

Ancelotti said after the win over Wolves that he is “hopeful” that Rodriguez will be fit to play in the season-closer at Manchester City on Sunday where Everton will likely need to win to have a chance of clinching a spot in the Europa Conference League.

Quotes sourced from Sport Witness

Reader Comments (25)

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Bill Hawker
1 Posted 20/05/2021 at 17:55:08

Ah, the old "sources say"... The Colombia coach needs to have his head checked.

Kieran Kinsella
2 Posted 20/05/2021 at 17:55:58

I am more interested in the remarks from the horse's mouth:

“I can't tell you where I would like to retire. I don't think it will be long because I wouldn't want to play when I'm too old.â€

If he is already thinking about how he is going to spend his retirement that's on the horizon "soon", is he highly motivated to play for a Colombian team that has been struggling or indeed his club? I suspect not. he is likely to be a part timer for another season then spend all his time on Instagram.

Alan J Thompson
4 Posted 20/05/2021 at 18:10:49

He hasn't yet said he won't be going but if this is what they think is happening then why hasn't he said the same about Mina? Much ado about crying before your hurt.

Tony Everan
5 Posted 20/05/2021 at 18:45:00

Reinaldo is barking up the wrong tree. The golden boy will be fresh as a daisy and fighting fit for Colombia's first match.

Bill Gienapp
6 Posted 20/05/2021 at 18:48:13

A large part of James's fitness issues this season stem from him being run into the ground during international duty... because god knows Colombia couldn't have lost to Uruguay 6-0 without him. So with all due respect, Rueda can suck a lemon.

Dave Abrahams
7 Posted 20/05/2021 at 19:08:54

And on this side of the world some of us think James is taking the piss out of the club.

Mike Gaynes
8 Posted 20/05/2021 at 19:11:58

Rueda is a cranky old journeyman who has crossed more Latin American borders than the average drug mule. 14 different jobs in 28 years. I highly doubt he will be running Colombia at the WC. So he can safely be ignored.

Trevor Powell
9 Posted 20/05/2021 at 19:18:50

Just noticed that Steve Macnamaman seems to think Coutinho is the player we need next season. Is this a joke or a turncoat ruse to land us with another another over-rated sick note?

The Echo must be really short of news or does this confirm the theory that most journos are too lazy to find news but sit on their backsides waiting for stories to come to them?

I would rather see Alan Biley back before Coutinho out on the Goodison pitch!

Graham Mockford
10 Posted 20/05/2021 at 19:20:44

Bill

â€˜run into the ground' during international duty' Do me a favour he played four games in 2020, substituted in one. He has played no international games in 2021.

Clutching at straws or what

Colin Glassar
11 Posted 20/05/2021 at 19:27:50

Jodete, Reinaldo!

Ian Burns
12 Posted 20/05/2021 at 19:48:50

Reinaldo is right â€“ he doesn't want to commit to Colombia in the forthcoming Copa America because he is saving himself in case Everton qualify for the European Conference League. Daft twat.

Anthony Murphy
13 Posted 20/05/2021 at 20:06:24

It'll be really interesting to see what happens on Sunday with Rodriguez. Plays and plays well then he could be the difference for us. If we don't see him in the squad then we'll probably never see him again.

Oliver Molloy
14 Posted 20/05/2021 at 20:16:52

Who knows if this is true, I was told by a man who knows a man who knows a man !
A rumour that this continued fatigue is due to the testicle injury he received from the VD challenge back in October.

Apparently, the "testicle " can become swollen when he plays.
Could be perhaps the reason Ancelotti said some weeks back that he couldn't speak about Rodriquez absence due to personal reasons or words to that effect.

Could be a load of bollocks, but who knows !

Shaun Laycock
15 Posted 20/05/2021 at 20:31:42

Cock and ball story that...

Peter Mills
16 Posted 20/05/2021 at 21:40:29

Michael#8, quite frequently you make a post that makes me think “fuck, he knows a lot of stuffâ€. (That doesn't mean I won't challenge you on, erm, anything).

Oliver #14, I still believe that was a horrible, pre-meditated assault on James by Van Djyk, followed by one on Calver-Lewin, far more sinister than the awkward challenge by Pickford.

Phillip Warrington
17 Posted 20/05/2021 at 21:53:59

How could he not be fresh? He hardly plays for Everton. No wonder Real Madrid let him go so easily

Oliver Molloy
18 Posted 20/05/2021 at 22:31:09

100% agree Peter.
I have watched both challenges time and time again and VD was trying to do damage to both our players.
VD is a bit of dirty bastard, but very crafty.
I always thought that Pickford never knew what he was doing with his challenge on VD, now I have changed my mind.
I now think Pickford knew what what he was doing and gave him his own "fuck you" tackle.

Tom Bowers
19 Posted 20/05/2021 at 23:14:34

The James situation is baffling. Do we believe the manager or do we have to think that James doesn't have what it takes to cut it in the Premeirship.
Sure he played a few decent games but not as many as he should have much like a few other well paid guys.

I am always worried when we sign players who are not regulars where they are and Walcott was such a player also.

Skill is nothing unless it is put to good use but we shouldn't have to wait for every blue moon to see it.

We need to seriously strengthen up the midfield and James like Gylfi, Delph, Gomes and Iwobi could be sacrificed down the line.

Derek Thomas
20 Posted 21/05/2021 at 01:12:27

Tell them to fuck off, in fact don't even bother, just ignore it. It's the Colombian guy whinging for domestic consumption only.

Rodriguez was okay while it was all a novelty to him with the sun on his back at the start of the season... now, he just can't be arsed.

And neither should we â€“ Taxi!

Paul Hewitt
21 Posted 21/05/2021 at 06:08:46

Let him go and play for Colombia. But tell him don't bother coming back. Waste of space he is.

Jim Bennings
22 Posted 21/05/2021 at 08:59:10

Personally I think James will more than likely retire within the next two years.

Seems the body can't push through boundaries anymore, once past 30 it gets even harder when you are injury prone.

John Kavanagh
23 Posted 21/05/2021 at 12:16:28

I think James has already retired and is enjoying his £200k a week pension. Put him on the next flight out on condition Colombia pay his pension from now on, not us. A huge waste of money and, on his part, talent. Sad.

Steve Mink
24 Posted 21/05/2021 at 12:21:31

The most skilful player I've seen in our side. I hope I get the chance to see him next season.

Ron Sear
25 Posted 21/05/2021 at 16:30:17

I'm a little bit tired so I won't comment on this.

Bill Gienapp
26 Posted 21/05/2021 at 17:50:42

Graham (10) - "run into the ground" was perhaps a bit dramatic, but he'd missed two straight matches for us and clearly wasn't 100% fit when he went on international duty in November. He was then played the full 90 minutes in two matches within a matter of days and never looked right the rest of the year.

Not saying that impacted his ongoing fitness issues in 2021, but I definitely think it took a toll heading into December and the festive fixtures.

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