Ex-manager points the finger of blame for ‘strange’ Rodriguez-Everton saga after Athletic update
Alex McLeish has insisted James Rodriguez is to blame after Everton failed to get him out the door during the transfer window.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Scotland manager claimed it is the player who “gets himself sold” with his performances.
The Athletic report (1st September) a move to Porto failed to materialise as the 30-year-old refused to compromise on his £200,000-a-week wage demands.
The Colombian is reportedly surplus to requirements at Goodison Park.
It remains to be seen whether Rafael Benitez brings Rodriguez back into the fray after failing to offload him.
McLeish admitted the playmaker’s situation at Everton is a “strange one”.
However, he insisted the player must shoulder responsibility for not making a move happen.
“It’s a strange one, isn’t it?” McLeish told Football Insider’s Russell Edge.
“It just has you thinking that something isn’t quite right in terms of James Rodriguez, his contract and time at Everton.
“Not enough game time we would have expected from a player of that stature.
“Transfer windows come and go and sometimes you don’t get the move you want, or the player’s agent doesn’t get him the move that he wants.
“It’s not down to the agent, it’s down to the player. It’s down to the player producing the form. He’s the guy who gets himself sold.
“An agent can’t come in, kick the door down and say: ‘James, get him a club. If you don’t play him then he will go on strike or something.’
“It just doesn’t happen.”
Rodriguez has not featured under Benitez since the start of the 2021/22 campaign.
He still has a year left on his contract at Goodison.
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