A report from Spanish domestic media has slammed James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale for making switches to English clubs – claiming they validate their former manager Zinedine Zidane in the process.
The pair both made switches to Everton and Tottenham Hotspur respectively, with Rodriguez reportedly being released to the Toffees on a free transfer according to his former club Banfield.
Huge salaries and a lack of paramountcy to Real Madrid’s plans under Zidane were crucial factors that united Bale and Rodriguez in seeing the exit door from the Santiago Bernabeu but Everton has come under attack as being a ‘lower rank’ club.
An opinion piece in major Spanish publication Marca congratulated Real Madrid for essentially cutting their losses in shaving the likes of Rodriguez and Bale off of their books.
The piece goes on to make out that Rodirguez is destined for a cycle of failure as he is ‘inspiring a crowd that now doubts his contribution’ in a manner similar to his bright start in his Bayern Munich loan spell.
Read Everton Verdict
The Marca report appears to be a masterclass in back-patting to Real Madrid.
One can understand that leaving one of the world’s most successful European giants may superficially be a step backwards, but the opposite is true where Rodriguez is concerned.
The 29-year-old Colombian, later in his career, has taken a bold step to a new league in an unfamiliar country and showed a stoic desire to prove his doubters wrong and re-invent himself.
With three goals and four assists to his name in his Everton career, Rodriguez has started to do just that.
His bright start in English football is cause for celebration, not criticism.
Recent injury has indeed hampered his start in a similar manner to previous exits from Madrid, but condemning Rodriguez to a familiar cycle of failure is, at best, premature.
