Former Colombia coach Jorge Luis Pinto has warned Everton’s James Rodriguez he must dedicate himself to football or be left behind by the game.
The midfielder is currently out of the picture at Goodison Park, having spent the summer trying to engineer a move away from the club.
That never happened, with no clubs coming forward, meaning Rodriguez will have to fight for his place under Rafa Benitez, a manager he does not have the best of history with.
So far, he hasn’t featured for Everton this season, meaning he is currently on a run of four months without playing an official game after ending last season injured.
The Everton man receives regular advice from Colombia over his current situation, and the latest to join the chorus is Luis Pinto.
“James has to leave the good life and dedicate himself to football because if he doesn’t dedicate himself to football, he leaves football,” Semana reports him saying.
“That story that I left football, no, football leaves you, that goes on everywhere in the world.
“That is happening to James; football is leaving him, God willing he prepares well, works well, plays and can return to the Colombia national team because there is no doubt that he is a good player.”
