Everton FC’s James Rodríguez nears a month since he last appeared in a match for The Toffees. In his native Colombia, one manager questions the 29-year-old’s preparation to be physically fit.
The midfielder has missed fixtures this season due to various muscular injuries. Colombian manager Jorge Luis Pinto gave his thoughts in an interview with Semana Magazine (via Marca Claro) on why these injuries continue to be a re-occurring issue with Rodríguez.
Pinto states that the Everton star will need to question certain aspects of his personal life that affect his physical fitness.
“You would have to look at his physical condition, his preparation. In what moment is he? Has he been working well? In short, there are many, many reasons for muscle injuries,” Pinto said.
“It seems to me that he has to rethink his personal things and assess with the coach and with the physical trainer and, of course, with a physiologist, the circumstances of why so many tears and so many muscular contractions. I would say, is what suffers the most. He does not suffer serious injuries; he suffers from muscle contractures, which are certainly affecting him a lot.”
Rodríguez is reaching that stage in his career where he can’t solely rely on his youth. As a player gets older, proper dieting and investing in their bodies become a priority to prevent these types of injuries from occurring regularly.
The Colombia international is an important player for Everton, who sits five points outside of a UEFA Champions League spot and his national team, as they’re in a fight to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.