And, put yourself in James' shoes here for a second - I am not saying he's not got to take his fair share of responsibility, he should probably keep quiet (but, his social media presence wasn't an issue last year and it certainly wasn't an issue for us when he was saying 'Merseyside is blue!' after the Anfield derby).
He came because CA was here, we all know that. But he's got a contract and would likely also see that out if no move comes, and he'd contribute what he does because he's a quality player.
We've hired that the fanbase was pretty much universally against at first and does have history with James from the time at Madrid where James was basically made a scapegoat. Now, I think both James and Benitez are professional enough to see past that, but it will also be like 'Jesus Christ' (remember when Rom and Mirallas found out during that friendly v Utd in 2016 that Martinez had got the Belgium job?), this fella again??
Anyway, that happens, he returns to training, all that stuff - as he should do and has to btw, it's his job. A week or so later, a bloke who by all accounts James was pretty close to in the squad and is one of the senior players gets arrested and charged with a very serious offence (which he denies). His best mate in Mina and the other South Americans are either away at the Copa or being shown the door like Bernard and instructed to not even return to training.
Then there's all the rumours - which again, I'm not absolving him of responsibility of - and the fanbase starts to question it. Then, there was clearly a conversation with the club where James was informed that if an offer came in we would sell him (and that will be because of our financial issues). Now, like I've said before, I'm sure he would happily leave, but also, in that situation, as the most creative player by far in the squad, I'd probably be thinking 'hang on, they want me out, but they're going to keep Iwobi, keep Delph, keep Gomes' etc.
It's all a mess and both sides have to take their share of the blame. But because I'm an Everton fan, I'm more concerned about how this club is run and I think it is run dreadfully.
And we have form for this too. We did the same with Rooney. Now, whether or not that was the right call is not up for debate, but we instructed that our leading scorer from the previous season, that we'd made a huge fanfare about returning, and could still have definitely have been part of the squad in Silva's first season, had to go; that he didn't have any future here.
We do this because we just have no idea how to get rid of the players who do actually contribute naff all.
He came because CA was here, we all know that. But he's got a contract and would likely also see that out if no move comes, and he'd contribute what he does because he's a quality player.
We've hired that the fanbase was pretty much universally against at first and does have history with James from the time at Madrid where James was basically made a scapegoat. Now, I think both James and Benitez are professional enough to see past that, but it will also be like 'Jesus Christ' (remember when Rom and Mirallas found out during that friendly v Utd in 2016 that Martinez had got the Belgium job?), this fella again??
Anyway, that happens, he returns to training, all that stuff - as he should do and has to btw, it's his job. A week or so later, a bloke who by all accounts James was pretty close to in the squad and is one of the senior players gets arrested and charged with a very serious offence (which he denies). His best mate in Mina and the other South Americans are either away at the Copa or being shown the door like Bernard and instructed to not even return to training.
Then there's all the rumours - which again, I'm not absolving him of responsibility of - and the fanbase starts to question it. Then, there was clearly a conversation with the club where James was informed that if an offer came in we would sell him (and that will be because of our financial issues). Now, like I've said before, I'm sure he would happily leave, but also, in that situation, as the most creative player by far in the squad, I'd probably be thinking 'hang on, they want me out, but they're going to keep Iwobi, keep Delph, keep Gomes' etc.
It's all a mess and both sides have to take their share of the blame. But because I'm an Everton fan, I'm more concerned about how this club is run and I think it is run dreadfully.
And we have form for this too. We did the same with Rooney. Now, whether or not that was the right call is not up for debate, but we instructed that our leading scorer from the previous season, that we'd made a huge fanfare about returning, and could still have definitely have been part of the squad in Silva's first season, had to go; that he didn't have any future here.
We do this because we just have no idea how to get rid of the players who do actually contribute naff all.
