Former Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti believes the unsettled midfielder James Rodriguez must keep fighting to prolong and be successful in his career at Santiago Bernabeu. James Rodriguez had lost his spot as a crucial player in the starting XI after the ex-manager of Real Madrid left for Bayern Munich, to be succeeded by his protege Zinedine Zidane.
Ancelotti further feels that more than Zidane’s proclivity towards finding a team that fits his approach, it is necessary to have the right commitment in order to win a regular birth in a team. James Rodriguez was speculated for a move throughout the summer transfer window after showing his good form in the Copa America Centenario for his national side Colombia.
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He was linked to a number of clubs such as Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United. Despite the distractions and seemingly not being so well entertained on his return to Santiago Bernabeu, Rodriguez has chosen to fight it out for the midfield spot.
Also Read: La Liga 2016-17: Casemiro happy that James Rodriguez decided to stay at Real Madrid
Describing the situation as something that every footballer has to go through, Ancelotti has asked Rodriguez to keep fighting and suggested that he should expect the competition and use it to turn it around. However, the Bayern manager also expressed his surprise at James Rodriguez’s dip in form, given the display of consistency during his time at the club.
"I was surprised [James lost his form] a little bit, but he is very young," he told AS.
“Sometimes not everything turns out well. One year you can have problems. The important thing for a player is to keep fighting, even if you do not play every game. Playing in Madrid is not easy, because there is much competition."
Ancelotti, now the coach at Bayern Munich, also stated that Madrid's triumph in last season's Champions League does not imply that Zidane’s choice of using Casemiro over James Rodriguez proved to be the difference. He further added by stating that it is up to the player’s willingness to make a difference, which in Rodriguez’s case, was evident during his spell under Ancelotti and the manager ensured that he recollected that.
"Zidane's great success was winning the Champions League," he added.
“But I played one season with Luka Modric, James and Toni Kroos and we went on a streak of 22 wins with those three. Everything depends on the commitment the players have."
