"James has changed the mentality of Everton"

BeSoccer 3 years ago 297 |

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James Rodriguez has had a great start at Everton. AFP

James Rodriguez has landed in Everton like a whirlwind. For Gary Neville it is a surprise and a sign of the "change of mentality" of the club under Carlo Ancelotti.

Gary Neville, Manchester United legend and TV pundit in England, spoke about James Rodriguez's arrival at Everton as an event.

The former full-back spoke in awe of the Colombian's arrival and what his presence at the Goodison Park club means. For Neville, James is both a cause and a consequence of a new reality under Ancelotti.

"James Rodriguez is not going to go out on the field and feel that he is part of a team without identity. He has played in Real Madrid, in World Cups, he played in Bayern Munich. For me, I think it's about the change in mentality that Everton has had to make," he said.

"The players around him may feel lost, but when they look up and see James they are going to say 'we are going to win today'. It even happened to me when I was young, I was lucky enough to meet experienced players who showed me the way," he added.

At the expense of his return trip after playing for Colombia, James and his Everton face a litmus test: the Merseyside derby against Liverpool. The Toffees' numbers so far are championship numbers, but this has only just begun.