James Rodriguez returned to Europe through the only door that was opened to him: that of the Olympiakosfrom Greece, a league that may not be as top as he hoped, but one he must cling to with dear life if he wants to recapture the football that once made him a star.
And when it comes to references, one that can completely clarify the panorama: Felipe Pardo he played there for four years, first from 2015 to 2017 and then from that second semester until 2019. How did it go? He twice won the League and scored 16 goals. Not bad, for sure.
Like all changes of country, the first uncertainty is due to the way of communicating: “The advantage is that they speak English there and I think James speaks it: but if not, the club gives you a translator for day to day and you can express, There are many colleagues who know many languages. It is a very good environment”, said the attacker in a chat with FUTBOLRED. From what he knew how to live, he is ready to talk to James.
The team
“It is a great team, which fights to always be in the Champions League, always champion in Greece, it is the greatest. The people are spectacular, very fond. The city is magnificent. The idea is that he dedicate himself to football, he has the conditions to break it, they will surely want it”.
“It wasn’t hard for me to adapt, I came from Europe, playing, it’s a similar level of football. The only thing is that the league is good but the most important games are the big ones, the others aren’t as demanding, not everyone is to play hand in hand with the greatest. He, who has gone through Madrid, Everton and different leagues, will have no problem. It is not the same pace, nor the same level as the leagues where he was, it depends on him to stand out. The league is very good, but in the most important matches, which are once morest AEK, PAOK and Panathinakos, it’s a duel like saying here, Nacional vs. Medellín.
The league
The difference is very noticeable, it is like Real Madrid, Bayern or Liverpool in their leagues, it is the biggest in Greece, the one that everyone is going to see and there is fear of facing it, many hide and do not attack it and defend themselves and they do pure counterattacks because they know that there is a payroll to be champion and to be in the Champions League, which is where they have more visibility for the team to sell players
The Premier is the most demanding thing there is, but here only the big ones demand it, others are more procedural, that’s why Olympiacos is required in the Europa League or Champions League and then the games are separate, you will always have to win and people charge you for it .
I don’t know what’s happening right now (he’s last in his group in the Europa League, with no points), when I was there we weren’t last in the group stages, when I played. I don’t know what can happen right now but knowing what it represents and what it has to do, logically they must be crestfallen and people must be furious because of what Olympiacos is, a historical figure that always fights.
Rematch
James is experienced, he is competition for the others and that is what he is going to look for, because he has not been able to have that pace of play. It’s football time… what he mightn’t do in the last year and football gives you revenge. In the League there are technically very good people and it will be something very good because it will bring out their characteristics and put others to play.
It is a revival and I wish him much success and that he can demonstrate his football by rediscovering what he has shown.
He is a more mature man and if he goes it is to dedicate himself to football… It was not difficult for me because I went to that, I had my family, yes, but he must know what he is going for, I do not know how he is (his family life ) but one has to be strong in the head and think only regarding football.
The talk
Yes, we talk. He just asked me what Athens was like. I thought it was like going on vacation but I didn’t know I was going there. I told him that Greece is the best city and the best country, that he should enjoy it, I didn’t give him more details, he didn’t ask me for them, but even there they are going to put a person there who will look for a house for him, will show him everything good, there are many.
God willing everything goes well, it’s up to him, he’s a professional and he takes care of himself as such, let’s hope he doesn’t have any more injuries so he can take advantage of this opportunity to play in Greece.
