Jack Rodwell must prove he is no costly Sunderland flop, says new boss Chris Coleman
Fans have singled out injury-hit midfielder for criticism after just 44 league starts since £60k-a-week arrival in 2014
CHRIS COLEMAN says it is time for Jack Rodwell to prove he is no expensive Sunderland flop.
Injury-prone midfielder Rodwell has made just 44 league starts since joining from Manchester City in 2014, while raking in almost £10million in wages.
The 26-year-old earns £60,000-a-week at the cash-strapped Black Cats — who failed to insert a relegation clause in his bumper five-year deal.
Rodwell finally ended a 1,370-day wait to be on the winning side in the league when Sunderland beat Crystal Palace in February. Fans have singled the under-performing £10m man out for abuse as the rock-bottom Wearsiders face the drop in back-to-back campaigns for the first time in their history.
Rodwell has made just two league appearances this season.
And new Stadium of Light chief Coleman says Rodwell must now stand up and be counted.
He added: “We’re all accountable here at this club, especially myself and the players. And, as an individual, he has to want to change himself.
“It really is down to the individual.
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“Jack is super talented but hasn’t played enough.
“You can have a new manager, a new way of working but it’s still Jack — and whatever he needs to do to play more. That’s what he has to do.
“I’m realistic, he needs to play more football and I’ll give him any help he wants on or off the pitch.
“But it still has to come from Jack.”
Sunderland travel to Burton four points adrift of safety after one win in 18 league games.
Brewers boss Nigel Clough is eager not to let Coleman’s ‘new manager bounce’ condemn his side to a sixth successive home defeat.
Former Wales manager Coleman is still looking for his first win after losing to Aston Villa on Tuesday.
Clough is desperate to win their bottom-three battle — with the Brewers failing to record a victory on home soil since mid-September.
But he admits he is in the dark over what has caused their horror home run — or how to go about putting a stop to it.
Clough said: “Honestly, I’ve no idea.
“It’s not as if we’re changing much.
“It’s just that we seem to make all of our mistakes at home.
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“It’s a problem and it’s something we have to address — starting against Sunderland.”
Burton’s away form has been slightly more encouraging, which is yet another reason why former England and Nottingham Forest striker Clough has been left scratching his head.
He added: “It’s strange how it’s turned out.
“Our away form has been a bit better — but we’re soon going to have to start getting something at home.”
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