Mackems Have Their Own Marcelino

Last updated : 27 April 2018 By Footy Mad - Editor

Marcelino is on Spanish TV these days talking about the Spanish League ... but we remember him for seeing out a four-year contract at Newcastle when he refused to play.

Image result for Newcastle United MarcelinoThe Mackems have a similar "waste of space" on their books.

Sunderland boss Chris Coleman has admitted £70,000-a-week midfielder Jack Rodwell is not even in his thoughts.

Former England international Rodwell, whose contract included a wage reduction clause deferred for 12 months when the club was relegated from the Premier League at the end of last season, has not made a senior appearance for the Black Cats since September and is training with the Under-23s.

He still has a year remaining on the five-year deal he signed when he arrived at the Stadium of Light in a £10million move from Manchester City in August 2014, but even in the wake of a second successive relegation, he is not part of Coleman's plans.

Asked if the 27-year-old could play a part in Friday night's Sky Bet Championship trip to Fulham, Coleman told a press conference: "No.

"I don't even know where Jack is, to be honest with you, so no, he won't be involved.

"I'm sure that if there was a sniff of a first team appearance, I'm not sure he'd be 100 per cent fit for it, so I don't think that's going to be the case."

Coleman later clarified that Rodwell is training, but is too far away from selection from first team selection for him to consider his availability or otherwise.

He said: "I'm quite sure we've gone down the legal route of that situation, and we're stuck with a player that doesn't want to play for Sunderland Football Club and wants to leave.

"But then where's he going to leave and go to? There's the conundrum. He's here and he's got one more year on his contract. He doesn't want to play for us, so fine, go and play for somebody else. But the stumbling block is the contract.

"But we'll see, it's the end of this season now. I know Jack did that big article (and said) he wanted to play for England again, so to do that, he's going to have to go and play football somewhere. The proof is always in the pudding."

Should Rodwell remain on the books next season, his salary will be reduced by 40 per cent.