Everton: Simon Jordan shares potentially ‘disrespectful’ Dominic Calvert-Lewin speculation
Simon Jordan has suggested that Everton star Dominic Calvert-Lewin is happy to be injured as his side fights against relegation from the Premier League.
The Toffees star is struggling for fitness this season and has been ruled out of Saturday’s (18 February) crunch clash against Leeds United.
Speaking on TalkSPORT on Friday (17 February), the former Crystal Palace owner said, “There are certain players that I believe, and it’s easy for me to say as a former owner, this could come across as disrespectful but I am happy to be reprimanded if I am wrong, that quite like being injured or are quite happy to be injured.
“They are comfortable with being injured and there is a psychological approach to overcoming adversity. I am not sure that Dominic Calvert-Lewin isn’t one of those that will.
A baffled Jim White interjected at this point to question Jordan’s comments, asking, “quite likes being injured?”.
Jordan continued, “Well maybe not quite like, it’s being accepting of being injured rather than pushing back and saying I will overcome this diversity. Psychologically, people can be injured in their minds as much as they can be physically injured.
“So when someone gets a tweak or an injury they don’t want to overcome it, they want to succumb to it.”
What are you talking about?
Simon Jordan and TalkSPORT have a reputation for saying outlandish things to provoke a response but this is another level altogether.
To suggest Calvert-Lewin is unable to get fit because of some “psychological approach” is absurd. The assertion that he is “happy to be injured” is downright offensive.
It would not be a surprise to see the player himself now come out and refute that claim because it is bordering on slander.
To be injured for almost the entirety of a full season only to then struggle for fitness the following campaign must be one hell of a psychological blow.
Of course Calvert-Lewin has suffered mentally. He wants to be out on the pitch helping his teammates compete at the other end of the Premier League table.
Instead, his body is letting him down and Everton are being super cautious with him. That is the right approach to take.
If keeping him out of action now means Calvert-Lewin can play 10 games towards the end of the season without interruption then it will be worth it.