Carlo Ancelotti's treatment of Jese at Real Madrid is a mistake, says Graham Hunter
Monday 9 March 2015 16:16, UK
Graham Hunter insists Carlo Ancelotti’s poor treatment of Jese at Real Madrid is a huge mistake.
The Spain U21 forward has been used sparingly by Ancelotti this season and in recent weeks he has only been used as an 86th minute replacement against Deportivo and an added time substitute at Elche.
Jese got 18 minutes against Villarreal on Sunday and with the scores locked at 1-1 he was presented with a glorious chance to send his side four points clear of Barcelona, but he fluffed his lines, firing his shot wide of the gaping goal.
However, Hunter believes the 22-year-old’s head is not in the right place at the moment and is blaming Ancelotti’s treatment of the player.
“Ancelotti’s brilliance across his career, not just at Madrid, is taking players and making them give more than maybe they had been giving for somebody else,” Hunter told Revista de la Liga.
“He had that from Jese last season and this season after a year’s recuperation Jese arrives back and Ancelotti says this is the guy that could have won us the league last year.
“He comes on and wins the game against Sevilla but Ancelotti goes public and says Bale, Ronaldo and Benzema always start. Jese thinks what about me.
“For two games in a row he has him warming up and coming on in the 86th minute against Deportivo and the 90th against Elche. Jese as a young frustrated guy is losing his temper.
“He goes out on his birthday, which was a mistake, and then what happens. The one golden moment came that last season he would have notched but his head’s not right. He’s been put off, he’s raging and he misses it and Real don’t win.
“I find it a mistake how Ancelotti’s treating the player.”
Real Madrid are just two points ahead of rivals Barcelona in the race for the La Liga title and former Mallorca defender Marcelino believes Ancelotti must use his squad players better in the run in to the season.
He told Revista: “Ancelotti has to deal with a lot of people there and at that level you can’t only focus on one player. You have to focus on the team winning games.
“Those players who are playing are obviously of a fantastic level but you have to think about the ones who are not playing every game. At some point you may need them as was the case with Jese.
“With Jese it’s about the confidence as well and getting the confidence to the whole squad and not just 11 players.”
