FORMER Everton star James Rodriguez was reportedly a bit of a party animal in his Bayern Munich days and partly responsible for undermining the authority of former boss Niko Kovac.
An incident in Miami in 2018, at the start of Kovac’s reign, played a part in the manager’s failure at Bayern.
The German outfit spent much of the summer in America preparing for the upcoming season, which included a friendly against Manchester City.
And according to Bild, Kovac placed a lot of importance on the match, so forbade his players from experiencing the Miami nightlife.
He reportedly said: “Nobody goes out! We have an incredibly important test game in three days.
“We have to be focused and concentrated. The first Bundesliga game awaits us in six weeks. Celebrating is not possible in preparation.”
But the players did not listen.
And with a group allegedly spearheaded by Frank Ribery, David Alaba, and Rafinha, the Bayern squad set about partying into the night.
It is claimed Rodriguez’s “party beast” came out, with the midfielder filming videos of the evening and posting them on a Whatsapp group titled ‘Miami Nights’.
The partying lasted long into the night with the players believed to have returned to the hotel at 6am.
But much to their surprise there was no reaction from Kovac and from that moment he had lost his authority in the dressing room.
He did manage to win the league in his first season but he was sacked in November 2019.
Rodriguez and the ring leaders from that night in Miami have also all since departed from the Allianz Arena.
Read our Football news live blog for the very latest rumours, gossip and done deals
