COMMENT: James Rodriguez and Everton. Barely a year in and it's over - both the relationship and the Colombian's top-level career. But for those pulling the strings at Goodison, this shouldn't put them off...

There's a little bit of finger wagging this week. Some I told you so's. The great James gamble flopped. Packed off to Qatar and Al-Rayyan, the midfielder's time at the elite of the game appears over. Some will claim it was over as soon as he first walked into Finch Farm. But this was a gamble worth taking for Everton. And it's one they should continue to revisit.

As it stands today, they've done well. After a summer of touting his name across Europe - and beyond. After seeing him pull out of a move to Istanbul Basaksehir in the final hours of Turkey's summer market. That Everton managed to do business with Al-Rayyan was some feat. The ties have been completely severed. Not only have they cleared James' £200,000-a-week contract from their wage bill, but also managed to convince the Qataris to cough up a fee (a "nominal fee" as Everton announced on Wednesday) for the player. Crazy as it is. The Blues have actually made a profit on their free transfer from Real Madrid...

So their top earner is gone. His fee is in the coffers. And there's now room in the budget and the club's Financial Fair Play parameters to deliver manager Rafa Benitez one, perhaps two, major additions in January after this past summer's limited spending. Not bad work from Marcel Brands and his team.

The same of which should also be said of Everton's front office a year ago. Beyond the genius of taking James on a free - much to the frustration of his former clubs, including Envigado - it's the thought and ambition which needs to be applauded - and encouraged.

Cycle back a year and Everton was bouncing. James had lifted not only the support, but his new teammates. Victory at Anfield. A goal at Old Trafford. The Colombian had Everton's players in awe.

"Some of the passes he makes, I don't know how he sees it," declared Alex Iwobi. "It's not normal."

And such achievements were pulled off this year. But eventually those calf problems couldn't be overcome. Then with Benitez's arrival came a new direction and for James the writing was on the wall.

James scoring at Old Trafford last season

But he did give the fans a lift. He did inspire those around him. Not often. Not nearly enough. But he did do so. And the promise he offered when available should force the club's decision makers to leave the door open to such a deal again.

We know that Brands and co are still working that angle. A swap bid for Porto's exciting goalscoring winger Luis Diaz has been confirmed. While we've also had news of Everton's attempt to beat Atletico Madrid to their deal with Hertha Berlin for Matheus Cunha. The brief for Brands remains players of that type of James flair.

But there should also be room for the big name. The player to not only excite the support and help them dream. But also the type that other players want to work with. One who helps attract other top level talent.

The belief and ambition behind the James deal was the right approach. It did have potential. It did almost work. But the choice of Benitez as Carlo Ancelotti's replacement always meant James' days as an Everton player were numbered.

Indeed, as much as Tino Asprilla has laid the blame on James' demise squarely at the feet of the player, it's difficult to see how anything the Colombian had planned would've won over his new manager.

“During the [World Cup] qualifiers, in Barranquilla I met an agent," Asprilla, the former Parma and Newcastle United star, revealed just last week. "We met in a restaurant. He speaks very good Spanish, he is Italian, he works with the people of Manchester.

“He told me a story that James, right now in this market, was offered to all the teams in Italy and nobody wanted to take him because of the problems of talking on Twitch. They were even being offered half the salary."

Is James blameless? No, of course not. But it can be argued he'd still be a Blue if Ancelotti hadn't skipped town. Benitez's mind had been made up before he'd even inked his Everton contract.

But this shouldn't put anyone off. There'll be other James Rodriguez's offered to Everton in the coming months. Players with experience. A profile. A presence. But also ones in need of that jolt to reignite a career.

For James, this experiment didn't work out. But for those pulling the strings at Goodison, this shouldn't put them off. The thought and ambition was correct. There's every chance they'll strike gold with the next such gamble.