Deportivo v West Brom : Homecoming for Rodriguez family

Jay’s grandparents hailed from Coruna, and the Albion striker’s father Kiko spent several years of his childhood in the Spanish port city.

Kiko even had a trial at Deportivo when he was a teenager, but on Saturday night he will be in the stands of the Estadio Riazor, cheering on his son with the rest of the Baggies fans.

It’s set to be an emotional homecoming for the proud father, who hasn’t been back to Coruna for some years.

“It’s my home town really,” Kiko told the Express & Star. “It’s coincidence that Jay’s playing there but I’ve decided to go over.”

Kiko was born in Burnley but his parents took him back to Coruna when he was a baby before returning to the UK when he was four.

Kiko’s father died when he was just nine, and his mother then decided to return to the city when he was 16.

Although the family only spent 12 months in Spain, that’s when Kiko had his trial. He was a striker, just like his son, although he never made it as a professional. “I was better than him!” he joked, before adding “Well, I wish I was.”

Kiko and his wife Carol haven’t taken their family over to the city for more than a decade, and Jay hasn’t been to the town that gave him the Rodriguez name since he was young.

“The last time we took Jay over there was when he was 13 or 14,” said Kiko. “I’ve not been back since either, so it’s a great opportunity.”

A football-mad Burnley fan, Kiko and his other son Joe plan to sit in the away end with the rest of the Albion supporters this weekend and he’s invited all the Baggies heading to Spain to come say hello.

“I’m one of those, I’d rather go in the stand with the fans, because I did that at Burnley,” he said. “We could have had had a box when Jay was there, but I stood in the stands.

“I’ve already had a few Albion fans on Twitter saying ‘can we meet up for a beer?’ and that. One fan won a bet because Jay scored the other day. He said ‘I owe your son a drink’, and I told him ‘you owe me a drink, we brought him into life!’.

“I’m looking forward to going to Coruna, I did it with Southampton when we went to Milan and we spent half the afternoon chatting with the fans.”

Jay was born in Burnley and was snapped up by the Clarets at the age of 10 before making his way through the youth system and into the first team.

But Burnley kept telling the Rodriguez parents that their son was too small for football. Although he now stands over six feet tall, when he was a teenager, he was dwarfed by the others.

“It’s tough as a parent,” said Kiko. “You don’t know what’s coming round the corner, you don’t know if he’s going to get a scholarship or pro deal.

"It’s cruel, it’s not all positive, they get criticised, they get assessments, for years we were told he wasn’t big enough. Some develop later than others.

“We had a plumbing course ready for him when he was 16 because we didn’t know what was coming. All we heard was he was talented but he wasn’t big enough. But he’s 6ft 3in now, he’s a big strong lad.”

Because of his experience as a parent, Kiko decided to set up a football agency called DRN Sports that focuses primarily on youth team players.

“A lot of young lads out there are not being looked after properly,” he said. “I have been a parent, you think, is he going to get a contract? What happens if he doesn’t?

“We tell kids don’t think you’ve made it until you’ve made it. The dreams can soon be taken away from them.

“Some agencies drop those who don’t make it, but we work even harder if they get released, and give them the support they need.”

Because of his job, Kiko is not always available on Saturdays, but he’s glad his son has moved closer to his home in Burnley because he’ll be able to see more of him on and off the pitch. And he’s excited for Jay about the upcoming season.

“West Brom have got a really good side on paper,” he said. “They’re a big club and they’ve got big players in there. The likes of Jonny Evans and Nacer Chadli have pedigree. I’ve watched the pre-season games, and some of the young lads were decent too.

“There are concerns about signings but I’m a Burnley fan saying ‘why are we not buying anyone?’ Everyone’s got an opinion about their own club. Do you need 24 players in a squad? For me personally, no.”

Rodriguez has been the marquee signing of the summer so far, and he’s looked impressive in pre-season.

Four years ago he had a stand-out campaign for Southampton that put him in the England squad ahead of an impending World Cup.

Although his dad would love to see him in the Three Lions shirt again, particularly with another World Cup looming, he says Jay is solely focused on playing for Albion at the moment.

“As a parent, that was all my dreams coming true,” said Kiko. “Even if he doesn’t play again, he can turn around and say he’s worn that shirt.

“If (England boss Gareth) Southgate sticks to his word and picks people on performance, you never know.

“But the main thing for Jay though, is to play with West Brom and let people know that he wants to play for West Brom. He doesn’t want to let anyone down.

“I hope a lot of the fans get a chance to meet him, because he’s got so much time for people.”