Comment: Jay Rodriguez’s true character is there for all to see

It can’t have been easy to talk about, but it was something he probably wished to get off his chest.

As was stated in these pages at the time, only one person really knows what was said that day.

Although the ‘not proven’ verdict was unsatisfactory for both sides, when it’s a case of one man’s word against another’s, it really was the only one available to the FA.

We will never know for sure what Jay Rodriguez said to Gaetan Bong back in January, but what we do know is what has happened since.

In the immediate aftermath Bong went on French television to air his side of the story before any verdict had been reached. It was an unwise move that was noted by the independent panel.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, kept quiet despite the potential slander against his name.

The Albion striker then received character references from the managers of his previous clubs, Mauricio Pochettino (Southampton) and Eddie Howe (Burnley), as well as countless team-mates too many to mention here.

Alan Pardew spoke on his behalf at the hearing, and Darren Moore gave his public backing when he was made caretaker boss.

Over the summer, Burnley were keen to give Rodriguez his dream move back to his home-town club, the club he supported as a kid.

They bid £16million and to top it all, the Clarets were back in Europe for the first time in more than 50 years. It could be another 50 years before they return.

But while his Albion team-mates around him engineered moves by spitting their dummies out, Rodriguez carried on, as wholeheartedly professional as ever.

Ben Foster and James McClean were sold, Craig Dawson had to be eased back into the team.

Rodriguez, on the other hand, started the season in determined fashion, scoring four goals in the first four matches.

Anybody who was at Norwich and witnessed his passionate celebration after netting the penalty knew there and then he was committed to the cause.

“The club have been great with me throughout,” he said. “It was a difficult time. I think they believed in me.”

Rodriguez repaid that faith almost straight away, and went on his hottest streak of form last season in the immediate aftermath of the allegations when others would have let it consume them.

On the pitch, last season’s top scorer rarely lets his work-rate dip, despite being misused at times over the past 12 months.

Off the pitch, Rodriguez seems like a grounded person. Anybody who has met him and his family will recognise he is the sort of salt-of-the-earth chap they make with regularity in Burnley.

Earlier this month, Rodriguez went back home to start and take part in a 5km colour dash for a Burnley hospice.

A day later, Bong failed to appear in court after being caught speeding without a driving licence. He will be banned from driving.

This is not a character assassination of Bong – whose only trait relevant to this incident is his hearing – but rather a character reference for Rodriguez.

“Racism is a very serious issue, of course it is,” he said. “If it was something I did then obviously you need to be fully punished.

“It’s a serious issue, not just in football but anywhere in life.

“People should report it if they are abused, that is important... (But) I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Unfortunately for Rodriguez, the allegation is something he will always have to live with, but it sounds like he may have comes to terms with that – “I’ve come through it and you always come (out) stronger.”

Rodriguez is sure of himself, but considering the lack of conclusive evidence either way, there will always be doubt for others.

In that scenario it’s up to each individual to choose whether they believe Rodriguez or not. I choose to.