ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine placed the onus for his strained relationship with Kevin Youkilis on the former Boston infielder Sunday morning.

"I think the comment I made early, he made a big issue out of, and I don't think he ever wanted to get over it," Valentine said in response to a question about Youkilis, who will return to Fenway Park on Monday as a member of the Chicago White Sox, the team to which he was traded June 24.

Valentine was alluding to a comment he made to WHDH-TV's Joe Amorosino on April 15.

"I don't think he's as physically or emotionally into the game as he has been in the past for some reason," Valentine told Amorosino.

Youkilis responded angrily the next day, meeting with both Valentine and Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington.

"I'm more confused than anything, because I think everyone knows I go out and play the game as hard as I can," Youkilis said at the time.

But it was obvious the relationship never healed.

Asked Sunday if it was strained, Valentine said, "I have no idea. It was whatever he wanted it to be."

Youkilis, told of Valentine's comments before Chicago's game in Kansas City on Sunday, chose not to address them.

"I got nothing about any of that stuff," he said before a game against the Kansas City Royals. "I'm over all the Boston thing of this year. There is a lot of great past history, but the focus is on the White Sox."