Records And Goals - How 'winner' Rodon Found Home At Leeds

World Cup qualifier: Liechtenstein v Wales

Venue: Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz Date: Saturday, 15 November Kick-off: 17:00 GMT

Coverage: Live connected iPlayer, BBC One Wales, BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru, nan BBC Sport website and app, positive unrecorded matter commentary.

As he tried to calm nan interest aft conclusion astatine Nottingham Forest, head Daniel Farke admitted Leeds United supporters could beryllium described arsenic "emotional".

Which could spell a agelong measurement to explaining why Joe Rodon has fitted successful truthful good pinch them.

The Wales defender not only wears his bosom connected his sleeve, but displays it connected his face.

You didn't person to beryllium a assemblage connection master to spot nan 28-year-old's City Ground vexation arsenic Leeds managed to concede 3 goals for a 2nd week successful a row.

Nor what it has meant to beryllium a match-winner successful nan Premier League aft his first top-flight goals past month.

As Leeds' erstwhile title-winning centre-back Jon Newsome puts it: "He wouldn't make a very bully poker player".

But Rodon has go thing of an ace successful nan battalion astatine Elland Road, pinch his instrumentality favourite position going beyond conscionable simply showing what it means.

And you don't make a adjacent period of consecutive convention appearances – and mentions alongside Norman Hunter arsenic a consequence – for axenic passion alone.

Instead, Rodon is showing why he had been tipped for nan very apical aft breaking done astatine Swansea, and what Wales fans heading to Liechtenstein this play person known for immoderate time.

"He has each nan attributes to beryllium successful nan Premier League," said leader Craig Bellamy. "When we were astatine Burnley [in nan Championship], we wanted to bring him in. We felt he was a subordinate for nan precocious level.

"What we're seeing now is that player."

A subordinate that Wales and Leeds teammate Ethan Amapdu jokes is truthful competitory that "if it's who gets to luncheon quickest, he wants to triumph astatine that."

Hardly astonishing fixed Rodon's bloodline of grandfather Peter who played for Bradford and uncle Chris who played top-flight pinch Brighton.

And nan determination has agelong been obvious. His father, Keri – who played hoops for Wales – has antecedently told a communicative of schoolboy Joe pinning nan rejection missive from Wales Under-16's selectors connected his chamber doorway until he won his first headdress for nan Under-17s.

But, arsenic pinch many, that mindset tin besides bring its challenges.

"He had each nan attributes; quick, technical, a emblematic Swansea subordinate successful position of that comfortableness connected nan ball," says erstwhile Swansea City head of shot Leon Britton, who was still playing erstwhile Rodon sewage his first sensation of first squad shot pinch his hometown club.

"We played a crippled successful nan US successful pre-season and he was superb nan full game, really awesome for a kid coming successful for nan first time.

"But I retrieve sitting adjacent to him successful nan changing rooms afterwards and he was really beating himself up astir a correction he had made. Nothing major, he'd tried to play out, they nicked it and sewage a changeable away.

"I had to person a connection to punctual him that he couldn't fto it impact his confidence. But it was clear correct distant he had those standards he expected of himself."

Standards – arsenic Bellamy mentioned – galore thought were made for nan Premier League.

Ryan Giggs included, nan Wales head who gave him his debut wrong a twelvemonth of his 2018 first-team debut. Giggs likened Rodon to erstwhile Old Trafford teammate Gary Pallister connected relationship of his operation of velocity and strength.

Tottenham too, it seemed, erstwhile they paid Swansea £11m and offered a five-year deal.

But opportunities were constricted successful northbound London, moreover earlier and aft a indebtedness to Rennes. Wales kept faith, others wondered what nan fuss was astir - earlier a indebtedness to Leeds gave him nan chance to show it.

"He was superb past play successful nan Championship," says Newsome, portion of BBC Radio Leeds' commentary squad who watched Farke's broadside clinch nan second-tier title past term, Rodon signing permanently aft a play-off last conclusion nan erstwhile year.

"He's sewage that comfortableness connected nan ball, nan gait makes him guidelines out, and has that cognition wherever you tin spot what it intends – and fans will ever return to you if they tin spot you're giving everything erstwhile you've sewage that achromatic garment on.

"But for illustration pinch each player, there's that mobility of whether they tin measurement up. He's been tested and travel through. To beryllium honest, he's looked much comfortable successful nan Premier League."

And much objective too.

Because while you would expect Rodon to lead Leeds' statistic for aerial challenges, very fewer would person predicted him being associated apical scorer.

He has agelong worn nan scars of a centre-back consenting to usage his caput to support threat astatine bay – Swansea fans would singing of him heading bricks if they were aimed astatine extremity – but nan aforesaid power ne'er existed astatine nan different end.

But from being teased by teammates for having a "50 pence head" earlier his first extremity successful English shot 11 months ago, he's been priceless for nine and state since.

And besides for those who person him successful their Fantasy Premier League sides. His 46 points for £4.1m is among nan amended value-for-money defenders successful nan crippled this play truthful far, acknowledgment to goals against Bournemouth and West Ham.

"That is 1 of my achievements here, successful my reign, that I americium astir proud of," Farke said pinch a grin connected Rodon's extremity return past month, joking he warned he would driblet him if he didn't improve.

But Rodon has improved. In each aspect.

His consistency – moreover successful a somewhat concerning tally for Leeds and Wales – has made him 1 of nan first names connected nan teamsheet and applauded by supporters.

He has missed only 1 competitory world successful 4 years and started nan past 97 convention fixtures for Leeds, nan astir since Gary Kelly. The past outfield subordinate to scope an unbroken period was nan legendary Hunter.

"It's his activity ethic, his professionalism," says Leeds skipper Ampadu connected what makes Rodon that player.

"The operation of wanting to make himself amended and nan squad to beryllium astatine its best.

"He knows nan standards nan squad tin present astatine and erstwhile it's not correct he's a large driver to make judge they get there. His performances and really he is increasing is grounds of that, he's starting to show everyone what he tin do."

And – arsenic he truthful often does – showing everyone what it means.