‘From What I’m Told’ – Leeds United Legend Drops Key Detail On Whites Star | OneFootball

Carl Recine/Getty Images

Leeds United legend Stuart Dallas has shared what he has been told about centre-back Joe Rodon, highlighting the defender’s professionalism and unwavering commitment to attending every training session.

Rodon arrived at Elland Road in 2023 on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, making 50 appearances in his first season and quickly cementing his place as a defensive cornerstone under Daniel Farke before completing a permanent £10m move the following year.

Last season, the Welsh international played a pivotal role in guiding the Whites back to the Premier League, helping them lift the Championship trophy along the way, with a Leeds legend noting that the centre-back had stepped into a prominent leadership role as the campaign moved into its decisive stages.

This season, Rodon has remained an indispensable figure in defence, making 28 appearances in a Whites shirt and contributing two goals, with Farke highlighting his growing ability to pose a threat in attacking situations.

Dallas praised the 26-year-old for the leadership qualities and reliability he brings to the team, highlighting the defender’s sense of responsibility, fighting spirit, and influence both on and off the pitch.

The 34-year-old suggested that the Welsh defender embodies the characteristics the club value, lifting the lid on the fact that Rodon rarely misses a training session, which helps to drive high standards at Elland Road, a quality that has been praised by the Whites skipper as well.

He added that such dedication sets an example within the squad, particularly for younger players in the academy, who can look to Rodon as a model professional.

Dallas said on The Official Leeds United Podcast (32:31): “I think when you look at Joe, the responsibility that he brings, the fighting spirit, the leadership, everything, that’s probably everything that the club embodies as well, isn’t it?

“Like that fighting spirit.

“And I think to be successful here, we’ve seen so many players come and go over the years.

“Even when I was playing, good players who couldn’t do it on the pitch.

“And I think for the likes of Joe, he’s the perfect leader for the team now in terms of how he leads on the pitch, off the pitch, never misses a game, very rarely misses a game.

“And from what I’m told, he very rarely misses a training session as well.

“That takes a lot, and I have huge admiration for people like that because I know I’ve done it myself.

“I didn’t like to miss a training session.

“And I think speaking to people within the club, Joe’s very much like that, never misses a training session, and it shows on the pitch because he never misses a game.

“To have somebody like that now is what the young players in the academy can learn from.”

Farke has deployed a back three since the end of November, with Rodon adapting to the right-sided position and performing admirably as the Whites compiled an unbeaten run in December, earning recognition from the manager as a key component of the team’s plans and a role model for his peers.

Rodon has also reflected on the most influential advice he received from a Tottenham Hotspur legend, guidance that he believes helped strengthen his approach to the game.

The Yorkshire side currently sit three points clear of the relegation zone, and with just nine league fixtures remaining, they will be seeking to secure sufficient points in the run-in to maintain their Premier League status.