'Make us stronger' - Joe Rodon determined to right Leeds United Championship play-off wrong at new 'home'
Leeds United look set to challenge for a spot in the Premier League again this season.
Joe Rodon insists the Leeds United squad have come out of May’s play-off final defeat stronger as they look to achieve their promotion goal at the second time of asking.
Rodon spent last season on loan from Tottenham Hotspur and proved colossal at centre-back, starting almost every game from mid-August onwards as part of the Championship's meanest defence. He and his teammates racked up an outstanding 90 points but fell short of the top two, with a flat display at Wembley ending in an all-too-familiar feeling of defeat for the supporters.
That was realistically expected to be the end of Rodon’s Leeds career, with his performances at Elland Road attracting interest from a host of Premier League clubs. But despite that chance of top-flight football, the Welshman opted to join the Whites permanently and hopes to earn his shot via promotion this campaign.
“Of course the way it ended was not what we wanted but as a club and as players we wanted to get that way from us as soon as possible,” Rodon told BBC Sport Wales of May’s play-off heartbreak. “We all had our motivation and it'll only make us stronger as a group going forward. Now I just want to focus on this season.
“Over the last few years it hasn't really been right for me, so just going there last season, through the course of the season it felt more and more like home for me. The way the fans and everyone at the club have been with me, I just thought it was home for me.
“Of course, I didn't like the way it ended and just thought Leeds was the place for me. I've loved every minute of it and will continue to give everything for the club. Hopefully we can be successful going forward.”
Rodon is currently away on international duty with Wales, who play Iceland [Friday October 11] and Montenegro [Monday October 14] in their Nations League group. The defender is one of six regular starters at Leeds to head off on international duty, with some late returnees ahead of next Friday’s visit of Sheffield United to Elland Road.
The centre-back will be one of the earliest to report back at Thorp Arch, with the likes of Ao Tanaka, Junior Firpo and Brenden Aaronson all cutting it fine to be fit to face the Blades. Leeds will also be without a number of injured players but could welcome back Rodon’s compatriot, Dan James, and winger Manor Solomon.