Joe Rodon injury update emerges after Leeds United incident v Burnley with Daniel Farke sacking rumours
Daniel Farke has shared an update on Joe Rodon after Leeds United lost 1-0 to Burnley on Saturday 14 September.
The Welsh international was left bloodied after a head collision with Josh Brownhill, he was sent back onto the pitch before Farke made the call to remove him from the match.
Farke admitted to the Yorkshire Evening Post [14 September] that a hip problem heading into the fixture was the reason he removed the 26-year-old.
He said: “Obviously, he’s a warrior and wanted to go out, but he had also a little hip problem. He was also on international duty and that gave us more or less a problem, not just because of his head, more like because of his hip, because he felt even, even a little problem before.
“And then I said to come on, then together with the head injury, not a concussion thank God, the hip injury and regarding the load that he had, to take him off out of the situation.”
While the Leeds supporters will be glad to hear that Rodon is not seriously hurt following his collision with Brownhill, Farke’s comments surface a deeper problem.
Rodon is a stalwart in the Whites’ defence and played a pivotal role in helping his side reach the Championship play-off final last season.
Farke cannot afford to lose his star defender and needs to manage his injury concerns, the way he has with his international teammate Dan James [Leeds Live], who has missed the past two matches.
It seems neglectful that the Leeds boss would risk further injury to Rodon and with a trip to Cardiff City next, perhaps it is the perfect opportunity to let the Welshman sit out and receive the proper treatment.
The Whites’ form this season against their promotion rivals has now become a concern, the loss against Burnley following the 0-0 draw to West Brom is raising serious questions on whether the current Leeds squad is good enough to rub shoulders with the best Championship sides.
On paper, Leeds boasts by far the best squad in the division but they need to live up to the hype by beating the teams that will be competing alongside them for the automatic promotion spots this season.
In other Leeds news, Scott Parker reacts to Leeds United controversy v Burnley.
Do not be surprised to find out that upon Leeds’ short trip to Turf Moor for the reverse fixture in January, Sarmiento’s post is stuck on the dressing room wall or at least brought up by Farke, Ethan Ampadu or another senior figure in the team.
Cardiff City’s poor start makes them an ideal next opponent for the Whites, and the trip to South Wales will be one in which they will look to dig out an important return to winning form.
In other Leeds news, a call to drop Mateo Joseph for the Cardiff clash.
