‘You don’t get to see’: Sky pundit claims £11m Tottenham star has a rare quality

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Ashley Williams has claimed that Tottenham defender Joe Rodon has an ‘old school’ style to his defending which ‘you don’t get to see’ in today’s game, as he told Sky Sports Football (11/10/21 at 7:20 pm)

The former Premier League player stated that he has been a fan of the Spurs defender for a number of years and someone who Wales will ‘build the team around’.

That’s some praise for a player that’s hardly getting a kick at club level, yet earning more minutes for his country.

Rodon started back-to-back games for Wales over the international break, as they increased their chances of reaching Qatar for the 2022 World Cup.

He is yet to start a game in the Premier League for Nuno Espirito Santo – and has been resorted to only 78 minutes, the rest of his game time has come in the Europa Conference League.

Either way, Williams was lauding the player, how he is one for the future and how he has a rare quality in today’s game compared to other defenders.

“He’s very important (to Wales),” said Williams. “He is one of the very first names on the teamsheet.

“I have been a big fan of Joe’s for years now. I think he is someone we are going to build the team around. Ethan Ampadu, players that are crucial to our future.

“I think when Joe plays, I love to watch him play because he can do both sides. He’s very composed in what he does, when it’s chaotic, he settles the game down a little bit. Take a touch and he’s not panicking at all.

“He can start attacks for Wales from the back. Breaking the teams’ press (whilst driving with the ball forward) it just nullifies the opposition and what they are trying to do. And we are up the pitch with one dribble or a couple of passes.

“On the other side, he’s a little old school, which you don’t get to see these days from defender. He celebrates tackles and blocks.”

It’s going to be interesting to see what happens with Rodon this season because he clearly can’t continue just playing second or third fiddle.

If his game time doesn’t improve under Nuno then it wouldn’t be a surprise if he asks for some sort of loan in January.

But with Spurs in Europe, still in the League Cup, the winter period of the Premier League to come, along with the FA Cup, then those minutes surely have to increase for the £11 million man (BBC Sport).