Rob Page has stated that Joe Rodon’s situation at Tottenham is ‘frustrating’ and a ‘concern’, as he told his press conference.
The Wales boss suggested that he wants the Tottenham centre-back to go out on loan because of his lack of game time this season.
Leading up to Euro 2020, Rodon’s game time went downhill after he fell out of favour with interim boss Ryan Mason.
With Nuno Espirito Santo now walking the Hotspur Way touchline, Rodon has only played 78 minutes of Premier League football this term and started one Europa Conference League game.
It’s problematic for Page because it means he will have a player that just doesn’t have the match sharpness for Wales’ upcoming crucial World Cup qualifiers.
Nonetheless, this is what Page had to say about the concerning Rodon situation in North London.
“It’s a concern because now is the first camp where we don’t have the friendly game,” said Page. “Previous camps, with lads not playing domestic football, we have had to use that friendly to get players minutes.
“That’s the frustrating thing for us. We aren’t really having our best players, I have used Joe as an example before. The best player for Swansea, rightly so he gets a move to a top club.
“Then they have to manage him when he is there. If he’s not getting minutes. Can they get him out on loan? Because that’s how we benefit from that.
“It’s alright going to these top clubs. But we want our players playing. I think he went on against Palace, with Ben Davies, they both played in that game.
“So, I went last week to watch him against Chelsea. I was frustrated as him because he didn’t get any minutes. That’s down to the club.”
Last summer, Spurs paid Swansea City £11 million for Rodon’s services (BBC Sport), as the club looked to replace the departed Jan Vertonghen.
He wasn’t picked for the Europa League squad, and after a lack of game time at the beginning, he started to get bursts of starts by then-boss Jose Mourinho.
It was more than what he is getting now, but even then it wasn’t enough, and now it seems unlikely he will get his wish of regular first-team football.
When big-money summer signing Cristian Romero is on the bench, then that says a lot as to where Rodon is in the centre-back picture under Nuno.
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