Bale baffled by Conte decision, urges him to play ‘fantastic’ Rodon

[mawspurs]

Wales star Gareth Bale is baffled that Antonio Conte opted against playing Tottenham Hotspur defender Joe Rodon much during the 2021/22 season.

Source: Football 365

 

[Japhet]

It is a bit of an odd one. Rodon seems like one of those players who just loves defending. I would really like to keep him around and see him get his chance because I'm pretty sure he'll take that opportunity somewhere else and we'll regret it.

 

[Col_M]

And so draws the line under the Will He Return debate as he tells the boss how to do his job.

 

[ralvy]

I like Rodon and hope he stays, but look how well our defence performed the last 12 or so matches of the season Nothing baffling about that, I'm afraid.

 

[Japhet]

I like Rodon and hope he stays, but look how well our defence performed the last 12 or so matches of the season Nothing baffling about that, I'm afraid.

Fact is, you need much more than a top starting XI to be competitive over a long season in all competitions. Rodon, imo, is very capable of playing plenty of those games.

 

[Johnny J]

Fact is, you need much more than a top starting XI to be competitive over a long season in all competitions. Rodon, imo, is very capable of playing plenty of those games.

And yet three of our managers all chose not to play him unless absolutely needed.

I agree he looks decent for Wales, but there must be a reason he hasn't played more. And the most simple and likely reason is that, based on what the managers saw in training, every day, they didn't think he was good enough.

 

[Khilari]

At 24 he really does need to be playing at the very least in rotation but is 5th in our CB choice (perhaps even 6th behind Tanganga).

 

[ShelfWatcher]

Am a big fan of Rodon, and hope we keep him and use him as back up.
But understand that it's maybe better for all sides if he moves elsewhere. For sure, if we buy another CB, seems pointless him staying.

 

[Lumiere]

He doesn't start because he's not good enough.

Yeah he's ok for Wales but then there's a huge difference between the standard of international and club football isn't there?

I mean Joe Allen looks a world beater at international level for fucks sake.

 

[Jenko]

Premier league team loan move. That'll sort this shit out once and for all. I think he's a great asset in the air but not sure he's good technically, and his passing is poor. In Conte we trust.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

I like Rodon and hope he stays, but look how well our defence performed the last 12 or so matches of the season Nothing baffling about that, I'm afraid.

I totally agree that there's not justification to start Rodon ahead of any of our starting CBS. Without reading the artcile, I presume Bale's point is not that Rodon should have been starting XI, but that he should have been given more opportunities when players are out / rotation is required. Under the previous 3 managers, there were times that:

• Tanganga was selected ahead of him.
• Emerson dropped into RCB.
• We changed formation to avoid using him (2 CBs instead of 3).

All of the above equates to a situation that is very different than "not good enough for starting XI". He's arguably only 7th choice and no manager seems to trust him.

Edit: FWIW I don't understand why we signed him, when Sanchez (2 years older, but better) & Tanganga (1 year younger) were both still young with unfulfilled potential. Perhaps Sanchez was expected to move on, but a deal fell through.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

At 24 he really does need to be playing at the very least in rotation but is 5th in our CB choice (perhaps even 6th behind Tanganga).

Perhaps 7th behind Emerson (who has slotted in at RCB while Rodon sat on the bench / in the stands).

 

[JSpurs1]

Bit of a non-story. Hardly going to agree with a teammate not playing regularly.

Bale is a bit of a menace when he gets with the Welsh squad isn’t he. The “we’ve got more passion” rubbish at 2016, the flag business and comments like this.