Joe Rodon exclusive: How Leeds United's ‘mixture of leaders’ and Elland Road factor will boost Premier League survival fight

Leeds United take on Sunderland in their next Premier League match, live on TNT Sports and discovery+, looking to drag themselves further away from the relegation trapdoor. Ahead of the game, defender Joe Rodon spoke to TNT Sports about how the team is shaping up heading into the final stretch of fixtures this season.

Joe Rodon believes the experience in the Leeds United squad could give his side the edge over their relegation rivals in their fight for Premier League survival this season.

The Whites sit in 15th place in the table, six points off the bottom three heading into the final 10 games of the season, and host Sunderland in their next match, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

The Wales defender hailed the dressing room atmosphere under Daniel Farke, pointing to the experience in the group, name-checking those who form a ‘mixture of leaders’ within the squad.

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"Me and Ethan [Ampadu] kind of came in at the same time, and it was kind of, like a rebuild, like a reshuffle, happening over from then to now," he told TNT Sports.

"I'd say we have a good balance, obviously, with Pascal [Struijk] and even players like Dom [Calvert-Lewin], Sean [Longstaff] and JJ [James Justin] coming in as well with that experience.

"I think there's a really good mixture of leaders and balance in the group who have been in this league and experienced this.

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"From my perspective, it's the best, my favourite dressing room I've been in, and I think when you see that on the pitch, the team never giving up and constantly chipping away and going. I think that just reflects what the team's all about".

Following a narrow defeat to Manchester City at Etihad Stadium in late November, Leeds found themselves in the relegation zone, but since then, have lost just three times as they continue to claw their way away from trouble.

Rodon also praised manager Farke, and says everyone at the club is pulling in the same direction to remain in the division come the end of the season.

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"The boss has always kind of implemented that into the dressing room and the squad," he said.

"We're all one team. It's the slogan of Leeds, 'Side Before Self', that's the main thing here, and I think it reflects on the pitch.

"The manager has always been a motivator and always demanded high standards and more from the team, and that will be an everyday case with us.

"But I think as players, I think it's more kind of adding the belief in the confidence to really want to belong in this league.

"And I feel like, of course, over the last few seasons, teams that have come up have gone straight back down, so obviously the gap has got bigger and it's been very difficult.

"But I think the motivation and the size of the club of Leeds and everything, being back in the Premier League, I think that's our biggest motivation and where we want to be."

With Sunderland set to arrive at Elland Road next, Rodon is banking on his side’s home form to help the club in the fight for Premier League survival this season.

Leeds have picked up 22 of their 31 points this season in front of their own fans, and the 28-year-old credits the support from the stands as a reason behind this.

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"Coming into this season, I think we always knew, of course, playing away against these top teams was always going to be very difficult," he continued.

"But we knew we had Elland Road and of the 12th man which is the fans, and they've been outstanding all season. I think that's part of making it difficult for teams to come here and play against us.

"The fans play a massive part in that with the atmosphere, and they've been brilliant and everyone just as one and all together.

"We're really strong at home, and we want to keep that going and adding more points on the board and achieving our targets."

Sporting obsession and World Cup dreams

Rodon’s football journey began at Swansea City with his 2023 arrival at Leeds - initially on loan - coming via a spell at Tottenham Hotspur.

The Wales international comes from a sporting family, with grandfather Peter and uncle Chris also playing professional football, as well as older brother Sam, who was in the Swansea academy too.

His father Keri played basketball for Wales, and Rodon feels these influences are what helped him make it to the highest level of football himself.  

"I think a lot of that has to do with it," he said. "Of course, being around it all the time is only going to want to make you be involved.

"Obviously older brother playing football when I was younger, going to watch him all the time - I wanted to do the same.

"And my mum and dad were just always involved and doing everything for me, I was just kind of just obsessed with it and just given a perfect platform and lucky enough to experience those opportunities and those moments growing up.

"I'll always be grateful and thankful for them. Just always been obsessed with sports and I felt like that's the only thing I could do."

On whether his sports obsession might have seen him take a different career path and follow in his father’s footsteps, Rodon junior admitted the basketball rim might have, quite literally, been out of reach.

"I don't think I was tall enough or good enough for that, but I'm a big fan, love watching it," he said.

"I don't think I would have been good at it. Obviously, I used to play it back in the day, but no, I'm a big fan and I think we'll just keep it at that, to be fair."

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Rodon has made over 100 appearances for Leeds, featuring in every game of their Championship promotion last season.

A mainstay in the Whites backline, he also features for his country, hoping to reach the FIFA World Cup in North America this summer, should they navigate the UEFA play-offs in March.

Wales host Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff in their semi-final, and if they progress, either Italy or Northern Ireland - again at home - in the final.

Rodon is bullish about their prospects: "When you look at Welsh football at this moment in time, I think a lot of players are playing more and [getting] regular game time, which is obviously a massive, massive benefit and factor going into these games.

"Obviously, touch wood, we need a fully fit squad and everyone we can get. I think it's going to be a really, exciting and amazing opportunity to, hopefully, another dream come true.

"Of course, we can't look too far ahead to it because there's still games to be played, but, it's one we’re motivated and excited for."

How to watch Leeds v Sunderland

Leeds v Sunderland will be live on TNT Sports 2 and discovery+. Kick-off is at 19:30 UK time, with coverage starting from 19:00.

TNT Sports is available across all major TV platforms, offering a line-up of up to four TV channels (TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports 2, TNT Sports 3, TNT Sports 4), and up to six digital or red-button channels (TNT Sports 5 to 10), and TNT Sports Ultimate plus TNT Sports Box Office HD.

You can subscribe to TNT Sports through discovery+, BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.

To find out where your local establishments showing TNT Sports are, use our Pub Finder.

For the latest information on which football matches are on TNT Sports, click here.

Here is the TNT Sports schedule and TV guide. And for the full Premier League schedule, click here.

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