Leeds United resume their Premier League campaign on Saturday - hoping to capitalise on Joe Rodon's form in front of goal
Brian Dick Reach Football Correspondent and Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
13:15, 17 Oct 2025
Daniel Farke hasn't merely welcomed Joe Rodon's increasingly dominant aerial performances - he's described them as 'one of my proudest achievements' in his time as Leeds United manager.
Speaking ahead of this weekend's trip to Burnley, Farke noted the fact 6ft 4ins Rodon has started to make an impact not just at defensive set pieces but in the opposition box as well.
Indeed having scored just once in 139 matches - in the 2-0 win over Derby last season - the centre back has now bagged three headed goals in his last 11 games for club and country.
Two have come for Wales, including in the 4-2 loss to Belgium a few days ago, and there was one in the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth in the most recent match at Elland Road. He also headed home agianst Lichtenstein in the summer.
Farke says it is something he has nagged Rodon about, suggesting he has used a bit of 'tough love' with the 27-year-old.
"That's one of my achievements here, in my reign, I'm most proud of, from all what I have achieved here," the German said.
"Because from the first day, when Joe Rodon walked in, I told him 'Listen, I won't allow such a guy who's so strong in defensive headers, who is so good with the head and we look at your goal record - nil goals'.
"I'm on it each and every day, each and every training week. So he has to take so many offensive headers.
"I'm still not 100% happy with this outcome, but it seems like it works. Sometimes tough love and being strict works. He's improving a lot for us, for Wales, I'm happy with this.
"He's developing more and more to become a goal threat and this is what you have to do. It's an important topic.
"I've mentioned and spoke about this so often - if you want to achieve something, if you want to win a title, if you want to win the cup, there's always a game that you have to win with set pieces.
"And this is the mentality that you also need to have as a defensive player.
"It's not like 'Oh, I'm annoyed that I have to do the metres into the opponent's box and then I have to sprint back. I would rather stay lazy at the back then don't have to do the metres'.
"Come on, be greedy to score goals - and this is what he's improving a lot.
"He's also improving his offensive header technique a lot, and becoming more and more of a goal threat right now, and hopefully it continues, and it's important for us.
"It's a trend that you need to have as a defensive player right now, also to chip in, sometimes with goal out of set pieces.
"Really no jokes, one of my proudest achievements, because I thought it would never happen, because he was so poor when he arrived. Meanwhile, he is at least solid."
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