In his post-match chat with reporters, Pascal Struijk noted that it wasn’t the first time he had been asked about the fantastic quality of Joe Rothwell.
The midfielder was the focal point of most good attacking phases of play in Leeds United’s 2-0 win over Millwall on Wednesday. In recent matches when he has been benched, it has been noticeable what Leeds lack in the centre of the park.
Away at Sheffield United, the midfield looked disjointed as Ilia Gruev was dragged out of position and Ao Tanaka was overrun early on. Rothwell came on to steady the ship 10 minutes after half-time and he was a quiet yet pivotal reason why Leeds were able to turn the game around.
It was his corner that led to Tanaka’s header which made it 2-1 but his ability to find the forward pass was crucial. He showcased that from the off against Millwall in midweek, his ball threading through Manor Solomon for the opening goal.
“I think there's a lot of questions over the season that I answer about him,” Struijk smiled at full time. “I'm in no doubt of his quality.
"He is really good on the ball, drives the game forward for us and especially defensively, you know, he does his job as well.”
Rothwell is a player who leads by actions and casts a steady presence in the dressing room. Struijk admires that quality.
“He's a top player, top guy as well,” the vice-captain added of Rothwell. “He's a little bit on the calmer side I would say but it doesn't take anything away from what he brings to the table.
“He brings maturity to the table, he brings experience and you can show this in the dressing room, after games especially.”
Manager Daniel Farke concurred in his post-match press conference, unfurling the superlatives about the Bournemouth loanee’s character. “Relaxed, calm, experienced,” he said.
“A great lad with a good sense of humour. He’s not always there with a speech or talking that much - he holds his cards to himself but in a nice and gentle way. He’s a great teammate and it’s a joy to work with him.
“Even on the training pitch, sometimes he touches the balls to tender it’s like watching pure poetry. [But] still a few challenges in his game. He could do with more assists and goals.
“So let’s not praise him too much! His balls from set-pieces are great but there are a few situations where he could have scored.”
So when it comes to his game play, it seems Farke is still looking for a little bit more from the 30-year-old. But as for his character, it seems like Rothwell has got what exactly the manager wants in his promotion-striving squad.