Youngsters proving the heartbeat for Swansea
IT was a breathless enough contest for supporters to handle, so spare a thought for the man making his first start in six months as Swansea City and Leeds United played out a Championship thriller on Tuesday night.
With an hour on the clock, the cameras picked out Swans captain Leroy Fer during a break in play, he was the very definition of exhausted.
The Dutchman was taking in huge gulps of oxygen, trying to keep himself going amidst the relentless tempo and back and fore.
It should not have come as a surprise. After all, it was just a fortnight after returning to full training having ruptured his Achilles at Leicester back in February. Prior to facing the Whites, he had just 51 minutes under his belt from substitute outings against Preston and Birmingham.
In the end he would see out 73 minutes, unable to give any more as his manager had predicted would be the case before kick-off. Ninety minutes was going to be beyond him so soon into his comeback.
But there was no doubting the difference he made, bringing a physical presence and drive to the centre of the park, adding some steel to an area where Swansea had struggled at St Andrew’s just 96 hours earlier.
No wonder he was feeling the effects post-match.
“It probably wasn’t the easiest game for me to come back for,” said the former QPR and Norwich man with a knowing smile.
“I will be honest with you and say that after 10 minutes I looked up, saw how long had gone and just thought to myself ‘Wow!’
“I thought I would do well to get through 45 minutes and I would have to go off.
“But after that I managed to find a bit of rhythm and came into it a bit more until those last few minutes where I was really tired and that’s why the gaffer said it was time to come off.
“We have another game coming up very soon so I don’t know how they will manage me, maybe a two-day lie down! A lot of relaxing.
“But I was very proud to captain the side for the first time, I love this club and I was very proud.”
It has been a long road back for Fer, even though he has returned well ahead of schedule; he was originally pencilled in for an October of November comeback.
He is a positive personality and a gregarious character within the squad and dressing room, but he admitted he had endured some difficult days as he watched helplessly while the Swans were relegated last term.
“My family and friends stood behind me, if I was ever having a bad day they made sure they kept me positive. I am a positive person, but in a long period of injury it does get to you,” he said.
“But they, and the people at Swansea really helped me.”I had been out for four months earlier in my career but this was the hardest, it was a bad injury and it is normally nine months, but here I am playing after six months. So I count my blessings.” AT the end of the pulsating 2-2 draw with Leeds United at the Liberty on Tuesday night, Connor Roberts approached the East Stand.
“You Jack b ****** ” was set to maximum volume and belted out by fans, and the resulting beam on his exhausted face said it all.
He had put in so much; it was only fair the crowd did the same. They duly did.
The homegrown right-back was superb from start to finish, picking up where he left off at Sheffield United, Preston and Birmingham against what will likely be one of the Championship title front runners.
At St Andrew’s last Friday he spoke confidently and with authority in front of the Sky cameras at the end of the match.
His demeanour suggested butter wouldn’t melt - which is ironic, as there is a brilliant bit of devil about the 22-year-old.
He seems to relish a bit of niggle, likes the physical and is not afraid to put it about.
Against Birmingham and Leeds he was frequently the first on the scene if there was the mere scent of confrontation, always willing to back up teammates.
Despite being a youngster he is already showing maturity beyond his years. Why Garry Monk failed to use him at Middlesbrough last term is baffling. But to borrow a phrase from the legendary commentator Barry Davies, who cares?
He’s Swansea through and through and the same goes for Joe Rodon.
As referee Andy Davies blew the fulltime whistle at the Liberty, the ball hung in the air after a long punt from Leeds keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell. Despite the whistle’s shrill being long gone, Rodon still headed the ball clear like his life depended on it.
Once again the 20-year-old put in a performance that belied his age and he looks more assured with every minute he gets under his belt.
He brought the ball out of defence superbly, going on a few mazy runs which all centre-backs day dream about - and all managers have palpations over.
He immediately raised his hand in apologetic acknowledgement when he misplaced a pass late in the second half, putting his team-mates under undue pressure, which resulted in a corner.
A 12-year association with a club means you care more than most.
He will also no doubt beat himself up about the equaliser - when in truth he couldn’t do much about it.
He had been cramping up from about 75 minutes but the same workmanlike application was there throughout.
He made the point of clapping all sides of the ground when he left the pitch.
In Roberts and Rodon Swansea have something you can’t teach, coach or bottle.
Homegrown talents have a natural affinity with the club, the shirt, the fans. Pulling on that jersey will mean more to those two than anyone else at the club. That is not to suggest that Oli McBurnie et al don’t care; far from it - they sweat and bleed for the shirt as well, and that was illustrated perfectly on Tuesday night.
But the boys from Llangyfelach (Rodon) and Neath (Roberts) just have that emotional bond few footballers get to experience in their careers.
Why do we take them to heart more? Because they show their heart; it beats for the club when they win and aches to the core when they lose. In short, they are fans, like the 20,860 there on Tuesday. They are living the supporters’ dream, and through them fans can get somewhere near to experiencing it.
“The Jack Army are the best fans in the world, always right behind us and it just gives you that extra motivation to help us grind out those results,” Rodon said after his man-of-the-match debut against Preston.
If he and Roberts can follow in the footsteps of Joe Allen and Ben Davies – the last ‘local’ products to make the Liberty grade – then Swans fans will be absolutely delighted.