Jordan Rhodes' former boss Simon Grayson describes the Rhodes conundrum faced by Garry Monk

Former Leeds United and Sunderland boss Simon Grayson has described out-of-favour Sheffield Wednesday forward has described Jordan Rhodes as a ‘natural finisher’, but admitted the 30-year-old has limitations in his wider game.
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Former Wednesday loanee Grayson was Rhodes’ manager at Huddersfield and revealed he battled Wednesday in trying to sign the forward while manager at Sunderland in 2017.

Speaking to The Star, Grayson said: “I think Jordan will be first to admit that as a footballer, you look at him and you think ‘what does he bring to the team?’

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“Then you look at his goal record and it’s astounding how many goals he’s scored in his career. He’s a natural goalscorer.”

Grayson, who is taking a break from football after leaving Blackpool earlier this year, was Terriers boss when the club sold Rhodes – then one of the hottest goalscoring prospects in English football – to Blackburn in 2012.

A successful spell at Ewood Park followed for Rhodes before a single season at Middlesbrough. He was loaned to Wednesday in February 2017 and joined permanently for a club-record fee that summer.

“I tried to sign him a number of times at other clubs since he left Huddersfield,” said the 50-year-old. “When I was at Sunderland I tried to take him there.

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“He’s a goalscorer, he’s not a link-up player, he’s not rapid. He’s a box player. When that ball is in around it he’s as brave as anyone, getting his head amongst the boots. He loves scoring goals.”

All three of Rhodes' goals this season came in the first half in a 4-0 win at Nottingham Forest.All three of Rhodes' goals this season came in the first half in a 4-0 win at Nottingham Forest.
All three of Rhodes' goals this season came in the first half in a 4-0 win at Nottingham Forest.

Grayson said he had sympathy for how things have turned against Garry Monk’s side since Christmas and backed his fellow former Leeds boss to turn things around.

“I got to know him quite well when he was Leeds manager and I’ve managed against a lot of his teams,” he said.

“It’s not easy being a football manager in this day and age, you’re being scrutinised all the time, people need to see results instantly and some things aren’t allowing that, finances, the things you want to do aren’t always possible.

“It’s not easy and I know he’ll be working as hard as he can to make Sheffield Wednesday as good as they can be.”