When Connor Roberts made the loan move from Burnley to Leeds United late in the January transfer window, he knew precisely what he was signing up for.
He was going from the fringes of a Premier League side struggling for points to an all-action and all-conquering Championship behemoth but, crucially, there were a few familiar faces to help him settle in.
Three of them in fact: Ethan Ampadu, Daniel James and Joe Rodon have all been at the core of Leeds’ promotion bid, and now with Roberts in tow they make up a strong quartet for their national team too, seeking to propel Wales to another major tournament finals.
Roberts at 28 is the oldest of the four, but the others are approaching their peak (Ampadu is 23, James and Rodon 26) and are relishing their chance to take centre-stage for country as well as club. After dismantling Finland 4-1 in a Euro 2024 play-off on Thursday, Wales face Poland in Cardiff on Tuesday night. It will be another huge night at the Cardiff City Stadium and a chance to prove there is life after Gareth Bale.
“For Wales, I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of big games. It’s another one on Tuesday night,” said Roberts.
“Life, football is about moments and Tuesday is another moment, a chance to achieve something, to make memories. That’s what we’ll be trying to do as a team and a country. Hopefully we can all come together and do just that.
“We all know how amazing it would be if you win that game, what achievements going to the Euros could produce, the chance to create more moments in your life as a country, as a team.
“We all want it so bad. We’ve experienced nights, tournaments where it’s just brilliant. Tuesday we have to win, we have to give everything.”
To reach the promised land of the Premier League with Leeds as well as Euro 2024 with Wales in the space of a month or two would represent two significant milestones on these four players’ CVs.
Leeds have been nigh on invincible in the Championship this season. They’re currently on a 14-game unbeaten run that stretches back to before Roberts was signed and are now top of the table, ahead of Leicester City on goal difference. Key to that surge of form under Daniel Farke has been the burgeoning central defensive partnership between Ampadu and Rodon, the former finally making good on his promise as a Chelsea youngster and the latter enjoying a stellar season on loan from Tottenham Hotspur.
For Wales, however, the two are separated. Ampadu’s skill on the ball means he is used in midfield, while Bournemouth’s Chris Mepham is deployed in defence. Manager Rob Page isn’t afraid to make tweaks to ensure his best players can all be on the pitch together, with Roberts at right wing-back and Neco Williams usually on the ‘wrong’ side at left wing-back.
James is often used as an impact sub – as he is by Farke and Leeds – and rounded off the rout of Finland with an 89th minute strike on Thursday. The former Manchester United man possesses the pace to trouble almost any team that is tiring late in a game. His 12 goals for Leeds this season are a testament to that.
The hunger. The finish. @Daniel_James_97 ar ei orau
— Wales#TogetherStronger pic.twitter.com/dwTuvUDuEl
(@Cymru) March 23, 2024
A group stage exit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was a painful lesson for the younger elements of the Wales squad, who are now coping admirably well without now retired talisman Bale. Robert Lewandowski and co. will provide the acid test for them in this do-or-die tie, the winner progressing to Euro 2024 and the loser missing out completely.
Such pressure is now something Ampadu, James, Roberts and Rodon have become accustomed to, playing in front of an expectant 36,000 or so at Elland Road every week. Leeds expect to win every game in the Championship and win with style.
There will be slightly fewer fans at Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday night (it holds around 33,000) but the pressure will be just the same. Win and they will become heroes like the class of 2016 before them. Their fearlessness means they won’t even think about losing.
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