Full Name: Sebastian Rode
Age: 22 (11th October, 1990)
Club: Eintracht Frankfurt
Nationality: Germany
Position: Central Midfield
The Bundesliga has harboured many a footballing talent. It has done so for the past half a century. From the legendary Franz Beckenbauer to the recent emergence of teenage sensation Mario Götze, it’s a proven hotbed for annoyingly talented players.
The conveyor-belt isn’t stopping anytime soon - in fact, it’s probably at it’s strongest ever - as more talented youngsters are fine tuned and tweaked ahead of a glittering career. The latest junge to brighten the Bundesliga is Eintracht Frankfurt’s blonde bombshell, Sebastian Rode.
Often this season, the 22-year old Sebastian Rode’s been a standout player in Eintracht Frankfurt team - and that’s not just because of his absurdly blonde hair! Combative, energetic, enthusiastic, Rode is a type of midfielder who are making a welcome comeback into world football. He’s a midfielder which are comfortable both defensively and going forward, a trait which is becoming ever more important in the dynamics of a football team.
So far this season, Rode’s been a joy to watch. Paired alongside club captain Pirmin Schwegler in a deeper midfield role, Sebastian Rode has certainly caught the eye of many a Bundesliga fan. Rightly so, too. He’s been a stalwart in Eintracht Frankfurt’s starting XI too start with.
He’s a key component in the Eagles’ midfield shape; he keeps the shape, retains possession efficiently - averaging 58 passes a game - and protects the somewhat vulnerable back four admirably well.
A big part of Sebastian Rode’s game is his ability to spot dangerous situations long before anything comes of it. He’s often in the right place at the right time - on average, he’s made a total of 2.3 interceptions and 2.7 tackles per game.
An impressive tally for someone who is relatively new to the Bundesliga stage. His importance to the club is is clear, as Eintracht Frankfurt’s boss, Heribert Bruchhagen, has stated;
“We are not giving him away, under any circumstances, before 2014 [when is contract ends]. No matter how much money is offered…”
Offensively, he’s been just as impressive. Rode does tend to get forward a fair bit - his performance vs. Hamburg is a good example of that. Often bursting onto a one-two, initiated by Rode himself, he’s a handful for the opposition defensive unit. It’s a refreshing sight to see, that of a young midfielder marauding forward yet not forgetting his defensive duties.
Loyalty is a value hard to come by, especially in the financially-driven world of football, but Germany’s elite are seemingly immune to the almost tractor beam attraction of £££’s (or €€€’s). Sebastian Rode’s development is better served at Eintracht Frankfurt for the time being; with regular first-team football and a flourishing team surrounding him, there’s no need for the robust Rode to trade that for warming the bench at one of Germany’s top two.
Borussia Dortmund were linked with a move for Sebastain Rode as they seek a long-term replacement for club captain Sebastian Kehl, but nothing materialised. A move to the Premier League was mooted in the Summer, too. The 22-year-old is in no rush yet.
German paper, Bild, say that Sebastian Rode is on the ‘wishlist’ of BVB manager Jürgen Klopp, while Bayern München are ‘tuned’ into the situation.
Sebastian Rode’s season has epitomised Eintracht Frankfurt’s. It’s been an energetic, promising start for both parties. Frankfurt lie second in the Bundesliga table - behind the ever impressive Bayern München.
The future’s of both Sebastian Rode and Eintracht Frankfurt both could follow very similar paths. Great things await for both…
Written by Llew Davies
Follow him on Twitter @LlewAFC
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