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Joe Rodon appeal verdict emerges after Leeds United red card at Hull City riles Daniel Farke as 'only hope' missed
Joe Rodon’s sending off in the goalless draw between Leeds United and Hull City cannot be appealed as the club’s “only hope” does not apply, according to Graham Smyth.
The Yorkshire Evening Post journalist reported via Twitter on 21 September that “mistaken identity” is the only grounds upon which a booking can be overturned so will not save the Welsh defender after he was dismissed the previous night for two yellows, the first of which was considered particularly soft and wound up his manager Daniel Farke.
The on-loan Tottenham centre-back is therefore set to be suspended for the game against Watford at the weekend.
Smyth wrote: “Lots of people asking if Leeds United can appeal the Joe Rodon first half yellow or subsequent red. In a word, no. Mistaken identity would be their only hope and that doesn’t apply here.”
Farke is quoted in Smyth’s report for the YEP in his post-match comments saying: “Yes he is [unlucky to be sent off]. Let’s be honest. If you judge a game, that he’s not allowed to finish feels harsh.
“When I judge how many technical fouls there were against Cree [Summerville], it feels harsh. First half was never a yellow, it was not even a foul, no one can explain to me how it was a yellow.
“You have to deal a bit smarter with the situation, the duel in the second half. That’s where we have to be a bit more self critical, it changed the momentum of the game.”
Infuriating
Clearly, given red cards are generally have a far greater impact than yellows and occur less frequently, the authorities want to avoid being inundated by appeals against iffy bookings.
But when two of one equals the other the outcome can be as damaging, as is the case here with the Whites losing arguably their best defender this season for an important game.
There is surely scope for yellows to be appealed in the event that they lead to a sending off, since the supposed foul Rodon committed for his first one on Wednesday night wouldn’t be issued nine times out of ten.
The damage was already done on the night as what could have been three points regressed into a need to preserve just one.
But the defence will be weakened somewhat for the match up with the Hornets now as well, although Liam Cooper’s return mitigates the suspension somewhat.
The captain came on in the wake of the sending off at Hull in his first action since going off hurt in the process of scoring in the opener against Cardiff on 6 August.
But when the Whites have so frequently collapsed at the back in recent seasons Farke won’t want anything to disrupt an encouraging run of three clean sheets, so the absence of Rodon is certainly unwelcome.
In other Leeds United news, a key player has admitted it was “my own fault” for his biggest failing at the club so far.