Big boots to fill, but is Jack Rudoni Coventry City’s replacement for Callum O’Hare?

There is a lot of debate among Coventry City fans as to whether Jack Rudoni is a replacement for Callum O’Hare.

Unless Mark Robins comes out and says yes, which is extremely unlikely, then we won’t really know until the exciting 23-year-old takes to the pitch in pre-season and we see where he is sent.

It would be unfair, of course, to compare like-for-like and put too much pressure on the lad who arrives as the Sky Blues’ third summer signing of the transfer window so far, joining for an ‘undisclosed’ fee. which CoventryLive understands. to be just under the reported £5m after signing a four-year deal with an option for a further year at the club.

Here, Huddersfield Town reporter Steve Chicken, writer and podcaster for We Are Terriers, provides a detailed insight into Rudoni’s strengths, weaknesses and best position in an attempt to settle the argument.

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Strengths

First, he is extremely hardworking. He covers a huge amount of ground and I think he’s been pretty consistently at the top of the run stats for Huddersfield. Some of the numbers he posted, the miles he covered were quite high. I’ve heard a few figures that have been (former star man) Lewis O’Brien, and for a Huddersfield player that’s one of the biggest compliments you can pay in terms of work rate.

For a player who is predominantly attack minded, he does a lot more defensive work than players with this mindset. He is always willing to get in with a tackle, can be solid in the press and carries the ball very well.

Outstanding quality

I think getting the ball forward is one of his main strengths. If there is a man to take on or space to run into, he can be very effective at moving the ball from one end of the field to the other or covering the field that way. What he does in the middle of the park sometimes is exceptional.

Weaknesses and things work

Signed since Wimbledon, reaching double figures for goals. I think he had 12 goals and eight assists in his last season there, and that was in a poor team that got relegated from League One, so those numbers are pretty impressive. But Huddersfield could never really finish. He was actually quite frustrating about it. It’s obviously in there in him somewhere and his record at Wimbledon suggests it, but it just never happened at Huddersfield. He’s got a good left foot on him, but I’ve never seen the end product to the extent that I think his Wimbledon numbers suggest he was capable of.

The only thing is that his direction is terrible.

Best position?

He is left-footed and has played on the wings at times. André Breitenreiter specifically picked him at number ten, but other Huddersfield managers had never played a number ten before Breitenreiter arrived. I think that’s where he played the most for Wimbledon, in more of an attacking role, either out wide or in a ten, and that’s where he scored goals for them.

But for me, from what I saw of him at Huddersfield, I always preferred him as an eight for the reasons I have spoken of; his work rate, ball handling and approach make him more of an obvious eight than a ten. But what I would say, if he can find his shooting boots again, then I absolutely see him as a ten.

Is he the new Callum O’Hare?

It all comes down to that end product when you play like a ten. That’s what you’re being judged for. His passing is not a major strength. He’s good, but he’s not a player who will split a defense five times a game with his passing. I’d say he tends to look for the shot and has a good instinct for areas to penetrate, so there’s more to build on.

And if they want to replace Callum O’Hare, he’s always in the right place for a cut to come his way. Literally, only his finish needs work. There’s a lot of shots that just go past the post and stuff. It’s not like he was throwing it for a throw every time he hit. It came close often, but just didn’t hit the target often enough.

Do you think he will fit into Coventry’s style of play?

Yes, I’ve watched him a lot at Coventry over the last few seasons and I’ve always admired how hardworking and organized they are, and I think Mark Robins and the fans will like his work rate and ability to do the dirty work, which a lot of players I don’t always attack. It’s not necessarily a given with players like that, but you get it with Jack. His tackles per game are very high for an attacking midfielder and I can see him fitting in at Coventry.

Character

He is a very polite boy and always speaks well in press conferences. He has an interesting or quirky fashion sense and is quite fond of hip-hop gear.

The relationship with the fans

It was quite appreciated by the fans. Kids in particular love him because he’s very distinctive on the field with his hair, whether it’s bleached blonde or permed, so he changes his style a bit and kids often latch on to things like that.

People really like his work rate and work ethic, but his lack of end product can be frustrating at times. But we’re talking about a player who only turned 23 last week, so he’s still got plenty of time to grow into that. He was an ever-present in his first season, which was the first time any player had done so at Huddersfield for years.

And when he got injured midway through last season – he broke his leg, so it was an impact injury and not something that could happen again – he missed seven or eight games and they really, really missed him , because he was such an important player. He was the one player you didn’t want to get injured at that point in the season because he was so important to the way that team played.

I think because he was there every week, I think a lot of times it was overlooked that he was only 22 last season and I think there was a lot of expectation on him because of the position the club was in and the key role he immediately established. when he moved to Huddersfield.

I know there will be pressure in Coventry as well. They will be looking to get into the play-offs and go for promotion again and Callum O’Hare has big boots to fill. But I think he is very ambitious and will want to play in the Premier League one day and will feel he can do that with his move to Coventry.

What else can you tell us about him?

He also has international ambitions and is eligible to play for the United States through his father and that is what he would like to pursue. I think they asked about him, although he hasn’t been called yet.

And finally, what do you know about tax?

It was reported to be around £5 million. I understand this is generally accurate, although I’m not sure how it breaks down in terms of prepaid or postpaid. But Huddersfield were quite clear in their statement that they would only let a player leave if they got the right fee for them.

Conclusion:

Andy Turner says: It’s clear that Jack has many similar qualities to Callum in terms of his incredible work rate, willingness to track back and defend, moving the ball upfield and getting into scoring positions in the final third. Like O’Hare, his goalscoring record was a bit hit and miss, but he was referred to as number ten by some managers and number eight by others. The truth is that the Sky Blues have a versatile player but more importantly a very good player who is expected to develop and become even better and become a real asset to the club.

What position do you think Jack Rudoni will play at City? Tell us what you think in the comments section HERE.