Jack Rudoni answers big position question & explains how Man Utd cemented his Coventry City move

Jack Rudoni’s arrival at Coventry City has been a long time coming.

Manager Mark Robins has revealed that his exciting summer signing had been on the Sky Blues’ radar for “a number of years,” having first caught the eye and launched his own career at AFC Wimbledon with attacking, goal scoring form that earned him an £ 800,000 move to Huddersfield Town.

But as far as Robins was concerned, he’d hoped that was always going to be a stepping stone to the CBS Arena.

“Yeah, I think the first time I heard about Coventry’s interest was at the start of last season, maybe even before that,” said Rudoni, sitting down for an exclusive chat with CoventryLive.

“There was slight interest at the start of last season and I knew from when I saw the manager from when we played Coventry and we got good vibes and then this summer it all really came together. And they said they wanted to go ahead with it and a deal got done pretty quickly, actually, and I was quite surprised how quickly, but really happy about it.”

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Robins has also revealed that City beat off competition from a number of rival clubs to get the player. And the Sky Blues had a bit of a secret weapon in the form of Jamie Johnson, the former Head of Recruitment at Wimbledon and now Head of Scouting at Coventry, who clearly had a hand in the transfer.

“Jamie helped my move from Wimbledon to Huddersfield, helped get that one over the line and now he’s helped again,” admitted the articulate 23-year-old, who explained exactly what attracted him to Coventry City.

“I think it’s the vision of the club and the people here, especially speaking to the manager and the way he sees the club going, and even the guys higher up. The vision is to go forward and ultimately get to the Premier League, which is my vision as well. So I thought we aligned with the way we were going. Also the style of play, I think I can fit into that really nicely.”

After learning of City’s interest, Jack became a bit of an armchair fan, following the club’s fortunes, particularly in the FA Cup when, he says, the spectacular comeback against Manchester United in the semi-final at Wembley convinced him Coventry was the place to drink

“Even watching the game against Man United kind of sold it to me,” he said, “coming out and playing with no fear and it was great to watch, and I was thinking at the time that I want to be a part of that .

“I watched it at home and I knew by then, probably midway through the season that there was strong interest and that it was one of my big options in the summer, and then it all came together really nicely. I really believe coming here is the right option, and I am here to get promoted to the Premier League just like everyone else, so we are all in the same boat.”

The versatile player has played in all four Championship games, home and away, against City over the last two seasons when he stood out not only for the manager, but Sky Blues fans as well. And it turns out that feeling was reciprocated by the player.

“I remember playing against Coventry, I think I played against them in four games over the last couple of seasons and every time I have played against them I have thought that they’d be a great team to play in, with the football they play he said.

“It seems that everyone is on board with their ideas, the patterns of play and the way they work the ball and the goal threat. And I always thought that I could thrive in this team, and that was even before it was happening. I have always been a big fan of the gaffer and the way he works, and the way Coventry plays.

“And especially the fanbase, playing at the CBS is always one of the best atmospheres you can play in. The fans never stop singing and I always enjoyed going there to play, even as an away player, so I can’t wait to get out there and play for them as a home player.”

One thing’s guaranteed, it won’t be long before the Sky Blue Army comes up with a song for him. There have already been plenty of suggestions and ideas bounced about on social media, which Jack is aware of, revealing: “I have been tagged on Twitter (X) by a few people making a few songs for me, so I look forward to hearing what they come up with.”

Asked if he had a song at Huddersfield, he said: “I think they might have had one or two but none that I could really hear and that stuck, so it will be nice to see what happens here.”

Turning to the big question of his best position and exactly where he’s likely to fit into Mark Robins’ team, Jack is finally able to shed a bit of light on the debate that has gripped supporters ever since he put pen to paper on his four year hill.

Robins insists he can play as a six, eight, ten and even out wide as a seven or eleven. He was deployed mainly as a ten behind the strikers at AFC Wimbledon, getting in double figures with goals in his final season before being snapped up by the Terriers.

He then dropped back a bit to operate as a box-to-box eight before reverting, more latterly, to an attacking ten.

So here we have it, straight from the horse’s mouth. Asked what his best and preferred position is, he revealed: “I’d say my overall position is a box-to-box eight who can create in the final third and get into the box. But I pride myself on being able to play a lot of positions.

“I think I have the football knowledge to adapt because I have played all over all of my life so I know what job I need to do in each position. And I think that helps me when I am in other positions because then I know, for example, what a wide player wants or likes, or how I need them to play when I am positioned more centrally.

“But overall I have a box-to-box eight who can also play as a ten as well. So I would say eight and ten are my main positions but I also feel comfortable playing as a six or filling in out wide, where I am also very comfortable.”

As for where he feels the manager has brought him to play, whether Robins has told him where he wants him to play, he revealed: “I think he sees me as an eight or a ten.

“But having that versatility is an extra in case there are a few injuries. But I think he sees me as an eight or a ten and I think that’s where I will mostly be playing, and where I think I will thrive in this team; just picking the ball up in those central areas and pockets, turning and driving the team forwards while trying to create chances and getting in the box.”

Rudoni is clearly excited about the prospect of playing with City’s big gun goal scorers Haji Wright and Ellis Simms.

“Yeah, 100 percent,” he said. “Seeing the way they terrorized a few defenders last season, I was thinking that if I am behind them then I can supply them quite nicely. Obviously I haven’t seen or met Haji yet because he’s been away with America but I’ve been training with Ellis and it’s been good. We are building that relationship and I am looking forward to doing the same with Haji when he’s back next week with the other lads who have been away at the Copa America.”

Clearly settling in on the training pitch with his new teammates, what about off the pitch?

“I have settled in really well actually,” he said. “The club have been really good to me and sorted me a nice little place where Binksy and Rapha (Borges Rodrigues) have. It’s like a little square in a small South Warwickshire village. It’s really nice, although there isn’t much of a signal and not much to do, but the place is really nice and the woman who owns the apartments is really lovely. She comes and helps us out and sorts everything.

“And the boys have been really good and it’s been so easy to settle in, so much so that even on my second or third day I felt like I was part of the team. I have sort of buddied up with Binksy and Rapha because of where we live but I get on with everyone. I kind of knew Ephron (Mason-Clark) from back home (South London) where we have the same friends, because we are from a similar area, so we knew each other from before, so we’re really close.”

Back on the pitch, goals are clearly something he wants to get involved with more after managing just seven in his last two seasons with Huddersfield.

“In my last season at Wimbledon I got about 12 goals and that is one of my big aims, I want to hit double figures for goals and, ideally, double figures for assists,” he said, confidently.

“That’s the standards I set for myself and at least 15 goal contributions would be OK for me, and I believe I can do it, just being in this environment with the players who are here and the chances that I will be able to get. “

He added: “I can sense it in training already, the way players are finding me in good positions, coming into pockets, the players behind me are finding me and then wrapping it into me so I can turn. And that’s given me more time, so the way we’ve been playing, there’s been some nice stuff.

“They are getting the ball into me quickly and I can turn and face the defense, play forwards, so I think it’s very achievable. So yes, I’m here to get goals and assists and gain promotion.”

Where do you want to see Jack deployed this season and how many goals can he get? Click HERE to have your say.