In a surprising turn of events, the center-forward Jordan Rhodes has experienced a resurgence in his career at Blackpool, where he has managed to score eight goals in just nine appearances in the current season in League One. This comes after a period of frustration for Rhodes, during which he struggled to secure game time under the former Huddersfield Town manager, Neil Warnock. He fell out of favor at Huddersfield, making only five appearances in total over Warnock’s two stints as manager.
Rhodes had only one league start under Warnock, which occurred on the final day of the 2022/23 season against Reading, a match that took place after Huddersfield had already secured their Championship status. This challenging period prompted Rhodes to consider his options, especially when the club confirmed Warnock’s return for the summer.
During an in-depth interview with BBC Sport Lancashire, Rhodes expressed his dissatisfaction with the previous few months of Warnock’s tenure, stating, “I think the previous three or four months of his [Warnock’s] tenure before the summer arose wasn’t a particularly enjoyable one for me. I thought if that was the case, there might be something on the horizon.”
As a result of his struggle to fit into Warnock’s plans, the 33-year-old left Huddersfield late in the summer transfer window. While he was linked to various clubs, including Derby County, he ultimately joined Blackpool on a season-long loan in League One.
When asked if Warnock had explicitly advised him to seek regular first-team football elsewhere, Rhodes mentioned, “Not in those direct words, which was a little bit frustrating for myself. You just keep your head down. You try and remain a good person off the field and a good professional on it. This summer was no different. I went away and I did my training. I worked as hard as I possibly could to get myself in good condition, whether that happened to be at Huddersfield or elsewhere. Fortunately, an opportunity arose, and I have enjoyed every minute of it since.”
Rhodes has experienced an unexpected revival at Blackpool, where he has scored eight goals in just nine appearances at Bloomfield Road. Nevertheless, his long-term future remains uncertain. He is currently in the final year of his contract with Huddersfield, and there is the option for the club to recall him in January. Rhodes has a connection with Town manager Darren Moore from their time together at Sheffield Wednesday.
Regarding his future, Rhodes commented, “I think that’s probably something that is out of my hands at this moment in time. I am just keeping my head down and concentrating on my football. Whatever happens, that’s for other people to decide, not me.”
Despite his time at former clubs like Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough, Rhodes still believes he can perform at the Championship level. Nonetheless, his main focus is on continuing to enjoy his football. He acknowledged the changing times and his age, stating, “I am sitting here as a 33-year-old and probably know that there are not too many years left in me. I am just trying to do my best and enjoy it. I’m at the latter end of my career now, so it is all about enjoying it and doing what I can before it is all over.”
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