Profile: Who is Odisha FC's latest defensive addition Hector Rodas?

The cetre-back previously played in La Liga.

Odisha FC are on a mission and there is no stopping them. They have undertaken a massive overhaul of the side that played last season. After having a season to forget where they ended at the bottom of the table, Odisha started the re-building with the appointment of David Villa as the new club advisor. Following the Spanish link, Odisha FC then signed the new head coach Kiko Ramirez, who has got plenty of experience to guide the side.

Following the poor season, many players left the club. Odisha now had a tremendous responsibility to fill the void. And so far, they have been brilliant. With the addition of Hector Rodas, the club have now signed their third Spanish player. Victor Mongil and Javi Hernandez were the other Spanish signings they made earlier. Hernandez's addition has been a huge boost, as they were in dire need of a productive midfielder. Mongil's acquisition bolstered the defence, and with Rodas signing a one-year contract, Odisha now have a Spanish centre-back pairing.

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With more than a decade of experience in La Liga, Rodas can be the perfect player to improve the squad and be a commander at the back. His experience will be immeasurable, which will prove as the X-Factor for Odisha FC. Before he starts the new journey with the Juggernauts, let us have a detailed look into his career:

Past experience

Hector Rodas was born in the city of Valencia, Spain. He joined the local side Levante UD and spent his youth days there. Two years later, he made his debut with the reserves. Having made an impact, he was promoted to the first team a couple of years later. Levante were a Second Division club then. However, two years on, the club returned back to La Liga, in which Rodas had played a crucial role.

However, after promotion, Rodas featured for the club only on one occasion before being loaned to their neighbours Elche FC in 2012. Since returning, he has played his part in keeping the club in the top division. In 2015, he terminated his contract with the club and joined the then Second Division side Real Betis. However, after hardly getting any opportunities there, he joined Cordoba the following year.

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His spell here was the most successful one. He averaged 30 appearances a season and was a regular player in the squad. After two joyous years, he left Spain for a change and joined the Belgian Second Division side, Cercle Brugge. However, that lasted only a year, as the next season, he returned back to Spain and joined Alcorcon. The final chapter in his Spanish journey was with Cultural Leonesa. They are a Third Division team and Rodas spent two years there, before signing a one-year deal with the ISL side, Odisha FC.

Club career in numbers

The 33-year-old defender has been in Spain for the majority of his career. His one-year trip to Belgium was the only occasion where he played in a foreign league. But, he has featured in 223 matches since he made his professional debut in 2007. A detailed look at his statistics is mentioned below.

After making his first-team appearance in 2007, Hector Rodas made 82 appearances, that include both Segunda Division and La Liga. During this period, he also scored his first career goal which was also the only one he scored at his boyhood club. He has also got European experience, as he featured in the Europa League in Levante's 2012-13 season. His half-season loan spell at Elche saw him feature in 15 matches and score an extra goal to what he scored at Levante.

His unsuccessful duration with Betis produced only five appearances. Joining their competitors Cordoba FC. Rodas had a spell that was considered the best of his career. In just two years, he racked up 63 appearances and added two more goals to his overall tally. The Belgian journey had only five outings, but he managed to score a couple there. Returning back, he made 48 appearances with the two clubs. In total, he played in 223 matches and scored nine goals.

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The coach's say

The addition of Hector Rodas means the club have three Spanish players. If that is not enough, they also have a Spanish coach. The connection these players will have can play a huge role in Odisha FC's progress. Moreover, Rodas has taken on the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi back in La Liga. So, he will be a tough nut to crack for the opposition.

His addition has pleased Kiko Ramirez who said, "Hector is going to give us the defensive balance that we need to improve the tactical game of the team. He is an experienced player who played in the first division in Spain and knows how to command the defensive line. Also, he is an aggressive player in defending and can help us in making good decisions during the game for the build-up. He is a winner in a duel with the ball in the air and he will give us power in set-pieces both in attack and in defence."

What he can add to the Odisha side

Last season, Odisha were the victims of improper coordination. Putting aside the fact that they featured a young team, they were not able to produce a strong display leave alone a top-half finish. Keeping these things in mind, the club have been focusing on reconditioning the squad, and fairly put, it looks very promising.

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The Juggernauts have focused on Spanish players mostly, and Hector Rodas has become the third acquisition in this process. The Spaniard has got over a decade of experience in the Spanish leagues, where where football is played at a very fast pace. This in fact has given him the most important feature to fit in the squad. Moreover, he has got the perfect player to partner with him. Victor Mongil was the earlier addition to the club and also a Spaniard.

And his addition to the ISL side will help the club challenge for the title. A weak defence will not help the team score goals. Rodas will fill that void, and the bolstered midfield will do the rest.

When it comes to what he can contribute, there is nothing to worry about. A player who has played the majority of his life in one of the best football oriented countries will easily dominate the defence. Moreover, his history shows us that he has been a reliable player whenever called.

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