Robin Koch is a Germany international with a good 10 years ahead which could take him anywhere in the world beyond Leeds United and yet he’s buying into this city wholeheartedly.
The 25-year-old doesn’t know whether he’s going to be plying his trade at Elland Road for three years or 15 years and yet he’s not just got his head down, focusing on his next training session, his next international cap, his route to the Champions League.
Like many professional footballers who have come through United’s doors or other clubs’ doors up and down the country, Koch would be forgiven for doing nothing in the city beyond the football he’s paid for.
The number five would add thousands to his legion of fans if he became the next defensive colossus of LS11, took Leeds to the top-six and did little else on the other side of those white lines.
And yet, for all of the possibilities, twists and turns ahead of him, Koch is all in with Leeds. He is not allowing his time to pass him by, this crucial window he has as a professional footballer to make a difference.
While a footballer's employer might usually have to admit these are schemes they have pushed, United insiders admit Koch’s partnership with Leeds Children’s Charity at Lineham Farm is all off his own back.
In 2020, within weeks of arriving from Germany, Koch was looking for charities in Leeds to work with, drives to help people which resonated with him.
An e-mail out of the blue landed with the Eccup-based charity and director Dave Norman, who admits to knowing nothing about football, had to do some basic research before the penny dropped on the opportunity ahead for them.
“He’s a wonderful young man,” he told LeedsLive. “He’s very generous in spirit and he’s very generous in his time for us and, of course, not everybody in Leeds is like me.
“A lot of people in Leeds do know him because they do support the football team, so to have somebody like him is fantastic for us.
“And to be approached, we didn’t go out and recruit him.”
Jenny Jones, the charity’s fundraising manager, said: “He had a genuine passion to help his community in Leeds and he obviously found some affinity with Leeds Children’s Charity at Lineham Farm.
“He wants to give back to kids and help them in their journey going forward. It all came from him.”
The charity works help the disadvantaged children of Leeds realise their full potential, be everything they want to be in order to benefit them and their wider communities.
The organisation wants to ensure any child within Leeds who needs respite or support, receives it efficiently, for as long as required, to the highest standards.
Once Koch had established contact and the parties moved forward with the early steps of their partnership, he was keen to break down any barriers or perceived celebrity status.
He drove up to the rural setting on his own and met Dave for a look around Lineham Farm, where the children visit for their activities.
Dave said: “He immediately just relaxed me and said: ‘Dave, I’m here, no rush.’
“That notion that somebody as busy as Robin, it just made me relax a little bit more.”
The children have access to indoor and outdoor activities at the farm, including arts, crafts, dancing, music, orienteering, bushcraft, climbing, archery and cycling.
While there have been the obvious problems caused by Covid since Koch came on board, he has made a few visits already, along with his partner, but with no kind of entourage managing him.
He has very much rolled his sleeves up and got stuck in with no airs or graces.
“Every time they come up here they just get involved with the children,” said Dave. “Some children know him, some children haven’t a clue who he is, which is absolutely fine and he’s really cool with that.
“It’s just like having an extra member of the team when he’s up here. We’ve had him doing bushcraft, we’ve had him climbing.
“There is a challenge because of his training regime and matches, but the biggest challenge was he joined us when Covid was hitting.”
As the world slowly opens up and Covid becomes less of a hurdle, there is an appetite on both sides to squeeze more out of this partnership and make real change in Leeds.
Koch’s not been passive either. He has made it clear to the charity how he wants to take their vision into schools and help even more of the next generation.
When United’s season ends in May there will be no summer tournament for Koch to concentrate on, there should be a standard close season for him and the time to fit in some of the key events going on around Leeds.
Dave was asked to sum up this burgeoning partnership and what it has already done for their organisation.
“It’s very difficult to put into words at the drop of a hat because I could say something really that wouldn’t sound genuine or not,” he said.
“The young people we work with and support, deserve the best we can give them.
“By working with people of the stature of Robin we get closer to being able to give them what they deserve.
“I am very proud to be associated with him.”
In a statement, Koch said: "Of course, I fully identify with the club and the city. Everyone has given me a great welcome here from day one and I feel very much at home in Leeds.
"That's why I want to give something back. I know how great it is for kids to have role models and idols and it always fills me with a great joy when I see the eyes of the kids there when I visit them.
"For me, it is definitely also an honour to act as an ambassador there and I also enjoy it very much."
