Jack Rodwell

Jack Christian Rodwell (born 11 March 1991) is an English professional footballer who plays for Sydney FC as a centre-back or defensive midfielder.

Rodwell joined Everton's academy at the age of seven, and made his debut in 2007. He spent five years in the first team before he transferred to Premier League champions Manchester City in 2012. After making only 16 league appearances in two seasons, Rodwell was sold to Sunderland in August 2014. After his contract with Sunderland was terminated in June 2018, Rodwell joined Blackburn Rovers in August on a one-year deal. He left Blackburn the following year, later joining Sheffield United in January 2020.

Rodwell has represented England at all levels from under-16 to the senior team. He made his senior international debut as a substitute in a 1–0 win over Spain at Wembley Stadium in November 2011.

Early life

Rodwell was born in Southport, Merseyside. He was educated at Farnborough Road Junior School and Birkdale High School, and was an avid supporter of Everton as a child. Rodwell played for local club Birkdale United during his school years.

According to his mother, Carol, she talked about his childhood, saying: "As a child Jack ate, drank and slept football. I think his ambition was always to be a professional, although he didn't speak about it. His heroes when he was growing up were Alan Shearer and the Brazilian striker Ronaldo. He used to follow players for their ability and not particularly what team they played for." Rodwell has a brother, Thomas.

Club career

Everton

Rodwell was a product of the Everton FC youth system, making his under-18s debut at 14 and his debut for Everton's reserve team at the age of 15. At youth level, he started out of as having the potential to become a top centre back early in his professional career, but was primarily deployed as a defensive midfielder once in the senior team. Rodwell claimed that Lee Carsley contributed his role into helping play in the midfield position.

Rodwell then broke a record on his senior debut becoming the youngest player to represent Everton in Europe, when he came on as a substitute against Dutch team AZ at the age of 16 years and 284 days, as the club won 3–2. It wasn't until on 9 March 2008 when Rodwell appeared as a substitute on his Premier League debut – before also featuring as a replacement in the final match of the season, replacing Tim Cahill in a 1–0 victory over Sunderland, and signed his first professional contract with Everton on 17 March 2008, after spending six years in the reserve team. At the end of the 2007–08 season, he made three appearances in all competitions. Following this, Rodwell was awarded the academy's Player of the Year.

Ahead of the 2008–09 season, Rodwell was called up to the club's first team squad for the pre–season tour. Rodwell made his first professional start against Blackburn Rovers on 16 August 2008, playing the full 90 minutes. Since the start of the 2008–09 season, he found his playing time was mostly from the substitute bench. Despite this, Rodwell continued to fight his way to earn a place in the starting eleven for the side. Rodwell scored his first senior goal for Everton in the FA Cup against Aston Villa in February 2009. After the match, Manager David Moyes praised his performance. That same month, he signed a five-year contract with Everton. Rodwell appeared as an unused substitute, as Everton lost 2–1 against Chelsea in the FA Cup Final. At the end of the 2008–09 season, Rodwell made twenty–five appearances and scoring once in all competitions.

At the beginning of the 2009–10 season, Rodwell earned his first start in European competition in a UEFA Europa League match against Czech Republic team Sigma Olomouc and he marked the occasion by scoring two long-range goals, helping Everton to a 4–0 win. In the return, Rodwell started the whole game and helped the club draw 1–1, resulting in the club progressing through to the Group Stage following a 5–1 win on aggregate. Since the start of the 2009–10 season, he started in the first eleven matches until missing one match, due to flu-like symptoms. After missing one match, Rodwell returned to the starting line–up against Stoke City, playing the whole game, in a 1–1 draw on 4 October 2009. However, he suffered a minor muscle injury during a 3–2 loss against Hull City on 25 November 2009, resulting in him missing two matches. His return was short–lived when Rodwell suffered a hamstring injury and was substituted in the 8th minute, as Everton lost 1–0 against BATE Borisov on 17 December 2009. Following this, he was sidelined for two months with the injury.

On 10 February 2010, Rodwell returned to the first team from injury following a two-month absence, coming on as 74th-minute substitute, in a 2–1 win against Chelsea. In a follow–up match, he scored his first Premier League goal in Everton's 3–1 win against Manchester United. After the match, Rodwell was named Man of the Match. Two weeks later on 7 March 2010, he scored his second goal of the season, in a 5–1 win against Hull City. During the second half of the 2009–10 season, Rodwell became regularly used in more attacking midfield position. Despite suffering another injury later in the 2009–10 season, he made thirty–six appearances and scoring four times in all competitions. At the end of the 2009–10 season, Rodwell signed a five-year contract extension with Everton.

Ahead of the 2010–11 season, Rodwell said he would fight for his place in the first team following intense competition in the midfield positions. Rodwell scored, as well as setting up the club's third goal of the game, in a 5–1 win against Huddersfield Town in the third round of the League Cup. However, during a 1–0 loss against Aston Villa on 29 August 2010, he suffered an ankle injury that kept him out for three months. It wasn't until on 14 November 2010 when Rodwell returned from injury, coming on as a second-half substitute, in a 2–1 loss against Arsenal. Since returning from injury, Rodwell found himself rotated in and out of the starting eleven throughout the 2010–11 season. His performance led to transfer speculation that Rodwell made an agreement to join Manchester United, a claim that was denied by Manager Moyes. Despite being sidelined on two occasions during the 2010–11 season, he went on to make twenty–eight appearances and scoring once in all competitions.

At the start of the 2011–12 season, Rodwell continued to remain as a first team regular, playing in the midfield position. This lasted until he was sent off in the 23rd minute during the 216th Merseyside derby on 1 October 2011 after making "what appeared to be a legitimate challenge on Suárez", according to the BBC
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