Jack Rodwell

Jack Christian Rodwell (born 11 March 1991) is an English professional footballer who plays for A-League side 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.

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.

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.

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.

At the end of the 2008–09 season, Rodwell made twenty–five appearances and scoring once in all competitions.

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 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.

He made his senior international debut as a substitute in a 1–0 win over Spain at Wembley Stadium in November 2011.

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 before joining his boyhood club Everton's youth system at age seven.

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.

Rodwell was a product of the 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.

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.