possession, and strength in both the tackle and air have seen him likened to Rio Ferdinand and linked to an early exit from the club, much like Rooney. Rodwell’s record- breaking rise through the ranks – at 16 and 284 days he became the youngest ever Toffees player to feature in Europe – shows just how much boss David Moyes trusts him Since breaking into the first team at Goodison Park he has been deployed predominantly in a holding midfield role, despite starting his career as a centre-back, much like Ferdinand. “It’s brilliant to be compared with such a player as Rio Ferdinand,” Rodwell said. “I have always looked at Rio and wanted to play like him. I played against him in the FA Cup semi-final and managed to get his shirt which was brilliant. He took mine as well.” Indeed, it was during last season’s FA Cup semi- final against Manchester United that Rodwell produced an assured display to help send his boyhood heroes into the final, where Everton lost 2-1 against Chelsea. When he recovers from his hamstring injury later this month, many expect Fabio Capello to keep a close eye on him ahead of the World Cup as he could well fill the void vacated by Owen Hargreaves in the England squad. Should he go to South Africa, he would link-up with the man he has replaced as Everton’s hero down the spine of the side; Rooney filling the creative role between attack and midfield, with Rodwell breaking up the opponents’ advances with aplomb. “I just want to do the best I can, which means playing for the England full side one day, and carry on playing well for Everton,” said Rodwell. A simple mantra from an incredible talent. By Simon Peach NIL satis nisi optimum: Nothing but the best is good enough. Everton’s club motto seems to have particular resonance nowadays thanks to the quality of players that are rolling off their production line. Few clubs can compete with the class of youngsters that have come through their much-fabled youth system in recent times, from Leon Osman to Wayne Rooney. Now there is another gem in Everton’s academy crown: Jack Rodwell. Despite his recent injury setback, Rodwell has transcended from ball boy to the cusp of the England side in just four years. Since being spotted by Everton scouts, he has progressed from youth teams to the reserves, and is now a fully-fledged Barclays Premier League starlet at the age of 18. His elegant runs, economic play, ease in 30% - LEAVE FOR BARCLAYS MESSAGE 6 7 INJURY CAN’T STOP EVERTON STARLET JACK FULL NAME: Jack Christian Rodwell BORN: 11/03/1991 BIRTHPLACE: Southport POSITION: Defensive midfielder HEIGHT: 6ft 2 CLUB: EVERTON (2007-) NUMBER: 26 INTERNATIONAL RECORD: England U19 (6 apps) England U21 (8 apps/ 2 goals) HONOURS: England U16: Victory Shield (2006), The Algarve Tournament (2008) Everton: FA Cup Final, runner-up medal (2009) England U21: European Championship, runner-up medal (2009) DID YOU KNOW? Rodwell is the nephew of former Blackpool winger Tony Rodwell. RODWELL FACTFILE Rodwell’s on a roll for Toffees BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE ROUND-UP BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE NEWSLETTER Jack Rodwell is the latest Everton star who may follow in the footsteps of previous Goodison star, Wayne Rooney, and his displays could earn him a World Cup spot Cole hopes Blues keep pressure off Kakuta CHELSEA midfielder Joe Cole insists the club must keep the pressure off starlet Gael Kakuta, below, in order to allow the talented teenager to reach his full potential. Cole is no stranger to pressures of the game at a young age after working his way up through the West Ham youth academy. He was touted as one of the hottest talents in English football as a youngster and quickly progressed through the ranks at Upton Park to make his first-team debut at the age of 17. Cole received national media attention as he shone in the England youth team as well as helping the Hammers win the FA Youth Cup in 1999. But he was allowed to progress unhindered in the West Ham first team and learned his trade, both on and off the pitch, before moving to Chelsea in 2003 for £6.6million. Cole said: “Gael has a lot of skill and has a big future for Chelsea and France but we need to keep the pressure off him, have him play a game here and a game there and enjoy his football. He should not have too much pressure on him. “He has all the talent in the world and just wants to learn. He’s very intelligent, he knows what he wants and is a really big player for the future.” FULHAM defender Aaron Hughes has marked the likes of Emile Heskey for more than a decade in the Premier League – and he believes team-mate Bobby Zamora is as tough as any striker in England. Zamora, above, is comparable to Heskey as neither have particularly good goal-scoring records, but both offer a huge physical presence to lead the line. “For a striker, it’s not just about his goals,” said the Northern Ireland centre-back. “His all-round play, his movement off the ball and his hold-up play creates space and chances for others. “He’s a big, massive part of our squad. When he’s not in the squad we miss him. He’s a vital part of our team.” MARK HUGHES has ruled out the possibility of Joe Hart leaving Manchester City. Hart was allowed to join Birmingham on a season-long loan in a bid to further his development after losing his first-team place to Shay Given in the middle of last season. Hart has been a pivotal figure in Birmingham’s rise up the table, triggering speculation that the England international, who is an outside contender to make Fabio Capello’s World Cup squad, might stay permanently. It is certainly something Blues boss Alex McLeish would like to see happen, and he said: “Our view on Joe has not changed. He is an outstanding ‘keeper and we are pleased that he is a Manchester City player.” Zamora can cut it with the best says Hughes City boss rules out Hart exit
Jack Rodwell feature (Barclays Premier League Newsletter, 12/09)
Mar 08, 2016
Jack Rodwell - a look at the emergence of the latest Everton teenage sensation.
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possession, and strength inboth the tackle and airhave seen him likened toRio Ferdinand and linked toan early exit from the club,much like Rooney.
Rodwell’s record-breaking rise through theranks – at 16 and 284 dayshe became the youngest
ever Toffees player tofeature in Europe – showsjust how much boss DavidMoyes trusts him
Since breaking into thefirst team at Goodison Parkhe has been deployedpredominantly in a holdingmidfield role, despitestarting his career as a
centre-back, much likeFerdinand. “It’s brilliant tobe compared with such aplayer as Rio Ferdinand,”Rodwell said.
“I have always looked atRio and wanted to play likehim. I played against himin the FA Cup semi-finaland managed to get hisshirt which was brilliant.He took mine as well.”
Indeed, it was duringlast season’s FA Cup semi-final against ManchesterUnited that Rodwellproduced an assureddisplay to help send hisboyhood heroes into thefinal, where Everton lost 2-1 against Chelsea.
When he recovers fromhis hamstring injury laterthis month, many expect
Fabio Capello to keep aclose eye on him ahead ofthe World Cup as he couldwell fill the void vacated byOwen Hargreaves in theEngland squad. Should hego to South Africa, hewould link-up with theman he has replaced asEverton’s hero down thespine of the side; Rooneyfilling the creative rolebetween attack andmidfield, with Rodwellbreaking up the opponents’advances with aplomb.
“I just want to do thebest I can, which meansplaying for the England fullside one day, and carry onplaying well for Everton,”said Rodwell.
A simple mantra froman incredible talent.
By Simon Peach
NIL satis nisi optimum:Nothing but the best isgood enough.
Everton’s club mottoseems to have particularresonance nowadaysthanks to the quality ofplayers that are rolling offtheir production line.
Few clubs can competewith the class ofyoungsters that havecome through theirmuch-fabled youthsystem in recent times,from Leon Osman toWayne Rooney. Now thereis another gem inEverton’s academy crown:Jack Rodwell.
Despite his recentinjury setback, Rodwellhas transcended from ballboy to the cusp of theEngland side in just fouryears. Since being spottedby Everton scouts, he hasprogressed from youthteams to the reserves, andis now a fully-fledgedBarclays Premier Leaguestarlet at the age of 18.
His elegant runs,economic play, ease in
30% - LEAVE FOR BARCLAYS MESSAGE
6 7
INJURY CAN’T STOP EVERTON STARLET JACK
FULL NAME: Jack ChristianRodwellBORN: 11/03/1991BIRTHPLACE: SouthportPOSITION: Defensive midfielderHEIGHT: 6ft 2CLUB:EVERTON (2007-)NUMBER: 26INTERNATIONAL RECORD:England U19 (6 apps)England U21 (8 apps/ 2 goals)
HONOURS:England U16: Victory Shield(2006), The AlgarveTournament (2008)Everton: FA Cup Final, runner-upmedal (2009)England U21: EuropeanChampionship, runner-up medal(2009)DID YOU KNOW?Rodwell is the nephew of formerBlackpool winger Tony Rodwell.
RODWELL FACTFILE
Rodwell’s on aroll for Toffees
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE ROUND-UP BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE NEWSLETTER
Jack Rodwell is the latest Everton star who may follow in the footsteps of previousGoodison star, Wayne Rooney, and his displays could earn him a World Cup spot
Cole hopesBlues keeppressureoff KakutaCHELSEA midfielder Joe Coleinsists the club must keep thepressure off starlet Gael Kakuta,below, in order to allow thetalented teenager to reach his fullpotential.
Cole is no stranger topressures of the game at a youngage after working his way upthrough the West Ham youthacademy.
He was touted as one of thehottest talents in English footballas a youngster and quicklyprogressed through the ranks atUpton Park to make his first-teamdebut at the age of 17.
Cole received national mediaattention as he shone in theEngland youth team as well ashelping the Hammers win the FAYouth Cup in 1999.
But he was allowed to progressunhindered in the West Ham firstteam and learned his trade, bothon and off the pitch, beforemoving to Chelsea in 2003 for£6.6million.
Cole said: “Gael has a lot ofskill and has a big future forChelsea and France but we needto keep the pressure off him, havehim play a game here and a gamethere and enjoy his football. Heshould not have too muchpressure on him.
“He has all the talent in theworld and just wants to learn.He’s very intelligent, he knowswhat he wants and is a really bigplayer for the future.”
FULHAM defender AaronHughes has marked the likes ofEmile Heskey for more than adecade in the Premier League –and he believes team-mateBobby Zamora is as tough asany striker in England.
Zamora, above, is comparableto Heskey as neither haveparticularly good goal-scoringrecords, but both offer a hugephysical presence to lead theline.
“For a striker, it’s not justabout his goals,” said theNorthern Ireland centre-back.“His all-round play, hismovement off the ball and hishold-up play creates space andchances for others.
“He’s a big, massive part ofour squad. When he’s not in thesquad we miss him. He’s a vitalpart of our team.”
MARK HUGHES has ruled outthe possibility of Joe Hartleaving Manchester City.
Hart was allowed to joinBirmingham on a season-longloan in a bid to further hisdevelopment after losing hisfirst-team place to Shay Given inthe middle of last season.
Hart has been a pivotal figurein Birmingham’s rise up thetable, triggering speculationthat the England international,who is an outside contender tomake Fabio Capello’s World Cupsquad, might stay permanently.
It is certainly something Bluesboss Alex McLeish would like tosee happen, and he said: “Ourview on Joe has not changed.He is an outstanding ‘keeperand we are pleased that he is aManchester City player.”
Zamora can cutit with the bestsays Hughes
City boss rulesout Hart exit
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