Jack Rodwell

2.1. Early Life and Education

Jack Christian Rodwell was born on 11 March 1991, in Southport, Merseyside, England. He received his education at Farnborough Road Junior School and Birkdale High School. From a young age, Rodwell was an avid supporter of Everton, the club he would later join. During his school years, he played for the local club Birkdale United before joining Everton's youth system at the age of seven. His mother, Carol, recalled that "as a young boy, Jack lived and breathed football," and that his ambition was always to become a professional player, though he never explicitly stated it. His childhood heroes were Alan Shearer and the Brazilian striker Ronaldo, as he tended to follow players based on their ability rather than the teams they played for. Rodwell also has a brother named Thomas.

2.2. Family and Personal Life

Jack Rodwell is the nephew of former Blackpool footballer Tony Rodwell. In 2013, he married Alana Licate, an Australian national, and they have two children together. The family later relocated to Australia, where they have settled. Rodwell has publicly stated that he believes his family has adjusted well to life in Australia. He has also actively refuted the suggestion that the A-League is a "retirement league," emphasizing his physical fitness, stating, "Physically, when I'm fit, I'm a young 30. I haven't actually got loads of miles on the clock and I can carry on." He highlighted the athleticism of the "young and fit" footballers in the league, which he finds challenging and requires him to "replenish [his] engine to get up and down." In September 2018, Rodwell was fined 660 GBP, with additional prosecution costs of 166 GBP and a victim surcharge of 66 GBP, and was banned from driving for six months after a previous court hearing which he was unaware of.

3.1. Everton

Rodwell was a product of Everton's youth system, making his under-18s debut at 14 and his debut for Everton's reserve team at the age of 15. Although he was initially identified as having the potential to become a top centre-back early in his professional career, he was primarily deployed as a defensive midfielder once he joined the senior team. Rodwell credited Lee Carsley with helping him adapt to playing in the midfield position.

He broke a club 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 Alkmaar in a UEFA Cup match on 20 December 2007, at the age of 16 years and 284 days, in a match Everton won 3-2. His Premier League debut came on 9 March 2008, as a substitute for Tim Cahill in a 1-0 victory over Sunderland. On 17 March 2008, after six years in the reserve team, Rodwell signed his first professional contract with Everton. By the end of the 2007-08 season, he had made three appearances in all competitions and was awarded the academy's Player of the Year.

Ahead of the 2008-09 season, Rodwell was called up to the first team squad for the pre-season tour. He made his first professional start on 16 August 2008 against Blackburn Rovers, playing the full 90 minutes. Throughout the 2008-09 season, he primarily featured as a substitute but consistently worked to earn a place in the starting eleven. Rodwell scored his first senior goal for Everton in the FA Cup against Aston Villa in February 2009, a performance that earned praise from manager David Moyes. In the same month, he signed a new five-year contract with Everton. He was an unused substitute in the 2009 FA Cup Final where Everton lost 2-1 against Chelsea. By the end of the 2008-09 season, Rodwell had made 25 appearances and scored one goal 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. He marked the occasion by scoring two long-range goals, contributing to Everton's 4-0 win. In the return leg, Rodwell played the entire game, helping the club secure a 1-1 draw, which resulted in a 5-1 aggregate win and progression to the group stage. He started in the first eleven matches of the season until missing one due to flu-like symptoms. After his brief absence, Rodwell returned to the starting line-up against Stoke City 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, causing him to miss two matches. His return was short-lived as he sustained a hamstring injury and was substituted in the 8th minute during Everton's 1-0 loss against BATE Borisov on 17 December 2009, which kept him out for two months.

On 10 February 2010, Rodwell returned to the first team after a two-month absence, coming on as a 74th-minute substitute in a 2-1 win against Chelsea. In a subsequent match, he scored his first Premier League goal in Everton's 3-1 win against Manchester United, earning him the Man of the Match award. 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 was increasingly utilized in a more attacking midfield position. Despite suffering another injury later in the season, he made 36 appearances and scored 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 expressed his determination to fight for his place in the first team amidst intense competition in midfield. He scored and assisted the club's third goal 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. Rodwell returned from injury on 14 November 2010, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 2-1 loss against Arsenal. Following his return, Rodwell found himself rotated in and out of the starting eleven throughout the 2010-11 season. His performances led to transfer speculation linking him to Manchester United, a claim that was denied by manager Moyes. Despite being sidelined on two occasions during the 2010-11 season, he made 28 appearances and scored once in all competitions.

At the start of the 2011-12 season, Rodwell continued to be a first team regular, playing in midfield. This lasted until he was sent off in the 23rd minute during the 216th Merseyside derby on 1 October 2011, after what the BBC described as "what appeared to be a legitimate challenge on Suárez". Shortly after, his red card was rescinded by The FA. Rodwell made his 100th appearance for Everton, playing the entire game, in a 3-1 loss against Chelsea on 15 October 2011. In a follow-up match against Fulham, he scored his first goal of the season and assisted the club's first goal in a 3-1 win. Two weeks later, on 5 November 2011, Rodwell scored his second goal of the season in a 2-1 loss against Newcastle United. He was subsequently named the club's Player of the Month. However, Rodwell found himself plagued with injuries on two separate occasions that kept him out for the remainder of 2011. He returned to the starting line-up on 1 January 2012 against West Bromwich Albion, playing 57 minutes before being substituted in a 1-0 win. His return was short-lived as he suffered another hamstring injury that kept him out for two months. His return came on 10 March 2012 against Tottenham Hotspur, coming on as a 65th-minute substitute in a 1-0 win. Once again, he suffered a slight recurrence of his recent hamstring complaint that eventually ruled him out for the rest of the 2011-12 season. At the end of the 2011-12 season, Rodwell made 17 appearances and scored two goals in all competitions.

3.2. Manchester City

In August 2012, Rodwell signed a five-year contract with Manchester City for a fee of 12.00 M GBP, which could rise to 15.00 M GBP. Upon joining the club, he expressed his excitement about the opportunity to play with some of the best players in the world and continue his development.

Rodwell made his Manchester City debut on 19 August 2012, in a 3-2 home win against Southampton. He made his away debut on 26 August 2012, coming on as a second-half substitute against Liverpool at Anfield in a 2-2 draw. Rodwell made his UEFA Champions League debut, starting a match and playing 56 minutes, in a 1-1 draw against Borussia Dortmund on 3 October 2012. After being sidelined due to injury since October, Rodwell made a successful return to the team on 26 January 2013 in an FA Cup match, a 1-0 away win against Stoke City. After appearing in a total of four matches over the next two months, he suffered a hamstring injury that kept him out for another two months.

After two months out, Rodwell returned to the first team, coming on as an 85th-minute substitute, in a 0-0 draw against Swansea City on 4 May 2013. He then came on as a 69th-minute substitute in the 2013 FA Cup Final against Wigan Athletic, which Manchester City lost 1-0. On the final day of the 2012-13 season, Rodwell scored both of Manchester City's goals in a 3-2 home defeat to Norwich City, marking his first goals for the club. At the end of the season, he had made 15 appearances and scored two goals in all competitions.

In the 2013-14 season, Rodwell made his first appearance of the season, playing the entire game, in a 0-0 draw against Stoke City on 14 September 2013. However, he found his first team opportunities limited due to strong competition in the midfield positions and his own recurring injury concerns. Despite this, he made 10 appearances in all competitions, five of which were in the league, making him eligible for a winner's medal when Manchester City became 2013-14 Premier League champions. Following this season, it was widely expected that Rodwell would leave the club in the summer transfer window.

3.3. Sunderland

On 5 August 2014, Sunderland announced that Rodwell had signed a five-year contract for an undisclosed fee, which was widely reported to be around 10.00 M GBP. Upon joining the club, he was critical of his time at Manchester City and urged young English players to think carefully before joining top clubs like them.

Rodwell made his Sunderland debut on 16 August 2014, starting and playing 68 minutes before being substituted in a 2-2 draw against West Bromwich Albion in the opening game of the season. On 24 August 2014, he scored his first goal for the club, an equalizer for Sunderland in their 1-1 draw with Manchester United at the Stadium of Light. Since his debut, Rodwell became a first team regular for the first four months of the 2014-15 season. However, he missed a match against Crystal Palace due to a calf injury. Following his return, Rodwell found himself alternating between a starting and a substitute role by the end of the year. On 1 January 2015, he scored Sunderland's first goal in a dramatic match against his former club, Manchester City, which ended in a 3-2 loss for Sunderland. On 24 January 2015, Rodwell was sent off after receiving two yellow cards in an FA Cup fourth round match against Fulham, which ended 0-0. Between January and March, he was sidelined from the first team due to injuries and suspension. His third goal of the season came on 3 March 2015, where Rodwell scored the equalizer in a 1-1 away draw against Hull City, in a match where he was also booked for diving. Despite being on the sidelines on two occasions later in the 2014-15 season, Rodwell continued to be involved in the first team. At the end of the 2014-15 season, he made 26 appearances and scored three goals in all competitions.

On 25 August 2015, Rodwell scored two goals and made two assists in Sunderland's 6-3 win over Exeter City in the second round of the 2015-16 League Cup. At the start of the 2015-16 season, he continued to alternate between a starting and a substitute role. Due to the club's defensive crisis, Rodwell offered to play as a centre-back when asked by manager Dick Advocaat. However, this never materialized, as Advocaat was sacked and replaced by Sam Allardyce, who opted against playing him in that position. Rodwell was sidelined on four separate occasions by the end of the year due to injuries, including a period where he received 50 injections in four days in an attempt to resolve his injury issues. Despite recovering, he continued to alternate between starting and substitute roles later in the 2015-16 season. In the last game of the season, Rodwell scored in a 2-2 draw against Watford. At the end of the 2015-16 season, he made 24 appearances and scored three goals in all competitions.

In the opening game of the 2016-17 season, Rodwell assisted Sunderland's first goal in a 2-1 loss against his former club, Manchester City. His starts in the next four matches suggested a potential resurgence. However, he missed two subsequent matches despite being fit. He returned to the first team on 1 October 2016, coming on as a 72nd-minute substitute in a 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion. Soon after, he suffered a hamstring injury that kept him out for the rest of 2016. Rodwell returned to the starting line-up on 2 January 2017, playing 65 minutes in a 2-2 draw against Liverpool. On 4 February 2017, in a 4-0 win for Sunderland against Crystal Palace, he ended a significant drought of 1,370 days without winning a Premier League game in which he had started, a run that had lasted for 39 Premier League matches. Following his return from injury, Rodwell continued to find himself in and out of the starting eleven later in the 2016-17 season. Ultimately, Sunderland were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the season. He made 23 appearances in all competitions during this season.

Ahead of the 2017-18 season, Rodwell avoided a pay cut despite Sunderland's relegation from the Premier League. Although the club was willing to sell him, he remained at Sunderland throughout the summer transfer window. He scored on his first appearance of the 2017-18 season in a 2-1 loss against Sheffield United on 9 September 2017. As the months progressed, Rodwell was once again dropped from the first team, facing both increased competition and his own injury concerns. The club's supporters grew increasingly frustrated with him, rating him low in a survey conducted by the local newspaper Evening Chronicle.

It was reported that Rodwell asked to leave Sunderland in January 2018, having not made an appearance for the first team since September 2017. He went on a trial at Dutch club SBV Vitesse, but it was subsequently cancelled, with "organisational reasons" cited. Rodwell ultimately remained at the club after the January transfer window closed. In April 2018, after Sunderland were relegated for a second successive season, manager Chris Coleman stated he did not know Rodwell's mental state. It was later revealed that the two had fallen out and did not see eye to eye. At the end of the 2017-18 season, Rodwell made 6 appearances and scored once in all competitions.

His contract with Sunderland was officially terminated by the club on 27 June 2018. Upon his departure, local newspapers, including the Evening Chronicle and The Northern Echo, were highly critical of the club's decision to sign him, with the Evening Chronicle going as far as calling him the "worst signing in Sunderland's history."

3.4. Blackburn Rovers

Rodwell signed for Championship club Blackburn Rovers on 23 August 2018, agreeing to a one-year deal that would last until the end of the 2018-19 season. Upon joining, he expressed his eagerness to play football again, acknowledging the "ups and downs" of his past career but focusing on the future. He described Blackburn as an "ambitious club" and a "great fit," noting his enjoyment of playing at Ewood Park during his time at Everton. He also praised the manager's passion for the club.

After spending a month on the sidelines, Rodwell made his Blackburn Rovers debut on 25 September 2018, playing 59 minutes at centre-back in a 3-2 League Cup loss against AFC Bournemouth. Following his debut, he rotated between the defensive midfield and centre-back positions for the next two months. This continued until he suffered an injury from a challenge by an opposition player during a 3-1 loss against Wigan Athletic on 28 November 2018. He returned to the starting line-up on 26 December 2018, playing in defensive midfield in a 3-2 loss against Leeds United. However, his return was short-lived as he suffered another groin injury. He subsequently returned to the starting line-up on 12 January 2019, playing the entire game at centre-back in a 2-0 win against Millwall.

Rodwell scored his first goal for Blackburn Rovers in a 3-0 win against Hull City on 26 January 2019. Following his return from injury, Rodwell continued to regain his first team place, playing at centre-back for the next two months. This lasted until he suffered a muscle strain that kept him out for a month. Although he returned to training in late March, he did not make an appearance until 13 April 2019, coming on as a 69th-minute substitute in a 2-1 win against Nottingham Forest. Following this, Rodwell reverted to playing in midfield for the next three matches. At the end of the 2018-19 season, he made 22 appearances and scored once in all competitions for the club.

Following the season, Rodwell was offered a new contract by Blackburn Rovers. However, he ultimately left the club upon the expiration of his contract, despite the offer of a new deal. After leaving Blackburn Rovers, Rodwell was linked with a transfer to Italian side Roma, but was not offered a contract.

3.5. Sheffield United

On 3 January 2020, Rodwell signed for Premier League club Sheffield United on a contract until the end of the season. He had been training with the team since December 2019. Upon his arrival, manager Chris Wilder publicly defended Rodwell following his portrayal as a "villain" in the Netflix series Sunderland 'Til I Die.

Rodwell made his debut for Sheffield United two days later in an FA Cup third round match against AFC Fylde, which Sheffield United won 2-1. However, Rodwell spent the first two months at the club out of the starting eleven by the time the season was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Once the season resumed behind closed doors, he made his first Premier League appearance in three years, coming on as a 75th-minute substitute in a 1-1 draw against Burnley on 5 July 2020. At the end of the 2019-20 season, Rodwell made two appearances in all competitions.

On 23 August 2020, Rodwell signed a new one-year deal, keeping him at the club until 2021. He played a single game during the 2020-21 season and was released on 1 June 2021.

3.6. Western Sydney Wanderers

After playing professionally in England for 15 years, Rodwell took on a new challenge by moving to Australia with his Australian wife and son. He expressed that "Physically, when I'm fit, I'm a young 30. I haven't actually got loads of miles on the clock and I can carry on." He highlighted that the opportunity to move to Australia arose, and it was a family decision. He also rejected the common perception of the A-League as a "retirement league," noting the athleticism of the "young and fit" footballers in the league, which he found challenging and required him to maintain his "engine to get up and down." On 18 November 2021, Australian A-League club Western Sydney Wanderers announced that Rodwell had signed for the club on a one-year deal after training with them for two weeks under manager Carl Robinson.

He made his debut for Western Sydney Wanderers on 20 November 2021, coming on as a 77th-minute substitute in a 0-0 draw against Sydney FC. Rodwell made his first start in more than two and a half years on 3 December 2021, in a 2-0 win against Wellington Phoenix. After missing two matches due to injury, he scored his first goal for the club on his return in a 3-3 draw against Melbourne City on 9 January 2022. Four weeks later, on 5 February 2022, Rodwell captained his first match at Western Sydney Wanderers against Perth Glory and scored the winning goal in a 1-0 win. However, he spent the next two months out due to injuries on two separate occasions. After returning from injury, Rodwell scored his third goal for the club in a 3-2 win against Newcastle Jets on 20 April 2022. At the end of the 2021-22 season, he made 14 appearances and scored three goals in all competitions.

Rodwell was named as captain of the A-League All-Stars team in a friendly with Barcelona in May 2022 after being called up. On 1 July 2022, Western Sydney Wanderers began talks with Rodwell over a new contract.

3.7. Sydney FC

Rodwell signed for Sydney FC in August 2022 on a two-year contract with the Sky Blues.

Just under four months later, on 10 December 2022, Rodwell made his Sydney debut in a 2-1 win over Melbourne City. After joining Sydney, Rodwell mostly played in the centre-back position, forming a partnership with Alex Wilkinson. He helped the club qualify for the finals series and reach the semi-finals, in which Sydney lost 5-1 against Melbourne City. However, his first season with the club was beset by constant recurring injuries, which limited him to 13 appearances in all competitions.

At the start of the 2023-24 season, Rodwell scored his first goal for the Sky Blues in a 3-0 win against Western United in the quarter-finals of the Australia Cup. However, he went on to suffer a hamstring injury that would ultimately rule him out of action for two months. While he was out with an injury, Sydney won the Australia Cup. On 16 December 2023, Rodwell returned to the starting line-up for Sydney in a 3-0 defeat against Melbourne Victory. The following week, on 23 December, Rodwell scored one of Sydney's four goals in their 4-2 victory over Western United. It would be yet another injury-stricken season for Rodwell, who was ruled out of action on three separate occasions due to injury. Despite this, Rodwell helped Sydney overcome Macarthur 4-0 in the elimination finals. However, in the semi-finals against Central Coast Mariners, he received a straight red card in the 63rd minute for an unprofessional foul.

On 22 May 2024, Sydney FC announced Rodwell as one of the players who would depart the club upon the expiration of his contract on 30 June.

4.1. England Youth Teams

In September 2006, Rodwell was first called up to the England U16 squad. He captained his England U16 debut and played the full match in a 1-1 draw against Wales U16 on 20 October 2006. Two months later, in December 2006, Rodwell captained the England U16 team to Victory Shield glory, following a 2-1 victory over Scotland. Four months later, he scored England's first winning goal at Wembley Stadium in a 1-0 win over Spain U16. He made 4 appearances and scored 1 goal for the U16 side.

In July 2006, Rodwell was called up to the England U17 squad for the first time but did not play. After being called up again, he made his England U17 debut on 30 July 2007, in a 2-0 win against Iceland U17. On 25 March 2008, Rodwell scored England U17's only goal as they drew 1-1 with France in a 2008 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualifier. He went on to make 9 appearances and score 1 goal for the U17 side.

Rodwell made his England U19 debut on 9 September 2008, playing 45 minutes in a 2-1 win against Netherlands U19. He made 4 appearances and scored 1 goal for the U19 side.

In March 2009, Rodwell was called up to the England U21 squad for the first time. He earned his first U21 cap in a match against France U21. He scored his first goal for the squad on 8 June 2009 against Azerbaijan. Rodwell earned his first start at U21 level during the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in a match against Germany, scoring a goal and earning praise for his all-around performance in a defensive midfield role. He then helped England reach the final of the tournament by beating Sweden U21 5-4 on penalties following a 3-3 draw in the semi-finals. However, Rodwell came on as a 77th-minute substitute as England lost 4-0 to Germany U21 in the final of the Under-21 Championships. Following the end of the tournament, Rodwell made three more appearances for the U21 side by the end of 2009. He then captained England U21 for the first time, helping them win 2-0 against Uzbekistan U21 on 10 August 2010. Rodwell made 22 appearances and scored 2 goals for the U21 side.

4.2. England Senior Team

In November 2011, Rodwell was called up to the senior England squad for the first time. He made his senior England debut on 12 November 2011, replacing Phil Jones in the 56th minute of England's 1-0 friendly victory against Spain. He made his first start three days later, in a 1-0 friendly win against Sweden at Wembley Stadium.

On 2 June 2013, Rodwell made his first appearance for the senior team since 2011, earning his third cap as a substitute, replacing Theo Walcott in the second half of a 2-2 draw against Brazil. Two years later, in 2015, he stated that he had not given up hope of playing for England again and remained determined to force his way back into the squad. In total, he made 3 appearances for the senior team, scoring no goals.