Jack Rodwell Quotes

I was playing first-team football at Cardiff at 16.

I was a promising keeper as a kid and, at 15 and 16, was on the books of Crewe Alexandra.

I first realised I was good at football when I started getting scouted by United, Liverpool, Everton; clubs like that had a lot of interest at an early age, and you kind of know then you're on the right path. I was about six years old and had to sign a contract at nine.

When I left Carlisle United for the first time at the age of 16 in 2000, I hated football.

I was at a local club, Penketh United, and Mike Glennie, a Manchester United scout, came to watch me. He spoke to my grandad and offered me trials, but there was also interest from Liverpool, and I had to pick - I was only young, but obviously my heart was with United at the time.

There has been a great list of players who cut their teeth in Europe.

These kids are the future of the National Football League. They're the next generation that will be playing high school football, NCAA football, and some even to the pros.

My PE teacher used to scout for Sporting and, when I was nine, he recommended me for a trial. From there, I just went up through the age groups and was always kept on while others were dropping out.

I started playing full-equipment football when I was 6 years old. My mom actually got me started in it.

I began my journey as a 16-year-old boy at the Arsenal's academy, trying to one day become a first team player, going out for evening runs in East Barnet with Jack Wilshere.

I'd gone to watch Wortley play in their home tournament but they didn't have enough players so I played for them. I got scouted by a guy called Sonny Sweeney and went to Leeds City Boys.

In Holland you go into amateur teams, come up through the ranks and are generally spotted for senior or professional football. At 16, I had made it into a men's amateur team, and was picked up professionally from there.

I signed as an 11-year-old for Everton. I broke into the Under-18s at the age of 14, then the reserves at 15, then I was in the first-team squad at 16.

It was through the Hammerheads that I got a route into the professional game, via a trial at Sunderland from Mick McCarthy and then an invitation to come back to Carlisle in 2004.

I was released by Chelsea at 14 years old. I remember it, a Tuesday night. On the Wednesday, I was training with Fulham, five minutes from my house, and then on the Thursday, I was training with West Ham. After one session at both clubs, they both wanted me.

I was a million miles from being a Premier League player. You see some people, at 18 they are ready. At 21, I wasn't. Physically nowhere near.

You look at a club like Chelsea, and you know it won't be easy to get into that team. Sometimes you have to go away, play regular first team football, and show Chelsea that you are ready to play for them.

At 13, Stade Rennais came to sign me, and the whole family moved to Rennes. I wanted my family to follow me and be by my side.

I only started playing top football when I was 17 and a half.

Little details about young footballers catch your eye when you have been around a big club for a long time. At first, it can be minor things, like the way certain young players stand out from the group when the academy lads cross paths with the senior team on their way to training in the morning.

Me being at Coventry, instead of a big Premier League club, probably helped me develop. You don't get put in the academy system, playing Under-18s and Under-23s.

Coaches from Celtic actually came to my door but I wasn't interested. I thought I'd get lost in the system. I wasn't ready for it.

I got my first taste of real professional football on loan at Northampton. I was 18 at the time, and I played only nine games, but it was a massive opportunity for me.

Coming through the youth ranks at Fulham is a great honour to me.

When I went to Real Madrid, I was only 18 or 19 years old. It was my first year as a professional footballer. I was very young.