Sunderland outcast Jack Rodwell is ready to be reinvented at Blackburn Rovers so he can get back to his early success when he won three England caps and a Premier League title.
Rodwell was the Dele Alli of his day and regarded as the future of English football when he made his international debut aged 20 against world champions Spain in 2011.
Two big-moves to City and Sunderland subsequently turned sour and the low point arrived last season when Black Cats boss Chris Coleman claimed he didn't know where Rodwell was, something the player refutes.
'I am not that type of person who would ever go on strike. I did everything they asked but they put me to train with the Under 23s and that's where I was,' he explains.
The 27-year-old has now signed a deal with Rovers until the end of the season and manager Tony Mowbray plans to use him as a central defender or holding midfielder rather than box-to-box where he made his name.
'Jack has possibly been too cavalier in the way he's played and picked up injuries,' said Mowbray.
'Using his experience and size, he might pop up playing centre-back or defensive midfield, but not as somebody tearing everywhere 40 yards across the pitch to do a slide tackle.'
Rodwell welcomes the change and believes the best of his career could still lie ahead.
'You're just getting into your peak at 27,' he says. 'I wasn't as strong as a teenager as now. My physical stats tell you that.
'The last couple of years have been hard but hopefully it is just a blip. To win three England caps was a great experience. It would have been nice to add more and there is still time.
'I like the sitting role in midfield and centre-back as well. They are positions I can play and the manager knows it's an option. I'll go wherever he thinks I am best suited.'
Rodwell was compared to Wayne Rooney when he broke into Everton's first-team but his career stalled following a £15million move to City in 2012 as he suffered a series of ankle, hamstring and tendon injuries.
He joined Sunderland two years later to play regularly but his arrival coincided with a financial meltdown on Wearside.
The club suffered consecutive relegations and Rodwell's reported £70,000-a-week salary used as a scapegoat.
His last appearance came 10 months ago against Grimsby in the Checkatrade Trophy and after leaving Sunderland in the summer, he hired a personal trainer to keep fit.
It will be at least a fortnight until Mowbray considers him for first-team selection.
'Looking back, I would probably make the same decision to join City if I was put in the same position. You're not to know you won't play as much and a lot of that was due to injuries,' he said.
'It's now a case of feeling my way into it at Blackburn and picking up a good run of form.'
Rodwell's isolation at Sunderland was primarily due to the club wanting a high earner off the books.
Mowbray believes Rodwell is a good character though he suggests he'd like him to be resolute.
'I don't sign players without doing background checks. His personality is not a problem,' the manager added.
'His robustness, we will have see. I have footballers here who play with knocks, play with sore knees, have treatment after every game and go out on Saturday and run a marathon. That is what footballers have to do.'
creatures10
0
His isolation at Sunderland was not because we wanted a high earner off the books. It was because he was simply a ghost on the pitch, nowhere to be seen, hiding from the play, totally ineffectual. It never ceases to amaze me when some managers think they have the golden touch to turn poor players into good ones even though other managers have failed. Tony Mowray is the latest to fall into the trap. He will make nothing of Rodwell because Rodwell has nothing to give, despite appearances.
still Mowbray would be winning games at rovers... And about rodwell he is a free transferred player who is good enough to fill the squad... Dont see him starting much
creatures10
1
Rovers are going up🤘
Pearler
0
Sicknote. Never good enough for top flight football. Championship player at best
Gloriouser
0
Oh yeah, his wages were used as a scapegoat, not the fact he played crap, also happy to sit back and take the cash. I would doubt he has a good consistent game in him. I hope not, be milked us for a lot of money we didn't have, shows a complete lack of ambition.
dream888
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If he earned too much at Sunderland or Man City blame the fools you put the contracts in front of him. Don't blame him for signing them and expecting the clubs to honour the deal.
ssure
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His isolation at Sunderland was not because we wanted a high earner off the books. It was because he was simply a ghost on the pitch, nowhere to be seen, hiding from the play, totally ineffectual. It never ceases to amaze me when some managers think they have the golden touch to turn poor players into good ones even though other managers have failed. Tony Mowray is the latest to fall into the trap. He will make nothing of Rodwell because Rodwell has nothing to give, despite appearances.
Yamahai
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To make things more interesting, we need a "Carlton Cole Miss of the Season" award. A couple of seasons back, Rodwell exceeded that with the miss of the decade.
justify
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Like Micah Richards and Chris Smalling and others he has never fulfilled his potential. Rio Ferdinand would have gone the same way if not for Ferguson.
oldestwo
0
A real nowhere man on the pitch, he was originally a centre back who could run into forward positions, but in no way has his switch to midfield been positive....he loves his zonal marking because it takes away blame, as long as you cover your own area