Off The Shelf | Danny Rose - available on all podcast platforms
Tue 14 November 2023, 18:15|
Tottenham Hotspur
Danny Rose opens up on his career alongside his friend and former skipper Michael Dawson in a fascinating episode of our Off The Shelf podcast, available on all platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google, SPURSPLAY, our home of exclusive live and on-demand video and our official YouTube channel.
Meeting up back 'home' in Yorkshire, Danny and Daws talk through Danny's big move south from Leeds United to our Academy in July, 2007, just before his 17th birthday, and the 14 years that followed - breaking into the team in spectacular style in 2010 and becoming a key part of Mauricio Pochettino's title-challenging team in 2015/16 and 2016/17, and starting the Champions League Final in 2018.
In moving from Leeds to Spurs, Danny followed in the footsteps of Aaron Lennon, who, by the time Danny arrived here, was already established in the first team. "Aaron was absolutely pivotal for me," recalled Danny. "As you'll remember, Daws, I followed him everywhere around the training ground. He treated me like family. He did everything to make sure I was okay. So, I don't remember if it was difficult for me to settle because I had Aaron, and he was like a brother for me. He made the first two, three, four years perfect for me, and I'll always owe him for that."
Danny made his debut in the League Cup against home-town team Doncaster Rovers in September, 2009. Seven months later, he would write his name in Spurs folklore with one of the great north London derby goals on his Premier League debut - a 35-yard screamer as we beat Arsenal 2-1 on our way to qualifying for the Champions League.
"I was sitting next to Ledley King in the dressing room," said Danny. "Ledley doesn't say a lot, but when he does, you know it's important, so you listen. He said, 'look, you're playing, continue everything you've been doing in training and enjoy it'. I'll always remember that. The goal was special. I've said before, had I played 30 games at the time, I'd have brought it down, but I just hit it and thankfully, I caught it so sweetly. I'm just so pleased to have played a part in the club reaching the target of that season."
Danny also speaks openly about mental health issues. "This is the first time I've not played football every day since I was about 10, 11. That's taken some getting used to, but, in terms of how I am, I'm really good. I get to spend time with friends and family, time I've missed over the years. I'd like to think I'm in a really good place."
Still only 33, currently a free agent, Danny made 214 appearances for us before departing for Watford in 2021. He was also capped 29 times by England and represented the Three Lions at Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup.
Off The Shelf is available on all podcast platforms, including Apple Music, Amazon, Music, Spotify and Google and SPURSPLAY. Look out for our previous podcasts with Ledley King, Jenna Schillaci, Oliver Skipp, Heurelho Gomes, Molly Bartrip, Gary Mabbutt (part one), Clive Allen, Sandro, Younes Kaboul, Fraser Forster, Les Ferdinand and Amy Turner.
