Danny Rose may reflect on this season as the one where he finally graduated from promising youngster into proven top-end Premier League performer. He has been Tottenham’s undisputed first choice left-back in what has been so far the club’s best ever Premier League campaign.
The 25 year old was rewarded with his full England debut in the victory in Germany last month but it has taken him some time to reach his potential and it has been a relatively rocky road to the top.
Rose joined Spurs from cash-strapped Leeds before he had even made an appearance for the Yorkshire club in 2007, but his teenaged years in North London were disrupted by injury problems including a serious knee injury the following year.
That goal
He wouldn’t make his Tottenham debut until January 2010 but really announced himself onto the scene in his Premier League debut with a wonder goal in the North London derby a few months later.
It was later voted goal of the season and while clearly it was an incredible moment for the youngster, it only served to increase the expectation levels surrounding him and perhaps in the following few seasons he found that difficult to live up to.
He went from North London derby hero to Bristol City bench-warmer in the space of a year and failed to get much of a look in under Harry Redknapp at White Hart Lane while his successor Andre Villas-Boas immediately loaned him out to Sunderland.
It turned out to be a good call as Rose got some serious Premier League game time under his belt for the first time and impressed for the Mackems.
Pochettino faith
However it wasn’t until Mauricio Pochettino took charge in the summer of 2014 that Rose really had a Tottenham manager that fancied him as more than a back-up player.
A new 5 year deal for Rose was met with surprise in some quarters but it was the vote of confidence that the player may have needed.
Since then Rose has got his break in the Spurs side and we have seen solid improvements from the full-back as he has developed the tactical side of his game to go with the natural ability that he has always possessed.
He has proved to be a more consistent performer than fellow left-back Ben Davies, who was also signed during Pochettino’s first summer in charge but has had to largely play second-fiddle to Rose.
Fine form
The Doncaster-born defender has been in particularly fine form since the turn of the year and has played his part for the league’s meanest defence, which has only let in 25 goals this term.
Rose has done well in all of his last six Premier League starts with the highlight being the crucial late winner he scored against Swansea in February.
Although his appearances for England in the March internationals were his first for his country, such has been Rose’s form this season, he seems certain to go to the Euros and may very well go straight into the team.
England have struggled in the left-back position since the retirement of Ashley Cole and Rose has emerged above the likes of Kieran Gibbs, Ryan Bertrand and the injured Luke Shaw as perhaps the best man for the job.
Written by Mark Sochon
Follow Mark on Twitter @tikitakagol
Check out his brilliant blog on all things La Liga, Tiki-Taka-Gol!
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