In an exclusive interview with former Mirror journalist Dave Kidd, Tottenham Hotspur and England left-back Danny Rose has told of his ambition to win trophies’ before his career ends and is willing to leave for one of Spurs’ Premier League rivals to do this.In an honest and candid interview the defender spoke about his acknowledgement that he is coming into his late 20’s with no silverware to show for it.
Rose said: “I am opinionated and I might not have long left in football. “One thing is for sure, for the rest of this career, I will play this game how I want to play it and, while I am not going to disrespect anyone, I am going to voice my opinions.”
Rose is coming back from a six month injury which has given made him time to think about what he wants before the end of his career.
Rose said: “At my age, and having missed six months with injury, I have been thinking about this quite a lot.
“I am reaching my peak and have probably only got one big contract left in me. Time is running out and I do want to win trophies. I don’t want to play football for 15 years and not have one trophy or one medal.
Sorry, that’s not what I am about. I wouldn’t be happy with that. I want to win something".
He, just like Kyle Walker, also cite the desire to play up north which would alert both Manchester clubs. Mourinho and Guardiola have both spoken of their admiration for Rose in the past.
“I will say this too — I will play up north. I don’t know exactly when, but I will get back up north and play some football somewhere. I moved away from home (from Leeds to Spurs) at 16. Yes I’ve got team-mates who have moved away from families in South Korea and Argentina, but I have been away for over ten years now and I don’t get to see my mum that often. I am going to make it my priority before I retire to play football up there.
Despite the honestly in this interview he wants to make it clear that he is not looking for a move away from Spurs but feels like he and his teammates are worth more than what they are being paid and it is reported that he is earning £65,000 per week. He would not be afraid to voice his opinions if Tottenham received an offer from a big club.
“My short-term focus is to get back to playing like last year and if I do that the long-term will take care of itself. I’m not saying I want out, but if something came to me that was concrete, I’d have no qualms about voicing my opinions to anyone at the club.”
He said: “Being injured has harmed me on and off the field in a lot of ways.
“When you’re injured you get a lot of time to think and I’ve had a lot of ‘what if?’ moments. It’s been hard to deal with. One thing is for sure — I know my worth and I will make sure I get what I am worth.
“I am not playing as well as I have done not to get paid what I think I am worth. In any walk of life, if you think you are worth a certain amount, why settle for less? I am not that person.
“If I get to levels I reached last season — and this goes out to everybody — I will make sure I get what I am worth. I don’t know how much longer I might have at this level. I’m not going to be stupid enough not to try and get the most out of it — medals, trophies and salary.
“Anyone who thinks this is primarily for money, that is not the case. But I know what I am worth.
“As with everyone else in my team, in my opinion, I am worth more than I am getting.
“I am not speaking on behalf of other players, but that is my view.”
Rose has huge respect for manager Mauricio Pochettino — he has even been referred to as the “gaffer’s son” by team-mates who joke he is a teacher’s pet.
Rose also says he can’t forget how the fans treated him during his low points at White Hart Lane. While under the management of Sherwood and Andre Villas-Boas things weren’t going his way and got a lot of stick.
Rose added: “People speak about me and to me as if I had two left feet before Mauricio came to the club.
“But I want people to understand that having one average season, as I’d had, doesn’t make you a bad player. You need to distinguish that.
“I don’t usually blow my own trumpet, but I was a good player before the manager came. I am an even better one now and he has helped me become more consistent.
“But don’t ever speak about me as if I had two left feet before he arrived. I am not having that. I’ll never forget how some fans treated me when I signed a contract.I have been desperate to get that on record and I hope people read about my mindset on that one.I am happy at Tottenham, I love my team-mates and the fans have been great for the last three years.
“But I got a lot of stick before Mauricio came to the club. I’ll never forget some of the things they were saying about me.
“Now I want to win things and I want to be in the starting 11 at the World Cup with England. If I have a good season, these things will sort themselves out.”