It’s hard enough for a young player to make the grade at a club the size of Liverpool. So the last thing any up-and-coming youngster needs is to hear his name being compared with the legendary Steven Gerrard.
In retrospect, Robbie Fowler should have known better than to heap more pressure on the shoulders of the hottest academy prospect at Anfield. The comparisons were easy to make. A tough-tackling tenacious midfielder, Jordan Rossiter was climbing his way up the ranks at Liverpool and like many of his academy teammates, had probably dreamt of following Gerrard’s footsteps to worldwide stardom – even if he did grow up as an Everton fan.
The early signs were promising. By the age of 16, Rossiter had become a permanent fixture in Liverpool’s Under-21 Premier League side and won the club’s prestigious Academy Player of the Year award. The sky was the limit and he was beginning to live up to Fowler’s earlier hype as the former Kop favourite declared: “Big shout, but potentially a young Stevie G. He’s a very good player.”
After being promoted to first-team training, Rossiter marked a dream debut for the Reds by scoring in the 2014 EFL Cup third round win over Middlesbrough, becoming the club’s second youngest goalscorer behind Michael Owen. He was the name on every fan’s lips but just months later, the youngster’s season was cruelly curtailed by an ankle blow suffered in an FA Youth Cup game. It was to become the story of Rossiter’s career.
The promising midfielder bounced back for pre-season under Brendan Rodgers, earning some further minutes in the Premier League and Europa League, before a recurring hamstring issue led to an extended period on the sidelines. Despite being regarded as one of the most talented youngsters at the club, Rossiter opted for a fresh start in 2016 when he penned a pre-contract deal with Rangers.
The £250,000 cross-border capture was hailed as a major coup and Rossiter immediately set his sights on lifting silverware with the newly-promoted Premiership side, saying: “It is a massive club and I don’t think people realise down south how big a club it really is. I think I have always known and so have my family and it is just a great opportunity to carry on learning my trade. Rangers is a club which wins trophies and winning trophies would be brilliant… it is a club that is always going to win things and next season, hopefully, I can help with that.”
However, Rossiter’s time in Glasgow didn’t turn out the way he wanted. Just weeks after arriving at the club, Rossiter suffered a calf injury. Mark Warburton did the frustrated player no favours by constantly revising his comeback date throughout the season, telling the press he was “seven to 10 days away” on multiple occasions. After five months out, Gers sent Rossiter to the FA’s top medics in a bid to cure the back problem that had wrecked his debut season in Scotland.
He made a brief return under Pedro Caixinha and featured in the early stages of the campaign before his injury curse struck again, ruling him out for almost NINE months. Ironically, the luckless Scouser would be reunited with the man he was tipped to emulate when Stevie G was appointed Ibrox manager in 2019. However, he continued to be plagued by fitness issues and recurring niggles.
After mixed loan stints at Bury and Fleetwood Town, Gers eventually decided to cut their losses on the former Liverpool prodigy in 2020, who managed just 16 appearances and one goal.
Sadly, injuries have continued to play havoc with Rossiter’s career. He returned south with Fleetwood Town on a two-year deal before a troubled two seasons at Bristol Rovers. In the summer, he joined League One rivals Shrewsbury Town after impressing on trial.
“Jordan came in on trial but we knew it was never going to be a long trial,” said Town boss Paul Hurst. “Fitness has been his issue but he has come through the games without any problems. He could be a really big player for us. He has got a really good pedigree. He’s been with Liverpool. He went up to Rangers as well. He had a really good start to his career and he is the type of player that will have gained a lot from those experiences. He is a genuine lad.”
So far, Rossiter has managed to steer clear of injuries this season, establishing himself as a regular in the middle of the park, racking up 13 outings. A decade ago, not many would’ve predicted that the lad tipped as Gerrard’s successor would be strutting his stuff in England’s third-tier. It’s a cruel tale of what could have been for the likeable player. Hopefully, the Shrews will begin to see the best of his undoubted talent.