'Sink or swim' - How Aston Villa star's tough time with Blackpool set him up for England future

Morgan Rogers is preparing for England’s opening group game at the World Cup - with the ex-Blackpool loanee set to play an important role under Thomas Tuchel this summer.

The Three Lions take on Croatia at the Dallas Stadium tonight (K.O. 9pm), and will be looking to make a strong start.

For several players in the squad, the next month will provide their first taste of tournament football, with a number of high-profile names left out.

Rogers is among the new generation of talent that has emerged in recent times after becoming a key man for Europa League winners Aston Villa.

Just three years ago, the attacker endured an ill-fated loan stint at Bloomfield Road, with the Seasiders suffering relegation from the Championship.

His time in Tangerine saw him post one goal and one assist in 22 outings, as he worked under Michael Appleton, Mick McCarthy and Stephen Dobbie.

The spell on the Fylde Coast ultimately brought an end to his time on the books of Manchester City, with the Citizens selling him to Middlesbrough after spending the previous seasons on loan with Lincoln City and AFC Bournemouth.

It was while at the Riverside Stadium, the youngster caught the eye of Villa.

After scoring seven goals and providing nine assists for the North Yorkshire outfit in the Championship, Rogers was snapped up by Unai Emery’s side - where he has proven to be a sensation.

In 125 appearances for Villa so far, he has found the back of the net 31 times and provided 29 assists - with four of his goals coming in last season’s Champions League.

His most recent strike came in Villa’s 3-0 victory over Freiburg to lift the Europa League last month, as he became the youngest Englishman since Steven Gerrard to score in a major European final.

‘Everyone could see’

While things proved to be tough for Rogers with Blackpool, his talent was still evident behind-the-scenes.

Current first-team coach Dobbie took interim charge of the Seasiders at the back end of the 2022/23 campaign, and admits he could see the ability the now-England international possessed.

“Morgan was a top lad,” he said.

“Sometimes it happens - you go on loan and you don’t play as many games as you would like or you don’t fit into the system the manager at that time is trying to adopt.

“Everyone could see how much talent Morgan actually had. We’ve seen him kicking on now, and his natural ability is up there with the best I’ve seen first-hand.

“The way he dribbles with the ball, he can carry it 30, 40 yards with both feet, he can finish, and he can see a pass. It’ll be exciting to watch someone like that to see if he can do it at the highest level; I’m sure he can.

“I think he’ll go further again, because his potential is very big. It’ll be interesting where he’ll get to in his career.”

Dobbie jokes even with a player he’s coached first-hand in action at the World Cup, he won’t be cheering anything England does in the tournament.

“Morgan is a top guy, so you want people like that to achieve and do good things,” the Scotsman added.

“If he was to score and play a pivotal role for England, it wouldn’t surprise me to be honest.

“Supporting them, I’m not too sure. I’ll definitely be getting up to watch Scotland - that’s the most important thing.”

‘He always knew’

A teammate of Rogers during his time at Bloomfield Road was MK Dons defender Marvin Ekpiteta - who states the attacker always had the self belief that he would make it to the top.

“When these young players play with you at our level, you don’t see them going on to do what they are doing now,” he said.

“Morgan always knew that he’d be a top player, he always said he was the best. He had that confidence, and you can see that now.

“He plays freely, and that’s a key thing for young players. Look at him now, he’s playing for Villa week in, week out, and he’s playing for England.

“He’s one of the best players in the whole country, and he always said that he’d be a top player. He deserves it and he’s getting his rewards.

“It’s been a quick rise. Credit to him, because a lot of young players would go under, but his mentality was so strong. He kicked on and kept rising. He went to Middlesbrough, did well, and got his move to Villa, where he’s smashing it.

“He’s a good young player who is willing to learn, willing to listen, and always looking to improve.”

‘Sink or swim’

Two-time Blackpool promotion winner Brett Ormerod watched Rogers play on commentary duty a number of times, and admits it’s always important to have patience with players breaking into the senior game.

“You’ve got to remember young lads come through an U21s system, it’s all nice football - I’ve always said the best thing is for kids to get out on loan to learn their trade,” he said.

“The example is Liam Delap. Rory is my best mate, so he used to hang around with my kids. Him and Anthony Gordon went on loan to Preston, and they both struggled. It was the same for Morgan Rogers at Blackpool.

“They went from playing in the U21s, to playing in the Championship - which is one of the toughest leagues in the world. You’ve got to give these kids time to find their feet because everyone matures at different speeds.

“It gives them an experience that is invaluable, and it makes them better players to go on and evolve. It’s made them the players they are today.

“Morgan Rogers has had a fantastic season and has a very good case for the number 10 role. I don’t know if he’s going to play, but if you asked him about the Blackpool experience, then he’ll say it was invaluable.

“He was a young lad learning his trade, and now he’s at Villa, playing in the Champions League, and an England international.

“It’s sink or swim, like in the olden days when they taught you to swim, they’d chuck you in and you’re trying to grab a stick that they’re pulling away. Highly inappropriate, but that’s how they did when I was a kid.

“It’s an invaluable experience that doesn’t always go well, but it can prove to be a massive learning curve.”