Daniel Lee Rose (born 2 July 1990) is an English former professional footballer who played as a left-back. He was known for his tendency to play attacking football, with particular focus placed on his speed, decision-making, and defensive abilities, all of which often had him likened to Tottenham Hotspur legend Cyril Knowles.
Rose started his professional career at Leeds United in 2006, having progressed through the club's youth ranks, but left for Tottenham Hotspur in July 2007 before making an appearance. Following various loans to Watford, Peterborough United, Bristol City, and Sunderland, he established himself as a first-team player at Tottenham over the next six seasons, as well as starting in the 2019 UEFA Champions League final. Following a brief loan to Newcastle United in 2020, he departed Tottenham in June 2021, and subsequently returned to Watford for a season.
Rose played for England at the under-17 and under-19 levels before making his under-21 debut in 2009. In March 2016, he earned his first senior England cap in a 3–2 victory against Germany. He was then included in the squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Rose was born in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. His younger brother Mitch Rose plays for Buxton. He also is the cousin of footballer Michael Rankine, whose uncle Mark Rankine also played professional football.
In June 2018, Rose stated that he had been diagnosed with depression.
On 23 December 2020, Rose was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving after his car reportedly collided with the central reservation on the A45 in Northampton.
Rose is a product of the Leeds United youth academy. Rose was named on the bench for the Leeds first team against Barnet in the League Cup on 20 September 2006. The manager who named Rose on the bench, Kevin Blackwell, was dismissed immediately after the match. Rose was not involved again in a squad for Leeds that season. Leeds were subsequently relegated from The Championship to League One, and with the club entering administration, Rose was sold to raise some much needed money for the club.
On 25 July 2007, Tottenham Hotspur signed Rose for a transfer fee in the region of £1 million. A regular for both the Academy and Reserves, Rose was named as an unused substitute for the league fixture against Sunderland in January 2008. His progress was temporarily curtailed, however, by a serious knee injury in September of the same year. Rose made his first start for Spurs in 2–2 FA Cup draw against his former club Leeds United in January 2010.
Rose made his league debut against Arsenal, scoring the first goal of the match after ten minutes as Tottenham won 2–1 in the Premier League on 14 April 2010. The goal was subsequently described as "a volley so thunderous that you could hear the whack off his boot above the din of the raucous crowd" in The Times. Rose won Goal of the Season, with votes run by Sky Sports and by the Tottenham website. On 7 May 2011, Rose started against Blackpool to fill in for regular left-back Benoît Assou-Ekotto, although playing out of his usual position, he was specifically praised by manager Harry Redknapp for his performance in the 1–1 draw. Redknapp later explained that he convinced Rose at that time to convert from a left winger to a left-back by arguing that it would be Rose's only way to play for the England national team. Rose would continue to fill in at left-back for the remaining three matches of the season, turning in excellent performances in a narrow loss to Manchester City and wins over Liverpool and Birmingham City.
2009–2012: Various loan spells
In March 2009, Rose went on loan to Watford for the remainder of the 2008–09 season. Watford manager Brendan Rodgers described Rose as a "highly talented, committed player" who possesses "good energy and real intelligence with the ball." He made his debut in Watford's 2–1 away victory at Doncaster Rovers on 4 April 2009.
On 29 September 2009, Rose joined Peterborough United on loan until January 2010. He then went into that night's team where they played Plymouth Argyle, losing 2–1 at home. Rose returned to Tottenham on 11 November 2009, following the departure of Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson.
On 9 September 2010, Rose joined Championship club Bristol City on a season-long loan deal subject to a recall clause which becomes active after 28 days at the club. On 13 November, Rose came on as a second-half substitute against Leeds United and was booed by the home supporters. The match was the first time he had played at Elland Road after leaving the club. Rose returned to Tottenham Hotspur in February 2011 after a series of minor injuries had limited his impact and appearances at Bristol City.
On 31 August 2012, Rose joined Premier League club Sunderland on a season-long loan from Spurs. Rose played his debut against Liverpool on 15 September 2012. Rose scored his first goal for Sunderland in an away match at Aston Villa on 29 April 2013. Rose returned to Tottenham after being named the club's young player of the season to undergo surgery on a wrist injury in May 2013.
On 22 August 2013 at the beginning of the season, Tottenham went away to Dinamo Tbilisi in Georgia where Rose scored in the play-off first leg which ended in a 5–0 win. Tottenham qualified for the group stage of the Europa League and in September, their first home match against Tromsø Rose suffered an injury. Rose didn't return to training till mid-December.
Rose missed the match where Tottenham suffered a 5–0 home defeat to Liverpool which subsequently saw André Villas-Boas dismissed as manager. On 22 December with Villas-Boas gone, Rose returned to first-team football under Tim Sherwood where Tottenham went away to Southampton and won 3–2.
Towards the end of the season after six away matches without a win Rose scored the only goal of the match with a header in the 33rd minute against Stoke City to earn Tottenham three points. On 31 July 2014, Rose signed a five-year contract with Tottenham. In the 2014 summer transfer window Tottenham signed Ben Davies which would be competition in the left-back role as well as providing cover if Rose got injured.
On 1 January 2015, Rose scored his first goal of the season in Tottenham's 5–3 Premier League victory over Chelsea at White Hart Lane. Rose scored again for Tottenham in the FA Cup third-round replay against Burnley at home, netting the final goal in a 4–2 victory. He added to his tally in the Premier League on 22 February against West Ham United, scoring Spurs' first in a 2–2 draw. He started as Tottenham lost 2–0 to Chelsea in the 2015 League Cup Final at Wembley Stadium on 1 March. On 16 May, Rose scored his final goal of the campaign in a 2–0 home victory over Hull City, which effectively left the Tigers needing a win at home against Manchester United to survive relegation which they failed to do.