Speaking on the latest episode of *CFC Unlocked*, Rogers looked back on the period of his career that he believes was crucial to his development, after moving into senior football through loans at Lincoln City, Bournemouth and Blackpool.

He later joined Middlesbrough permanently before returning to the Premier League with Aston Villa and eventually moving to Chelsea.

Rogers believes those early experiences in men's football gave him lessons that could not be learned in an academy.

"That was everything," Rogers said. "I needed that next challenge, that next step. I needed to get out my comfort zone and kind of find the player I was going to be in professional football."

The Chelsea midfielder explained that regular senior football forced him to adapt to the demands of competitive matches.

"I think the academy player that I was, if you watch me then, I don't think it's the same player that you see now week to week," he said.

"I'm a completely different player and I had to learn that on loan."

Rogers added that academy football could provide important technical lessons, but could not reproduce the intensity and competitive edge of senior football.

"The actual way the game is played, the desire from the other team to win, what it takes, what teams are willing to do, how they're willing to play to win games, you can't replicate that in academy football," he said. "It's only in men's football."

Those experiences also helped Rogers learn how to handle setbacks, different playing styles and the demands of taking another step in his career.

"For me to get that experience so young and so early allowed me to kind of move on and move up with time," he said.

"I'd had experiences of the good and the bad to be able to deal with knocks and to be able to deal with playing in different types of ways."

Rogers also discussed his determination to make an impact in every match and his journey from being a ball boy at West Bromwich Albion to becoming a Premier League player.

"I wasn't ready. I needed time to develop, to learn, to understand myself more and to be here now at the level I know I can get to," he said.

Rogers is now continuing that development at Chelsea, with his earlier experiences providing the foundation for his move to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea's next Premier League match is against AFC Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, October 10.

Mamelodi Sundowns stars face fatigue amid tight schedule