Kelly: What was it like growing up in your house?
Jordan: Mad. That was mad. My parents brought me and my brother up really well. They were strict but not too strict. They let us do a lot of what we wanted to do. Times have changed now, you don’t see kids out on the street as much now and I feel like we’ve lost that way a bit. I was out on the street and my mam was shouting, ‘get in Jordan, you have school tomorrow’. I wanted to be out all the time,
Kelly: Were you a bit of a naughty kid, maybe?
Jordan: I think so. My mam would describe me as something else!
Kelly: I read a quote from you the other day that even when you get an England call-up now your mum still texts you congratulations so you are obviously very close.
Jordan: I will ring her every morning and on the way home from training every day. She will text me before every call-up and text me saying good luck before every game and would text me after saying well done whether I’ve had a good game or a bad game.
Kelly: Tell me one thing about yourself that would surprise me.
Jordan: I am not allowed to do it as a footballer but I would love to be able to do motocross. I grew up going to watch it every week with my mates, and my best best mate now rides in the British Championships. If I could I would go every week to watch as much as I can. I would do it if I could but there are strict rules in our contracts where we are not allowed to do activities like that. That is probably one thing in my life I would have love to have done.
Kelly: Is that a big passion of yours?
Jordan: Yes as I went from such a young age and we would stay in motorhomes and caravans at the racetrack as kids and it was mint. The adrenaline I get from watching my mates on the start line and the gate drops, then get to the first corner… the adrenaline I get if they get a good start and I am properly leaning over and cheering them on.
Kelly: Do you get spotted there?
Jordan: Yeah I get spotted but it doesn’t bother me, I am leaning over the fence to push them on to try to do better. It gives me proper adrenaline and it is one of the things I love.
Kelly: If you could only achieve one more thing for the rest of your career what would it be?
Jordan: Win the World Cup.
Kelly: Next summer?
Jordan: Yep. That would do me. It is what the whole nation is waiting for.
Kelly: Do you feel like you’ve got the best opportunity now?
Jordan: Yes we’ve had some great opportunities. The more experiences you have in tournament football and see the lads winning cups and Champions League then you can lean on that. I think, for me, to lift that World Cup or a major trophy for England would be number one and if I could ever get silverware at Everton that would be number two. It has been that long since England has won something and to be a part of that would be amazing. We have to believe in ourselves, we have that opportunity and we have to take it with both hands but you are playing the best nations in the world and you have to play your best in each game and that’s what takes you so far.
Kelly: What are you proudest of?
Jordan: As a young kid growing up, getting that opportunity to become a footballer, you might make your debut for Sunderland and it might become a dream but it is that sustainability for doing it for so many years and keep progressing and keep getting better that I think I am proud of myself for – and to keep putting the dedication I put in.