So the Raheem Sterling pantomime is well and truly under way. “I think we should sell him”, “ We can’t keep selling our best players”, “ I’d take Walcott plus cash”, all of these phrases will be repeated over the course of the next few weeks. One thing is certain this saga needs to be brought to a conclusion sooner rather later for both club and player.
Sterlings future is unclear
Last summer’s scenario of panic buying at the last minute to replace Suarez can’t be repeated. Liverpool ended up replacing their best player with a striker Brendan Rogers wasn’t even keen on. The gamble with Balotelli hasn’t quite paid off.
Rogers is under pressure
There is talk of Sterling leaving for figures of up to £40 million pounds, a lot of money for a kid who has yet to prove himself at the highest level consistently. I’ve watched him a lot live this season and remember vividly a Thai gentleman asking me at Anfield if Sterling was playing against Man United at home. I had to double check as I was not quite sure. This was 40 minutes into the game. This was one of the biggest games of the year and he was non-existent. He didn’t quite light up the Champions League either.
In my opinion Raheem Sterling is over priced in the transfer market at the moment and I would be in the “cash in” camp amongst Liverpool fans. Is he incredibly talented? Yes, but so was Shaun Wright Phillips. I remember Jamie Carragher speaking after Torres left the club and mentioned him kicking a long ball out of defence against Everton in Goodison in which Torres refused to chase it down. Carragher knew Torres time at the club was up. Raheem Sterling reminds me of Fernando Torres in his final few months at Anfield. He simply does not want to be there. Raheem Sterling has a lot of improving to do if he is ever to be mentioned in the same breathe as the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo or Luis Suarez. At times he shoots when he should pass, passes when he should shoot and he often takes a heavy first touch – not exactly the attributes a man demanding 150k a week should possess.
I feel sorry in a lot of ways for Raheem Sterling. He has being poorly advised by his agent Aidy Ward, quickly becoming a household name in the footballing world. He is still a kid with a lot of maturing to do as a footballer and as a person. Would he have done “that” interview with the BBC if there was more figures like Steven Gerrard and the aforementioned Jamie Carragher still at the club? I doubt it.
The club are at a critical stage with Brendan Rogers the only man to retain his place in the dug out after last week’s cull at the club. As good and all as he may turn out to be it would set a very bad precedent if his wage demands are met without fully proving himself yet. If his demands are met would Jordan Ibe be wrong to walk into Brendan Rodgers’ office next May after a decent season demanding that his recently signed contract be revisited? Possibly not. The club needs to move on with players who want to be at the club and have a desire to bring this great club forward, Raheem Sterling does not fit into that category. Lets cash in and move on.
Dave O’Connell
davethewanderer 