Raheem Sterling to Man City: Why his reputation ought to recover
Wednesday 15 July 2015 08:14, UK
Is the criticism of Raheem Sterling over the top? Others have survived the storm, writes Adam Bate...
Raheem Sterling could be forgiven for having doubts about the storm he's whipped up. Disgruntled Liverpool fans led the way but the public at large were left questioning his conduct. The game's gone, they'll tell you. And here's a man who epitomises the problem.
"I don't think it's fair on them (the supporters) if he is behaving like that," former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard told Sky Sports earlier this summer. Fellow Liverpool icon and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher was similarly unimpressed.
He's starting to get a reputation that could be hard to rid himself of in the future.
"He's starting to get a reputation that could be hard to rid himself of in the future," wrote Carragher on Kicca. "Are Man City fans looking at the situation and thinking this could be us in a few years?"
Carragher's view is perfectly logical. City supporters would be wise to take a pragmatic view. Don't get too attached because success will come with a caveat. Expect Sterling to be angling for a move to Real Madrid or Barcelona when the opportunity arises.
But they won't. And to be certain of that fact, Liverpool fans need only ask themselves how much thought they have spared for Queens Park Rangers in recent years. It was from there - not the Liverpool academy - that his talents were acquired, after all.
"QPR are a big club and at no stage has he said he wants to go," said QPR's head of youth development Steve Gallen back in 2009 as the whispers began to grow louder about the teenage prodigy within the ranks at Loftus Road. His hopes were dashed.
"Steve will tell you how much we tried," said former QPR chairman Gianni Paladini. "He lived in Wembley, and we thought his family might like to move to a better house, and we put that on the table. But there were agents involved."
There were few qualms at Melwood. Liverpool is a special institution but the golden rule holds true there as everywhere - if a player wants to leave your club, it's greed; if a player wants to join your club, it's ambition.
Brendan Rodgers proved the point following Adam Lallana's switch from Southampton last summer. The Reds boss labelled Lallana's reception on his St Mary's return "disappointing" and "sad" even though the player himself admitted he was partially culpable.
"I'm not stupid enough to think the way I left didn't leave a sour taste in a few people's mouths," Lallana told local radio in Southampton. "I regret the way I left. I regret bits and pieces of how it happened and it got nasty. It was sad the way it happened."
Meanwhile, Rodgers revelled in Sterling's swift progress. After a defeat of Manchester United, he praised his "tactical intelligence" and in December, he was hailed as a "great learner". The following month, it was his "frightening speed" that had Rodgers waxing lyrical.
And why not? This is a young talent of substance. At the height of the summer storm, a Soccerex study named Sterling as the most valuable young player in Europe - a recognition that amid the hype is the hard evidence. At 20 years old, few can match Sterling's numbers.
He's a remarkable talent - as is reflected by the £49million fee. And there is little reason to believe he cannot yet fulfil his vast potential, as long as he retains his focus. There are some high-profile examples out there to help provide some inspiration on that score too.
It was Gareth Bale who stayed away from Tottenham training in the summer of 2013 in his desperation to force through his move to Real Madrid. Few gave those days a thought when Bale was scoring the winner in the Champions League final the following May.
And what of Luis Suarez? It was only after biting a player for the third time that Liverpool sold Sterling's old team-mate - and Barcelona were still prepared to part with £75m for his services. Once again, there was a Champions League final winner to cap his first season.
Sterling has committed no such indiscretion. Indeed, he has been the victim of abuse on social media rather than a perpetrator of it. And so, his fiercest critics should get some perspective. Hopefully, Sterling manages to do the same as his actions continue to be questioned.
