Raheem Sterling's interview was a PR disaster, say Sunday Supplement panel
Monday 6 April 2015 09:39, UK
Raheem Sterling’s television interview has tarnished his reputation and failed to erase the public perception of the Liverpool forward, according to the Sunday Supplement panel.
Sterling conducted the BBC interview without consent from his club and set about dispelling claims he was trying to negotiate a lucrative new deal at Anfield.
And while insisting he was not a ‘money-grabbing 20-year-old’ during the interview, the Sunday People's chief football writer believes it was an all-round PR disaster.
“He’s gone off-piste without the club’s permission to do the interview,” Steve Bates told the Sunday Supplement.
“Whatever the rights and wrongs he wanted to correct in the eyes of the public, who perceive him perhaps as greedy, you were left at the end of the interview thinking that yes, it was all about money.
“So whatever the objectives of he and his agent were, it certainly backfired on him.
“He wanted to dispel the rumours he is turning down £100,000-a-week, but that’s exactly the picture people have in their minds about Raheem Sterling. It was a PR disaster.
“He did everything wrong - the timing of the decision to go on TV to do that interview was incredible.
“Liverpool played a defining match yesterday in their bid to get into the top four and he goes on TV to spill everything.
Whatever the rights and wrongs he wanted to correct in the eyes of the public, who perceive him perhaps as greedy, you were left at the end of the interview thinking that yes, it was all about money. So whatever the objectives of he and his agent were, it certainly backfired on him. It was a PR disaster.
“He said all the wrong things; he mentions other clubs, he mentions playing abroad sometime and he mentions turning down wages the average man in the street can only dream of, so it paints him in a really bad light.
“I can understand Brendan [Rodgers] wanting to readjust the balance and say he’s been badly advised and pushed down a route that no 20-year-old should go down.
“But Sterling has to take some responsibility himself. He’s a father and he’s been on the scene quite a while. It was just a major disaster from his point of view.”
John Richardson of the Daily Express branded Sterling’s interview as a ‘car crash’, and claimed Liverpool fans had every right to be horrified by the 'insulting' revelations which came to light.
“It was a car crash of an interview, he hasn’t done himself any good and he’s put himself under almighty pressure,” he said.
“Mostly he’ll be under pressure from the fans. Hard-working fans who pay decent money to go and watch Liverpool will be horrified that someone is going to turn down £100,000-a-week especially when season ticket prices are going up.
“It’s difficult to watch football, the prices are sky high and there’s even a mood to reduce prices and here’s a 20-year-old who doesn’t think £100,000-a-week is enough.
“He goes on about he wants to win trophies etc etc, and that’s an insult to Liverpool as well.
“Let’s face it, Brendan Rodgers is there and he wants to win trophies. You suspect his agent is in his ear saying we’ve got interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona
“It’s a mess an absolute mess, a mess that Brendan Rodgers is trying his best to clear up.”
