11 Feb 2016

Wise Up, or Leave: Mellor slates 'misguided' Liverpool attacker; accuses him of 'losing focus'. Fair?

Reds starlet Jerome Sinclair appears to be a dead man walking at Anfield. The young striker reportedly wants out of Anfield, and according to ex-Red Neil Mellor, Sinclair is no longer fully engaged with his career at LFC.

In January, The Telegraph claimed:

"Jerome Sinclair has told Liverpool he wants to leave [as] he wants to start playing first-team football quickly".

On transfer deadline day, The Times claimed:

"Liverpool reject improved offer from Watford for Jerome Sinclair. Liverpool want to use him as a makeweight in other deals".

After the recent U21 defeat to Manchester City, Mellor single Sinclair out for specific criticism:

"He [Sinclair] is a little bit misguided at the moment, and he’s losing focus. If he wants to stay at LFC, he has to perform, and he didn’t look like scoring".

Like many fans, I watch every U21 game that's available on LFC TV, and in my view, Sinclair - hailed by Jamie Carragher for his 'outstanding' finishing - was very far from the worst player on the pitch against Man City.

Unfortunately, Sinclair is in the midst of a period of negative press, which usually means more criticism from ex-Reds. Granted, Sinclair hasn't helped himself by signing up Aidy Ward as his new agent, but the 'greedy Sinclair' narrative was already in play before Ward arrived on the scene.

As I argued last week, with the appalling promotion prospects for Academy attackers, leaving Anfield remains the best thing Sinclair can do for his career.

Why should he hang around and waste his career? Liverpool have an utterly atrocious record of developing Academy attackers, and for strikers/attacking midfielders, the LFC Academy is a development graveyard.

In the last 25 years, only six attacking players have made it through the youth system to become first-team regulars (Owen, Fowler, Gerrard, McManaman, Sterling, and Ibe), and in the last 15 years, only Ibe and Sterling have made the breakthrough.

Liverpool should've just let Sinclair leave in January. He wanted to leave; Watford made an offer, but the club inexplicably put the stoppers on the deal. Now, he can leave for free in the summer.

Reject cash for a player, and let him leave for free. Amazing transfer strategy!

Author: Jaimie K


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