11 Dec 2012

'He could be the real deal' - Glen Hoddle hails 'unbelievable' LFC starlet...

Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling turned 18 over the weekend, and Reds fans will be hoping he signs a new extended contract deal as soon as possible. The youngster has gained lots of admirers after some great performances this season, and Spurs legend Glenn Hoddle is convinced that Sterling has a bright future ahead.

In an interview with Absolute Radio, Hoddle - who used 18-year old Michael Owen to great effect during the 1998 World Cup - enthused:

"He [Sterling] could be the real deal. He plays with his head up, he’s a wide player but can play with his head up, which is pretty unique sometimes. These players seem to get their head down too quickly. But he looks quite promising to me, I must say."

Sterling provided a great assist for Joe Cole against West Ham on Sunday, and after the game, the ex-Chelsea star was full of praise for the youngster. He said:

"He [Sterling] is a real livewire and is always a threat. He never stops running and working hard for the team and never looks tired, and for an 18-year-old kid that’s unbelievable. He is going to be a top player and he is at the right club to do that.”

In a recent column for the Liverpool Echo, John Aldridge insisted that the club 'must not give' Sterling a 'huge contract':

"How much money does a lad of his age actually need? He [Sterling] still needs to have incentives to keep improving because in 15 years he could be a star. There is no point in handing him a £40,000 or £50,000 a week contract at his age".

I think Aldo is spot on here, and I'm sure Rodgers will not sanction a deal that big for someone so young. Sterling currently earns £100k a year at present, and Liverpool are reportedly set to offer him £30K a week as part of the new contract, which roughly equates to £1.6m a a year.

Clearly, that is more than enough money for a 17-year old (!) The money footballers earn is disgusting anyway, and if Sterling was to reject LFC's offer as a result of the all-pervasive greed that infects the modern game, then I'd be happy for the club to sell him to the highest bidder.

Hopefully, that won't happen, and Sterling will just sign whatever deal LFC put on the table.

Jaimie Kanwar


53 comments:

  1. He's 18, not 17.

    ReplyDelete
  2. If we offer it, he will sign.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I don't know. He's talented no doubt but for most of the game against the Hammers he sprayed the ball all over the place, was easily closed down and lost possession in the build-up play which helped Hammers back into the game. Yes, he just turned 18 but if your good enough yer old enough an'all. In any case he's nowhere near as good as Owen at the same age. 15-20 k/month and that would be overly generous. I think Suso's got a much bigger chance of the two to become a world-class player.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sign it or push off to the highest bidder, he has done nothing yet!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I suppose if another club is willing to offer a lot more it will be difficult but the way i see it 50k a week is a lot but no where near what Cole is getting and he has done next to nothing.

    ReplyDelete
  6. 15/20k amth in 98 is like 50k awk now the game is money daft why should liverpool take the stand against cash in his agents view he is better than joe cole who picks up 100k awk so how can ian ayre argue with that

    ReplyDelete
  7. Give him 35k and bench him, so he can improve. If we give him 50 and let him start each game next January we'll be trying to offload him.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gonna keep coming back to this if Downing and Henderson are 50K then Sterling rightly so in my view should ask for that.
    Why ? He's better than both of them.
    This stems from Ian Ayre/Dalglish/Comolli's stupid purchases and contracts.
    Forward 2012/13 season and whose the ONLY one left out of that three that is responsible for contracts and there appears to be a problem?
    You guessed it Ian Ayre, he of the Huddersfield Town fiasco where he left them in tatters.

    I keep saying that Ian Ayre should be moved on he's part of the H&G era and was brought in as a Commercial Director and now ends up as CEO.
    He's Rick Parry MARK II.

    Anyway back to Sterling if they cut out the wages of Carroll and sold Downing they could pay Sterling 40K a week and have money left over for a 10£million striker.
    Just goes to show what a disaster Dalglish was last season.

    ReplyDelete
  9. if he doesn't want to sign sell him and he will become like torres. who cares. suso is even better

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sign him then sell to the highest bidder!

    ReplyDelete
  11. How you can compare his wage to senior players at the end of their career is beyond me. He's just beginning his career and haven't shown anything yet motivating a salary above 15-20 k and that, as I said, would be overly generous although he have 3 kids to support. Anything he can and will be, he will be at Liverpool. If it doesn't suit him sell him and move on.

    Again, Suso's got a much bigger chance to become a world-class player and he already signed. Says it all really.

    ReplyDelete
  12. over hyped english player who doesnt retain possession enough and gives away a lot of free kicks in our half. easily pushed off the ball and hasnt had a decent game in some time. His passing is mostly very poor and his finishing is also poor. I would sell him to the highest bidder. His off the field antics and his agent will lead to the emplosion of his career..

    ReplyDelete
  13. We all know how good he is from the underage teams over last couple of years.

    If he leaves we will get very little for him, hopefully he signs up.

    His advisors would be foolish to base a prospective salary upon what he would hypothetically receive at City etc. because he won't feature in their first team for years...... BUT...... Agents get more money if Sterling signs a bigger deal and Sterling, as in footballers in general, needs to treat this deal as if it his last and maximise it. A career can be ended with one tackle remember.......

    Sterling has a chance to be at the core of the Liverpool team for years to come, maybe even get into the CL this year, so hopefully common sense reigns....

    ReplyDelete
  14. Let's be honest here, Sterling does have potential but once again he is being over hyped. If I could have things my way, all players under 22 should be capped at 10K pw. Anyway back to real world, I think Sterling should sign as BR gave him the opportunity when KD literally was refusing to let him play..especially when our season was all but over.

    30K seems to much for me, but in footballing terms I guess it seems fair.

    If he becomes greedy, and most time it's the agents and advisers that try and ask for more, then sell him to the highest bidder. LFC should not be held for ransom.

    PS Sterling compared to most wingers in the Germany U21 squad is average.

    ReplyDelete
  15. if he is too greedy (or should i say his 'advsors'), then i would honestly bite the bullet and say bye bye. sooner or later we have to show we are not mugs all the time and make a stand. he has so much to learn and is way off the mark that some 'experts' reckon he is at, this moment in time. we need to stabilise our finances and get back on a solid footing where years of waste and mis-management have almost destroyed us. i would cite arsenal as a model to loosely follow. people will point out that they haven't won anything in years and are a selling club. that comes down to the manager and his decision making, i know several shareholders who say they don't need to sell, but it is treated purely as a business concern. if they can make on players, they will be sold for profit. a champions lge place IS as good as any silverware. they do have debt, they owe the railway and london underground a good amount of cash. generally though they are being run well. arsenal fans don't like it, but while they turn up, things will continue this way for them (not that i care one jot!). we can manage the playing front from a far healthier position, if we manage behind the scenes with more authority and less willingness to pay whatever is asked. sort our scouting system out and as long as everyone does their job properly and efficiently, there is no reason, in time, we can't be tasting the flavour of success again on a regular basis. patience dear boys and girls is a word all lfc fans must learn and adhere to.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Not sure if any of you watch the 30 for 30 series that they have on ESPN but I suggest you look at the one titled "Broke". It’s a documentary that talks about how professional athletes squander paychecks and ruin their careers and lives because they don't know quite how to deal with the metioric rise to fame and riches. While Sterling is now 18 and an adult who can make his own decisions, a jump in salary like that for a man so young will create a situation in his personal life where everyone wants a peice of the pie and he might not be able to say no to them (to his agent, family members, friends, etc). So while he may deserve the pay hike, LFC need to be consious of how that might affect Sterling personally and manage it professionally as the younger players are targeted most because of their inexperience dealing with the lifestyle. This needs to happen so that the lad has the best chance to concentrate on football and his development and not personal distractions as a result of him potentially recieving a "huge" contract

    ReplyDelete
  17. Very good comment this. Thank you

    ReplyDelete
  18. depends how much ambition Liverpool have planned for the future. whats the going rate for a player his age and ability? plays most weeks now.
    in comparison to what we pay jo cole they should swap wage packets!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Sterling has been our 2nd most creative/attacking footballer behind Saurez. Septimus severus is spot on, how can you legislate for the likes of Downing & Henderson been on 60-70k/week & not paying him atleast 30k.
    LFC have been awful at scouting attacking talent in the last 10years & now we have a diamond in the rough whom some say we should sell to the highest bidder for paying a player for what he is worth.
    I agree he's far from the finished article in global terms but as far as LFC is concerned he is a top player, our attacking prowess would be extremely blunt without his contribution.
    All those who say Suso has more promise, why doesn't that show in team selection? Whilst both are great young talents Sterling is more important to LFC than Suso!

    ReplyDelete
  20. It all depends on his agent's greed and what our stance will be in the summer if he continues to play regularly. It has nothing to do with his age - that would be discrimination.

    We must accept the game for what it is. Don't think Rooney was on 30k pw when he moved to Utd. Don't get me wrong - ideally I'd see a 30k contract and a huge buy out clause to cover us.

    But to sell him would be crazy - I've said it before - Sterling will be good enough to challenge for ballon d'or a few years from now. One or two bad games will make little difference to his progress, but overplaying him will. Joe Cole may just be the answer.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Sterling will not get first team football if he moves. he knows that. Every footballer wants to play regularly. He has tasted it and he must know going elsewhere will not be the same.
    His game has developed tremendously under BR. Will he get the chance and support with another team? I think not. He must realize that the money will start rolling in at the right time in 3 or 4 years time.

    ReplyDelete
  22. He's been among our best top five players all season (and probably third going forward - the area we've struggled most - behind Suarez and Johnson), so pay him commensurately. If the club is smart, they will give him the 40-50k a week but lock him into a 5-year deal or more. Make it conditional on a long contract, thereby he has to star to be able to renegotiate it. If we have to sell at some point then we willat least receive a significant fee. Now, with his deal up in 18 months' time, the ball is in his court. Look at the wages earned by Cole/Downing/Henderson/Carroll and many more beside, and look at their impact. Why shouldn't his wages be at least approaching theirs? Because of the high number on his birth certificate? Liverpool's transfer dealings have been appalling for a long time, but letting a potential international star leave because of obstinancy and short-sightedness would make this among the hardest to take.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Very intelligent reply there.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Is he way off the mark compared to established stars or is he way off the mark compared to other 18 year olds? Compared to other 18 year olds, he deserves all the plaudits he gets as he is one of the best, if not the best 18 year olds in the country. And patience is something that Liverpool fans are famous for.

    ReplyDelete
  25. The fact is, Henderson and Downing were signed up by Dalglish/Comolli, this is a different regime. A regime that has been slowly rectifying this. We have a diamond in the rough because of the scouting of attacking talent. So this shows our scouting system in the past 10 years works. As for Suso, his main position is in the central attacking midfield role, the number 10, where we have a lot of competition. That is why Suso doesn't get the amount of starts that Sterling gets, it's down to demand in the positions they are best at.

    ReplyDelete
  26. How about give him a 30k a week contract with bonuses for good performances, score 5 goals, you get this much, provide 10 assists, you get this much. Give him an incentive to play well.

    ReplyDelete
  27. They said you do anything to keep ur best players happy..well Sterling is one of them i guess they no longer play with their hearts

    ReplyDelete
  28. and his advisors will say, why are other players not contracted this way regardless of age?

    ReplyDelete
  29. Even 30k a week is too much for him at this moment in time. 10k a week would roughly be five times as much as he earns now. That would make sense. Then talk about 20k next year or the year after.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I'm surely not happy with what Cole has actually offered since we signed him and I am not happy with his wages, but how about considering how many goals Cole has scored in his last 10 games for us and how many Sterling. What would you think if you were an experienced worker at your company and a young kid came in and got the same wages as you get simply because he has talent.

    ReplyDelete
  31. 'Every footballer wants to play regularly.' Yeah, that's what we think, that's what we'd do, but unfortunately this isn't true for all of these overpaid professionals. Some of the would rather collect their inflated pay-checks every week than take a pay-cut in order to play regularly.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Then we can say that their contracts were negotiated by other people and that now we are more prudent and not willing to overpay in fees and wages.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Other teams will be ready to match his demands so why hackle for few thousand if we can tie him down for five years. And Jamie, you say age does not matter when playing for Liverpool, why i agree, but does matter when deciding salary. That logic does not make sense. If he can deliver, play him and award him accordingly.

    ReplyDelete
  34. I have to disagree with you on Sterling being better than Henderson who in my view keeps possession better and achieved the same single assist being played out of position on the right.
    Sterling worked hard and ran a lot but his final ball or shot was more often than not misplaced and he was bullied or pushed off the ball too easily.

    I think Sterling can and will improve with his end product and decision making but to call him better than players who have achieced more in their careers is premature.

    Owen, Rooney and Gerrard were far better at the same age. Oh and Henderson and Cole had fewer minutes on the pitch.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Sterling becoming the 2nd most creative player behind Suarez if you are right is the reason we are languishing in 10th and shows how much we have fallen. Kuyt as frustrating as he was at times had end product. Once Sterling starts banging 10 a season he may deserve the pay rise. It is too early to tell what his contribution is and too early to talk about insane pay hikes.

    Suarez more often than not creates his own chances and usually beats 2 or 3 players before scoring or layin it off for player X.
    Gerrard has played a much deeper role and has dropped a notch or two in pace and stamina so he is not getting amongst the goals as much as he would like.

    Downing has been played at left back, right wing, left wing and hasn't always featured in the 4-3-3 a much as he would like.

    I think Henderson is improving with every game adapting to the right side and provided a nice assist.

    ReplyDelete
  36. From what I saw in the first half against West Ham Glen Johnson resembled John Barnes more than little Sterling.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Exactly and for the very same reason we should not offer 80k per week wages to Sturridge who had not achieved a lot in his career. Greed and unjustified estimations are ruining the game. Now a player like Michu I can justify on that kind of amount.

    ReplyDelete
  38. By the way I am dead against Us wasting 18m on Sturridge and Tom Ince. For 18milliom we can get a cracking player!!

    ReplyDelete
  39. He is the sort of player if overplayed can end up like Michael Owen. Maybe after the next 2 transfer windows Sterling will be relegated to a bit part role. Why overpay after just half a season of playing him regularly.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Certainly more Barnes than Phil Neal, as Jarvis was giving him a tough time defensively.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Just make sure he signs, whatever the cost.In 2-4 years he'll be worth a hell of a lot more.But let's hope he wants to stay at Liverpool FC. YNWA

    ReplyDelete
  42. I have never seen Ince play but while Sturridge has looked decent at times, he seems tto have spent the better part of the past half-decade sitting on the bench of City and Chelsea. If high wages are his motivation then no thanks. We could still probably get 2 cracking players from Spain for that dosh.

    ReplyDelete
  43. No quibble with the weekly figure but wouldn't be happy to lose him for the sake of 10k or so a week when we've wastefully spunked so much elsewhere. Not sure about a goals-related clause as it may make him shoot when the pass is on, especially since he's not an out-and-out scorer. Still, all good ideas to extract performance for pay.

    ReplyDelete
  44. A progressive contract is the only way forward. Yes, he has the potential, but at the moment, that's all it is, potential. We don't want him to end up like Balotelli, looking for ways to waste alll the money we've given him by paying all the fuel for everyone at a petrol station, or giving 10K to a tramp. Look at people like Tyson who earned 100's of millions, andnearly ended up broke

    Already is see people willing to have a go at poor performances and say he's not all that. Imagine if we pay him a massive weekly wage ( in footballing terms, too many people apply their own wages to this arena), how much vitiol will be sent his way if he doesn't immediately deliver. He's only 18! just starting.

    Give him a progressive contract with staged rewards for performances/ achievements, play him sensibly to avoid burnout, and watch him fly....

    ReplyDelete
  45. judging by phone in's and many remarks made on sites such as this, i would challenge that, nowadays. i call it the 'modern football fan syndrome'. i have patience in abundance, i pay my ticket money along with the others around me and sometimes i do wonder?

    ReplyDelete
  46. i very much hope,that would be the reply back!

    ReplyDelete
  47. assists ?? team game, sterling puts in a better shift and appears to try harder for starters.
    ive no problem with the age of someone getting the same doh if there as good, im gratefull to have a job for starters.
    happens I work with a bitter old boy where I get more money than him and hes more talented but hes more lazy and disruptive, but I turn more work out and im more enthusiastic to get better etc.
    so sorry I don't agree

    ReplyDelete
  48. Unfortunately I don't pay my ticket money and have never seen them play in person as I live in Australia. Which is why I get frustrated at people who say if you don't go to the game or have a season ticket, you are not a true fan. (In no way am I saying you have said this). I have been a fan for nearly 30 years and so remember the glory days and also the fall from grace when Souness took over. I believed Rafa was the man to take us back to glory days, then H&G fired him and instead of replacing him with an equal or better, they went backwards and signed Hodgson. I think they have got it right with Rodgers, but of course he does need time. Sustained success takes time and stability to build.

    ReplyDelete
  49. think henderson can turn it round if rodgers gives him a decent chance

    ReplyDelete
  50. The only way Sturridge would make sense to me would be a loan deal with an option to buy. 80k a week? Maybe in a few years.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Well then, go ahead, offer Sterling 30 or 50k a week. Then sit back, wait and see how detrimental it could be on his development and the atmosphere within the squad.

    ReplyDelete