Last week, football legend Zinedine Zidane confirmed that Real Madrid are 'monitoring' Liverpool star Raheem Sterling, and since then, a whole host of pundits - including Robbie Savage and Phil Neville - have insisted that Sterling is not good enough for the Bernabeu. In my view, they're absolutely right, and ex-Red Jamie Redknapp seems to agree.
When asked this week about Madrid's interest, Zidane confirmed:
“We [Madrid] are monitoring him [Sterling]. It makes sense [to] monitor the best young players in the world [and] if we feel they have something to offer, we will contact their club and try and make the next step.”
Responding to Zidane's comments, Savage argued:
"If he [Sterling] moved to Real Madrid, Barcelona or Bayern Munich, would he get in their starting XI every week? I don’t think he would"
In his column for The Mirror this week, Redknapp concurred:
"He [Sterling] is too young to go to Real Madrid or Barcelona. He needs to get his head down and have a couple of years working with a very talented manager"
Redknapp also suggested that Sterling - risibly hailed 'as absolutely incredible' by Brendan Rodgers after the Blackburn victory (he never learns, does he?!) - could eventually command a staggering transfer fee:
"There's no reason you can't put clauses in a contract these days. If he [Sterling] carries on progressing and someone offers £80m in two years that triggers a clause - fine".
£80m for Sterling? I confidently predict that is never going to happen. In what universe is Sterling worth more than Luis Suarez, who cost Barcelona £65m? As much as I detest Suarez's negative antics on the field, he is a champagne footballer who's proven his worth time and time again, and Sterling will never (IMO) reach that level of footballing genius.
Rampant greed and shameless mercenary tactics aside, the main thing (for me) that rankles about the current contract situation is Sterling's inflated ego. He has everything backwards: Players usually achieve something in the game before they earn immense riches and/or earn a move to an elite club like Barca, Real, or Bayern.
Sterling clearly wants the rewards without putting in the work, and his ego appears to be inflated to such a gargantuan degree that he probably feels he's already good enough to mix it with Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar et al. For me, Sterling is not even a good enough goalscorer for Liverpool.
With the likes of Ronaldo, Benzema, Bale et al scoring/creating for fun, it's hard to see how Real Madrid would tolerate Sterling's Olympian achievement of 7 league goals in 30 games.
At this point, though, I really hope Liverpool call Sterling's bluff this summer and just sell him to the highest bidder. I'd love to see Madrid or Barca fleeced to the tune of £60m+, and it would be equally satisfying to then see Sterling crash and burn under the (self-inflicted) weight of expectation.
Be careful what you wish for, as you just might get it.
Author: Jaimie K
When asked this week about Madrid's interest, Zidane confirmed:
“We [Madrid] are monitoring him [Sterling]. It makes sense [to] monitor the best young players in the world [and] if we feel they have something to offer, we will contact their club and try and make the next step.”
Responding to Zidane's comments, Savage argued:
"If he [Sterling] moved to Real Madrid, Barcelona or Bayern Munich, would he get in their starting XI every week? I don’t think he would"
In his column for The Mirror this week, Redknapp concurred:
"He [Sterling] is too young to go to Real Madrid or Barcelona. He needs to get his head down and have a couple of years working with a very talented manager"
Redknapp also suggested that Sterling - risibly hailed 'as absolutely incredible' by Brendan Rodgers after the Blackburn victory (he never learns, does he?!) - could eventually command a staggering transfer fee:
"There's no reason you can't put clauses in a contract these days. If he [Sterling] carries on progressing and someone offers £80m in two years that triggers a clause - fine".
£80m for Sterling? I confidently predict that is never going to happen. In what universe is Sterling worth more than Luis Suarez, who cost Barcelona £65m? As much as I detest Suarez's negative antics on the field, he is a champagne footballer who's proven his worth time and time again, and Sterling will never (IMO) reach that level of footballing genius.
Rampant greed and shameless mercenary tactics aside, the main thing (for me) that rankles about the current contract situation is Sterling's inflated ego. He has everything backwards: Players usually achieve something in the game before they earn immense riches and/or earn a move to an elite club like Barca, Real, or Bayern.
Sterling clearly wants the rewards without putting in the work, and his ego appears to be inflated to such a gargantuan degree that he probably feels he's already good enough to mix it with Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar et al. For me, Sterling is not even a good enough goalscorer for Liverpool.
With the likes of Ronaldo, Benzema, Bale et al scoring/creating for fun, it's hard to see how Real Madrid would tolerate Sterling's Olympian achievement of 7 league goals in 30 games.
At this point, though, I really hope Liverpool call Sterling's bluff this summer and just sell him to the highest bidder. I'd love to see Madrid or Barca fleeced to the tune of £60m+, and it would be equally satisfying to then see Sterling crash and burn under the (self-inflicted) weight of expectation.
Be careful what you wish for, as you just might get it.
Author: Jaimie K
Sterling has the potential to be good, but at this moment that's all it is. He's not improved since this stage last season so whose to say he will ever get any better. I have to agree with Jaimie, if somebody was to offer us £60m plus for Sterling I would snap there hands off. I'm not impressed with Sterlings antics over the last six months, nobody is bigger than the club.
ReplyDeleteRampant greed and shameless mercenary tactics.... wow! don't hold back....I wonder, How good was Suarez at the same age... Not saying Sterling will be anything close to Suarez in the future, but who really knows and can say so with such confidence...I think some need to take a step back and stop this constant Sterling bashing.. It's getting to the point now where it is becoming more of a hardcore fanatical rant than object criticism....
ReplyDeleteJust a quick mention, I'm most definately not a big fan of Sterling, even before the contract....Just don't think it's helpful..
ReplyDeleteLets swap him for Bale :) Heck we can even throw in Balotelli to make that deal happen..!
ReplyDeleteDamn...
ReplyDeleteWell it's going to be hard for Barca to bid for players this summer with their transfer ban, everyone seems to forget that.
ReplyDeleteIf Real or any one want to pay stupid money for Sterling then be my guest! Bigger and better players have gone before him. He has loads of potential that is a fact but we shouldn't allow out selves to be held to ransom, I don't care how good a player is I would rather have a player who want's to play for LFC regardless of talent. In my opinion Jordan Ibe has the potential to be bettter and I agree with Jaimie totally he has not done near enough or is good enough to be swaggering between him and his agent trying to fleece the club, anyone who coughs up enough cash can have him can have him there are many better players and I for one wouldn't be that arsed if he wen't in the summer. YNWA
ReplyDeleteYeah . JK in 'Sterling isn't all that ' post shock...
ReplyDeleteSterling can go with pleasure for £60m, but I believe this whole greedy mercenary , rampant narcissist narrative to be based on things that cannot possibly be anything but conjecture and Jk's own assumptions. All I have seen so far are Sterling himself saying he has been offered big money, £100k apparently, but wants to wait till the end of the season before negotiating or deciding he wants to leave. The rest is supposition.
If not, then Hendo is also a mercenary as he too has not signed a supposed £100k deal. Although Jk has described JH's output as up to scratch, his description of RS gives a very different impression, despite the fact that both have identical goal/assist league records this season (14) 6/8 vs 7/7 respectively.
It has to be said though, Sterling has completely mishandled the whole situation and imo needs to fire his agent and advisers. They are pants. he also needs to grow up and realise professionals don't uses his ha pipe etc, and are paid huge sums to abstain
I also wonder what kind of 'mercenary' forgoes a £65k per week rise for half a season. Surely he would have to wait for some time to recoup what he has already lost by not resigning?
ReplyDeleteI don't think JK is being fair trying to belittle Sterling's 7 league goals this season.
ReplyDeleteJames Rodrigues cost £60m, plays for Real, a team who have scored 9 goals in a single league game plus 8 twice, 5 three times and 4 four more times this season. Even with that kind of league domination , he has only 2 more league goals than Sterling with 9.
And I bet he hasn't played full back or even wing back even once, plus he has the likes of Ronaldo Bale Kroos etc making chances for him.
James scored 10 in 38 games for Monaco to earn his transfer. Is that much worse than Sterling?
Just a thought.
In my opinion Sterling is still a boy mentally and is likely to be influenced by those around him i am not sure he is getting good advice.
ReplyDeleteI still don't put it past his agent to want to fill his own pockets by pushing for a transfer.
I am not entirely impressed with Sterling and it worries me looking back at the Wright Phillips Bentley etc and list of others who had the world at their feet and didn't go on.
For these reasons and the fact that Liverpool have refused good offers for players who looking back we should have sold at the time.
So if anyone comes in with a 50 million pound bid id take it with both hands he is not the finished product and may never be the player he is hyped to become.
There is plenty of talented young players around Europe who could be bought in with say 50 million just no more Markovics.
Exactly.A mercenary doesn't leave money on the table.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind Robbie Savage.He's one of the few who doesn't get easily hooked on hype or the general consensus line.Watching FletchAndSav regularly last season changed my opinion of him.
Gary Neville is a good football analyst, but when he talks about Liverpool he doesn't hide his hate.Which neutrals seem to laugh off, but it's very unprofessional.Especially when you think about his current England connections.
His brother Phil, just like Paul Scholes is trash.Their names got them pundit work.
sell sterling asap. not a world class player. overrated.
ReplyDeleteSterling is good enough for us to want to hang on to, but not at all costs.
ReplyDeleteI also don't mind Savage. Don't agree with everything he says, obviously.
ReplyDeleteIn what universe? Do not underestimate the power of the dark side of football, Jaimie.
ReplyDeleteI just think there's an accepted wisdom amongst most pundits, which has nothing to do with the facts
ReplyDeleteThat's why Courtois is seen as a brilliant keeper, and Chelsea a miserly defence. He has a record of a clean sheet every 3 games exactly.
Yet Mignolet, who is seen as suspect, has a clean sheet every 2.5 games and LFC's defence is called out every chance they get
James's 5 goals at the World Cup was the driving factor in Real's interest. They like to milk a player's stardom. It's what they do. In that sense Sterling hasn't even reached the heights of Modric yet.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Sterling has yet to make the leap to being a prestige player. he needs to work hard on finishing, striking the ball, and decision making- when to lay the ball off instead of trying to beat one more- something Hazard is brilliant at.
ReplyDeleteBut the point was to highlight the bit where JK says Sterling's output was way to low for a team like Real when the difference wasn't THAT big
Broadcasters get attracted to big name ex players when handing out pundit and commentary work.Most are rubbish and contribute to sheep-like collective thinking.
ReplyDeleteI remember when Man Utd beat us to the title in 2009.The media group think back then was no players from Liverpool a part from Fernando Torres and Gerrard would get in United's team.That season Man U's regular midfield partnership was Michael Carrick and Fletcher.We had Javier Mascherano and Alonso.Both were clear upgrades.
That frustrated me at the time, obviously to the point that i can easily remember it now.75% of the pundits in this country need to be sent packing.
Michael Owen.
ReplyDeleteIf it's not about finishing or muscle injuries, he is clueless as well as boring to listen to.
Enough said.
Spot on.
ReplyDeleteI find it highly amussing calling Sterling a mercenary in the same conversation as saying that if someone wants to pay £60m they can have
ReplyDeletehim...pot kettle springs to mind...
I find your wilful misrepresentation of my POV amusing.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't like me calling Sterling a 'mercenary', that's tough luck. I'm entitled to that view. If you disagree, submit a credible counter argument rather posting pointless one-line snipes.
There is a very clear difference between:
1) A good player holding a club to ransom, and:
2) Another club agreeing to pay a big transfer fee for the same player.
In scenario 1, the player has the power; in scenario 2, the CLUB has the power, and that is the way it should be (IMO).
The two situations are totally different, and only one of them is a 'mercenary' scenario.
Ah, yes - just blithely ignore the very real possibility that Sterling's new salary will be backdated to the date he was first offered his new contract. That happens a lot in football; indeed, Messi's new contract was backdated.
ReplyDeleteSterling is probably happy to wait because he knows that any new contract will be backdated.
I have numerous times but you say what you say....You are intitled to you point of view as everyone is... So am I...
ReplyDeleteMignolet's clean sheets record is only based on the last four months. He is considered 'suspect' because he's been persistently suspect for Liverpool since signing for the club. Ditto LFC's defence, which was poor last season and again for the first half of this season.
ReplyDeleteCourtois is consistently good over the last 3-4 years, as is Chelsea's defence. You are looking only at the short-term, not the long-term bigger picture.
Phil Neville and Owen should be banned from any form of communiction where getting fans excited is involved.... I nearly fell alseep writing this....
ReplyDeleteBloody rubbish. U know already how far Sterling will go right? You're a learner Mr column writer. He can be anything and can even become d best footballer in d world. No one knows and ur opinion us not welcome.
ReplyDelete