Sterling looking ridiculous in ongoing contract saga (ESPN article)

by Dave Usher for ESPN

It was surprising to see Raheem Sterling talking in great detail about his contract issue just a few days before one of Liverpool's most important games of the season when he previously said he wanted to concentrate on football.

He really has done himself no favours with this. Simply telling people "it's not about the money" is not going to make them believe it's not about the money. It just makes you look ridiculous.

He has certainly heaped even more unnecessary pressure on to himself. Every missed opportunity or poor piece of play was already being met with withering cynicism from Liverpool fans.

They would moan, "You want £150,000 a week and you can't even use your left foot?" or "If you want that kind of money, how about stepping up to take a penalty instead of letting Lovren do it?"

That will only get worse after this interview. He's also opened himself up to nationwide scrutiny as well. All eyes will be on his every move between now and the summer, and if he thinks the speculation and criticism will go away because he's put "his side of the story" out there, he's mistaken. That interview has merely poured more fuel on an already roaring fire. His advisers have an awful lot to answer for.

"It's not about the money," he said. Well, of course he did; they always say that, don't they? Especially when it is indeed about the money.

The best place for Sterling right now is Anfield. He plays every week, has a manager who understands him (even to the extent of sending him to Jamaica for a week while his teammates are throwing snowballs at each other back at a frozen Melwood), and there's no reason yet to believe the club cannot compete for trophies.

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