Sterling looking ridiculous in ongoing contract saga (ESPN article)

[TLW]

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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[SlugTrail]

Very good article Dave, finally someone applying common sense to the whole debate. It seems this subject has brought the histerical fannies out of the wood work, and turned some decent posters into narrow minded idiots.

 

In an ideal world we wouldn't know anything about contract negotiations, we would just know a player has signed a new contract or been sold, but that's not the world we live in. Anyone thinking it's only the club to blame for leaking stories is extremely misguided, both parties are doing what they feel is best for themselves.

[JohnnyH]

His agent should be strung up for how he's representing his player. To give the type of advice he's giving to a 20 year old is shamefull. £100k a week and he's telling him to agitate for a move? That's disgusting. He should be telling him to take the huge contract on offer and knuckle down for another 2-3 years and make sure you become the best player you can at a club who can help you achieve that. It's crazy what's happening.

[Josef Svejk]

 

Sterling is an exciting talent who may eventually go on to reach the level of Bale, Luis Suarez or even Cristiano Ronaldo, but equally he could just as easily level off and become Theo Walcott.

 

Becoming Walcott is certainly not the worst case scenario. He could become Andros Townsend, Aaron Lennon, Wayne Routledge, or even some mediocre white English forward...

[Anubis]

John Prodaza is onto something. Usher's butt definitely hurts.

[Xherdan]

Very good article and exactly my feelings on the scenario. While Sterling is not a complete innocento, the advice he is getting is appalling. The whole structure of agents in football really needs to be looked at as turning down £100k per week and suggesting links to Man City, Real Madrid etc is not in his clients interest, merely in the interest of getting a fat percentage of whatever transaction may occur. 

 

As Dave has stated in this article, moving to either of those clubs at this point in his career would be a disaster for him and if he is not motivated by money as he is at pains to point out, then he should realise that and knuckle down in what is a vital part of the season for his current club. Rodgers is managing him very well and has aided progression. I have full faith in the path we have identified for Sterling's development and believe he will become one of Europe's top players with LFC. His agent needs to fuck off.

[lifetime fan]

Good article Dave.

 

I mentioned on the MF that his agent has left the company he was working for and has set up alone, he no doubt sees a move and massive cash injection as a great start for his new company.

[xerxes]

Sterling is simply the first high profile player able to cash in on the new TV deal. I have no doubt that his agent is briefing the press regarding the interest of other clubs, real, or imagined.

 

IF we are offering him £100k a week, and the likes of Sturridge are on £150k, £50k a week is £12.5m over five years. You can’t blame him for chancing his arm.

 

I can’t help thinking we are not in as weak a position as some suggest. If we keep him on his existing wage till the end of his contract we can save £10m in wages. Then at that time offer him a new contract based on performance, not hope.

[xerxes]

I mentioned on the MF that his agent has left the company he was working for and has set up alone, he no doubt sees a move and massive cash injection as a great start for his new company.

I think you are right, and he is establishing a marker for new deals for new clients.

[Lario]

I'd wager he'll never reach the level of Suarez or Ronaldo.

 

Probably an Anders Limpar.

[Lario]

Is Sturridge really on £150k per week?

 

I'd to it for £50k per week and save the club a fortune!

[Xherdan]

IF we are offering him £100k a week, and the likes of Sturridge are on £150k, £50k a week is £12.5m over five years. You can’t blame him for chancing his arm.

 

 

 

 

That's part of the problem. Sturridge is one of the senior members of the squad and Sterling should not be on the same money as him. A promising office junior doesn't ask for the same money as the CEO.

[Byrnie]

What if the office junior was filling in for the CEO all the time, while the CEO was on sick leave.

 

Sturridge isn't the best example to use. Sterling looking at him getting 150k a week could be a reason for him wanting over 100k.

 

Not defending Sterling at all, mind. He's coming across as a right prick in all of this.

[ratcatcher]

Cant agree with the statement that because he played very well in the last 15 games of the season that the club should have offerred a new improved contract on the back of that.

 

And didnt the 35k a week contract he did sign have clauses in it that gave him a pay rise after he'd played so many games (obviously not 15 or so)?

 

I dont have a problem with players earning fantastic wages. But, in my opinion, he hasnt earned the right to have a £100k+ a week wage.

 

Personally, I wouldnt play him tomorrow. Yes, that may make the situation worse but anyone who thinks he wants to be here after the summer is deluding themselves.

 

At least Keegan had the decency to say 'after next season Im off.' Footballers today just say 'its not about the money' when they want to move on. Bastards.

[Section_31]

There's something comical about Sterling saying it's not about money.

[Sugar Ape]

What if the office junior was filling in for the CEO all the time, while the CEO was on sick leave.

 

Sturridge isn't the best example to use. Sterling looking at him getting 150k a week could be a reason for him wanting over 100k.

 

Not defending Sterling at all, mind. He's coming across as a right prick in all of this.

Yep, pretty much agree with that. Sturridge has got 16 England caps, Sterling 13 caps. Sturridge has played 54 league games for us, Sterling has played 84 league games for us. I'd hope Sturridge is on one of those performance related contracts we seem to like so much.

[Liverpool lad]

Poor Sterling needs to realise that is not quite as good as he thinks he is

[lifetime fan]

I'd actually respect him if he came out and said he wanted to try playing abroad, learn a new language and experience living in a new country.

 

I'd respect any player, coach or manager that wanted to test themselves abroad as no where near enough Brits do it.

 

Of course he won't, because despite what he says it's all about the money.

[magicrat]

Go along with most of that Dave,

As I said in one of the other 423 Sterling threads I think a lot of the arguments will surround a release clause in the mew contract and I expect that will be the outcome. We will get another season at least and a decent whack if he fucks off next year.

He's a tit for pissing off the supporters in the way he has and his recent interview has made him look even worse,Despite all this I don't think its un-reconcilable and he wont be the first or the last player to have his head turned by other clubs, Expecting Liverpool players to swear undying loyalty to the cause is sadly a thing of the past and not unexpected given the money involved and the fact virtually none are local lads any longer. Sterling is young and can be forgiven if he knuckles down,  The club have said the right thing

[chrisbrand]

He lives in a £1 million pound plus house in Birkdale. He's twenty. I am finding it very hard to have any sympathy for him.

[Kevin D]

I'm glad that this article has popped up. For me, the one thing this forum has been lacking is a place to talk about Raheem Sterling.

[Section_31]

He lives in a £1 million pound plus house in Birkdale. He's twenty. I am finding it very hard to have any sympathy for him.

Dunno, Birkdale is fucking weird. A house that looks like a tin of paint, a golf course, and every other person is either Alan Hansen or Kenny Dalglish.

[lifetime fan]

Dunno, Birkdale is fucking weird. A house that looks like a tin of paint, a golf course, and every other person is either Alan Hansen or Kenny Dalglish.

Sounds ace.

[Ginny]

Dunno, Birkdale is fucking weird. A house that looks like a tin of paint, a golf course, and every other person is either Alan Hansen or Kenny Dalglish.

Someone told me that when the British open was on there that Pepsi offered the owner of the house £1m to paint it like a can of Pepsi. The owner refused. Sure it's bullshit but it's better than talking about Sterling. Am all Sterling'd out!

[Reacher]

Dunno, Birkdale is fucking weird. A house that looks like a tin of paint, a golf course, and every other person is either Alan Hansen or Kenny Dalglish.

It's ace seeing them in the village and having a chat. Lawro not so much he's a horrible sod. Watching him giving it loads to one of the traffic wardens on the main drag from a beer garden a few summers ago. Thinking what's it got to do with him as he was on his push bike.

 

He was unlocking the chain at the time and got his coat caught under the saddle. As he got more and more abusive he took a step forward and went arse over tit with his bike. Fucking hilarious it was.