Is the damage done by Raheem Sterling’s interview irreparable…
Prominent Telegraph journalist Chris Bascombe has written a column explaining how the interview set up by Raheem Sterling and his agent Aidy Ward has totally backfired…
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The football world is at practical standstill today after our wonderkid gave a 27 minute interview, in which he explained his reasons for turning down a series of extremely lucrative Liverpool contract offers.
Bascombe says that, ‘By setting up his own Q&A, Ward hoped his client would look sympathetic, mistreated and ‘just a kid who wants to play football’. Instead he looks desperate, ill-advised and a kid besotted with his agent.’
Essentially, Sterling claimed that his decision to reject a £100k-per-week contract was entirely football based, and the fact that Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard have or will leave the club means that he can’t yet commit his future to us.
This is to a club who have brought him up brilliantly through the youth ranks, given him regular first-team football, fan adulation, and continued support.
Yes, Sterling’s been completely magnificent too – but it’s a marriage – and one that should have been thoroughly more respected, reckons Bascombe…
According to the journalist, the public nature of the discussions, and the continued leaks are solely down to the player’s representatives.
‘It was not the club who sounded the alarm about the first, second and third breakdown in talks,’ Bascombe continued – in a sarcastic tone…
‘It was not Liverpool who suggested Sterling should be paid a salary worthy of one of Europe’s most exciting young players because that is how Brendan Rodgers had the audacity to describe him after an exceptional performance last season. It was not Liverpool who kept going on about ‘market values’ and paying an England international what he is worth.
‘The ambition line was more cunning, but wholly opportunistic. It is a lot easier to question the likelihood of Liverpool’s Champions League participation next season since their defeat to Manchester United than it was during the unbeaten run.
‘We’ve even heard some guff about Sterling being played out of position at wing back, as if this has been a seasonal trend rather than the consequence of an emergency due to injuries or suspensions. For the record, Sterling played wing-back for one half against Swansea and the first half against Manchester United.’
In short, Reds fan Bascombe is furious and disappointed- as many Reds will be too.
Let’s just hope the player pays less attention to his meddling agents, and more attention to a club and manager who have so far been brilliant for his blossoming career. He could still renew his deal, and put this mess to bed of course. But right now, the signs looks ominous.