08 Jul 2015 13:02:29
With Sterling in the papers again I thought I'd share my 2 cents. Liverpool fans generally think he's toxic whilst other fans think he's the wounded party and wants to move to a bigger club. As ever with these things it's probably somewhere in the middle.

Sterling has a legitimate grievance with the club when they used the media to try and pressure him into signing a new contract. I also don't blame him for not putting in a transfer request, it's demonstrable that footballers get the moves they want without resorting to a formal request, Sterling doesn't have to be a martyr about this. Liverpool also regularly entice players from smaller clubs (Sterling himself is an example of this) so it's hypocritical of us to be angry when it happens to us.

But, Liverpool have been good to Sterling developing his game and accommodating his needs (take his mid-season break for example) so for him to play a wounded party is a bit rich. Sky's current piece from 'sources' supposedly is an insight to a closed door meeting on Monday between Sterling and Rodgers. I'm pretty sure Liverpool didn't leak any of this (it does them no favours) so it probably came from Sterling's camp. I can't help feeling that the 'Rodgers is the problem' line is designed to try and improve his image (we'll buy that Rodgers has ruined everything because it's what most fans want to believe).

As for 'it's in everyone's interest for Sterling not to go on tour', well that's bulls*it of the highest order. Whilst Sterling is in the employ of Liverpool FC he is to fulfil his footballing obligations and that means training with the first team wherever they are and staying professional. If Liverpool decide they are selling him then that changes but until an agreement is made with City or any other club he is a Liverpool player and is expected to be fully involved in Liverpool's activities.

He's going to leave, that much is obvious, and I'm gutted about that because he is a big talent and I think he can be successful wherever he plays. But he has not conducted himself with any class over the last few months. He could have told us straight that he wanted to leave and why, we would have been upset and angry but it would have been honourable. Instead he has made excuses, hidden behind his agent and tried to portray himself in the media as a simple lad who just wants to play football. He is anything but that, he is a very modern, self-entitled professional who sees football as a job first and a vocation second.

In three years time he may have more money and trophies than he would have ever won at Liverpool, he may be the star of the England team but I hope he doesn't succeed. I hope he finds out that he's missing the spark that turns a talent into a legend because I don't think he deserves it, bad guys shouldn't win.

1.) 08 Jul 2015
08 Jul 2015 13:39:27
Completely agree, both parties have made errors but now Sterling is going on and this is changing a lot of peoples opinion of him!! I just hope Manchester City don't look at his attitude and decide they don't need that type of player in the dressing room!!

2.) 08 Jul 2015
08 Jul 2015 13:48:10
I Agree that liverpool FC made mistakes but at least they have rectified them, Sterling has gone from bad to worse, his Egos so inflated its unreal, as i said earlier IBE will be a much better talent, so why bother wasting time worrying about sterling. Oh and Man city are not a bigger club!

3.) 08 Jul 2015
08 Jul 2015 14:58:05
bwetty much and all as I don't like to admit it City challenge for the league consistently and feature in the Champions League regularly. You're kidding yourself if you don't think they are a bigger club.

4.) 08 Jul 2015
08 Jul 2015 15:26:11
have to disagree their mate, sorry but fanbase for me shows liverpool are the bigger club, if we don't have success again soon maybe Man city will begin to claw up on us, but they are not a bigger club, they may have bigger cash reserves but they ain't a bigger club

5.) 08 Jul 2015
08 Jul 2015 16:44:48
I don't think sterling or any player picks clubs based on how many fans they have. It's all about trophies, playing time, CL and most importantly money.

6.) 08 Jul 2015
08 Jul 2015 17:40:45
bwetty please look at Mikeys response. These are the things that make a club a big club. You can't actually think we are a bigger draw purely because of the number of fans we have?

7.) 09 Jul 2015
09 Jul 2015 07:30:10
ive seen it mate but if that's the case why is he not pinning to join the likes of galatasary who win the turkish league win domestic trophys and play CL every season.