It’s time to celebrate Sterling’s brilliance
RaheeM STerlING has been on my mind since last summer. I watched him closely during the World Cup and felt he would return to the Premier league and do special things.
I wrote a column about him after england had beaten Sweden 2-0 in the quarter-finals and while some people were obsessed about the chances he had missed — and I recognised that his finishing needed to be sharper — I asked: ‘have we not been following his ambition to get better?’
Well, he’s done that again. Sterling hasn’t just got better, he’s been breathtaking for Manchester City. So much so that england manager Gareth Southgate said this week he should be seriously considered for the PFa Player of the year award.
don’t think that is a manager saying something to keep one of his players onside. Sterling, without a doubt, is a serious rival to virgil van dijk and Sergio aguero and it is time we celebrated what a special performer he has become. you cannot overstate what strength of character and determination has been required to get him into this position.
you may be familiar with his backstory; of how he moved from Wembley to liverpool aged 15 nine years ago, but there was no guarantee he would succeed.
Upheaval at that stage is enough to finish some young lads off and football is full of stories of promising careers that went unfulfilled because of homesickness. But raheem didn’t just progress at liverpool, he absolutely thrived and became a fixture in the team at 19.
When I was at Stoke, his former liverpool team-mates Glen Johnson and Joe allen used to rave about
PERHAPS the best sight of the week was that of Glenn Hoddle back in a TV studio before Chelsea’s Europa League game against Dynamo Kiev. Glenn is someone I have respected and admired since I grew up watching him play at Chelsea in the 1990s. I got to know him when we went on a golf trip to Singapore a few years ago and, over a few beers, realised he is a
raheem. There were times when you could see his form had dipped but they would insist he was different class and his ability was unreal.
ability, though, isn’t enough to make it in the Premier league. you have got to be mentally strong and that aspect of his game is as impressive as any of his skills. he was only 20 when he moved to City for £ 49million but the weight of expectation didn’t hold him back.
Sterling keeps thriving in situations that would see others wilt. he was subjected to racist abuse at Chelsea in december but it didn’t stop him standing in front of their supporters at Wembley last month and thrashing in the winning penalty in the Carabao Cup final.
What would he be worth if he was for sale today? double the £49million City paid for him? you could probably treble it and still not get close to his true value. alongside harry Kane, Sterling (left) has become england’s most important player and a standout star for Pep Guardiola’s champions. The ballot papers for the PFa vote have yet to arrive but I have no doubt he will command his fair share of support. Whether it is enough to win it is open to debate. Personally, I think van dijk and aguero are marginally ahead of raheem and deserve to be favourites for the award.
van dijk has been a colossus — the fact liverpool have conceded only 15 goals in the Premier league is ridiculous — while aguero has responded to the arrival of Gabriel Jesus to make himself undroppable. he has been outstanding.
If Sterling falls short this year, he need not worry. as I have said before, I can see a player who is committed to constant self-improvement.
If the PFa don’t give him the trophy this april, you can be sure there is going to be a point in the future when they will.
top man. We ended up working together for ITV at Euro 2016, so when news broke that he had suffered a heart attack I, like so many others, was deeply concerned. I simply wanted him to get well again. To see him back in full health and doing what he loves on Thursday was tremendous. I’m looking forward to seeing much more of him as the season draws to a close.