YOU’VE TAKEN IT TOO FAR
England stars fear Southgate’s gone over the top with Sterling ban
ENGLAND players wanted the row between Raheem Sterling and Joe Gomez kept in house.
And members of the squad also think there has been an over-reaction to axe Sterling for the Three Lions’ Euro 2020 qualifier with Montenegro tomorrow night.
England boss Gareth Southgate took the unprecedented step of issuing a public statement after Sterling’s flare-up with Gomez at St George’s Park on Monday.
He then held an impromptu press conference in which he revealed there will be no further punishment for Sterling, who is understood to have lunged at Gomez in the St George’s Park canteen, leaving the Liverpool ace with a scratch below his eye. It can be revealed Liverpool helped mediate peace between the pair as Jordan Henderson stepped in to call Sterling and Gomez, who have since shaken hands after the Manchester City star apologised. However, despite both players insisting they have made up, Southgate shocked the squad by deciding not to pick Sterling for tomorrow. The flare-up began after Sunday’s title clash at Anfield when Sterling and Gomez had a row at the end of the game but they made up and embraced before leaving the pitch.
However, Sterling was still simmering a day later when the players reported up at St George’s Park on Monday.
Gomez was the first Liverpool player to arrive and went to shake Sterling’s hand but his England team-mate was still upset and they had a row.
Witnesses insist it was over quickly and Sterling later apologised to Gomez and his England team-mates – but it then spiralled out of control and that is what has upset the rest of the squad.
Southgate held a team meeting and it quickly became clear he was not willing to leave it at an apology and move on as most players expected him to do.
Sterling left the training base briefly because he was so upset but soon returned when Liverpool and Henderson stepped in to play peacemaker.
Henderson is suspended for tomorrow’s game and wasn’t due to report up until today but made a call, got the pair together and peace was restored.
Henderson also volunteered to go to St George’s Park yesterday to see his Liverpool team-mate and also Sterling whom he remains good friends with from their days together at Anfield.
However, Southgate was not ready to leave the matter and news of the row leaked out with the FA taking the unusual step of deciding to put out a statement.
That is out of keeping with the norm as even last month when James Maddison was pictured in a casino after being sent home ill from England duty nothing was said by the FA until Southgate addressed the issue. But the statement issued by the FA and Southgate was strong.
He insisted it was important to stop “club rivalries” and then explained that was why Sterling would not be picked as feelings were still “raw”.
The feeling from some players now is that he has effectively thrown Sterling under the bus which is harsh treatment against a popular member of the group.
Players believe such rows and flare-ups happen at club level on a regular basis and there is a feeling that it was weak management on Southgate’s part, especially when he could look to get back into club football in the future.
Sterling later issued a statement on social media insisting the matter was over quickly, that he has made amends with Gomez and expressed regret.