GRADY’S STERLING EFFORTS

Tomorrow, 6pm

vGRADY DIANGANA credits Raheem Sterling as the inspiration for England’s kids.

The 21-year-old West Ham winger is impressing on loan at Championship leaders West Brom with four goals in 14 games.

And he is learning his tricks from the likes of Sterling.

Diangana, preparing for tomorrow’s Euro Under-21s qualifier in Albania, watches footage of Sterling among others and says the Manchester City star is a massive influence.

“You can see he’s always been a top player and now you can see he’s become so efficient, so you want to understand how he’s got to where he is,” said Diangana (above). “He’s a big inspiration for every attacking player.” Diangana wants to make scoring and creating goals look as easy as Sterling (left) seems to make it. “It’s how he’s getting his goals,” he added. “Knowing where to be at the right time and timing of the run – Sterling is good at that.

“He doesn’t dribble as much as he used to but you can see him getting on the end of things – the one-touch finishes, the timing of his movement. To be consistent you have to have a method in doing it.”

Diangana added: “I don’t just watch the amazing things people see. For example, I watch the off-the-ball movement because I’m trying to create and score goals and trying to find the best ways to get a goal or an assist and seeing which movements work.”

Diangana is big mates with Declan Rice – already part of the senior squad – and has been tipped to become a bigger star than his fellow Hammer but insists he will not get carried away.

“I’ve always been someone who’s grounded and I don’t let things get to my head,” he said. “Playing with Declan and seeing where he’s got to and how he’s got there and the things he’s had to do to get there has helped me develop as a player.

“Hopefully I can be just as good as him.”