Raheem Sterling Criticism Has To End: Why Shouldn’t He Want To Leave Liverpool?

Sam Diss

8th, June 2015

16 Comments

By Sam Diss

It’s one fit for a sunset pic and some cursive text overlay, but the point remains: If you love someone, set them free.

Don’t Liverpool fans realise that Steven Gerrard’s greatest failing in his career was his inability to let go of Liverpool? Romantic, yes, but it’s misguided: forced to stay at a club he knows he can do better than out of sheer loyalty to the badge, fans and city, Gerrard’s career never scaled the heights it deserved because of this.

He might not love them the same way – nor they him – and he doesn’t encapsulate the spirit of Liverpool’s fight and character like Stevie G, but Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling deserves a chance to spread his wings and head away from Anfield.

Why would you want to keep him anyway? A great player, yes, but keeping someone who doesn’t want to be there is a recipe fit for disaster. You could get a decent figure for him, a fee that could be distributed to cover the cracks elsewhere – centre-back, full-back, striker, likely manager – so why the hatred?

The ill-feeling has permeated from the Kop to the fans of the national team as he was booed into submission in England’s excruciating nil-nil with Ireland, and this is the worst thing: Self-sabotaging fans across the land are reinforcing the national side’s failings by letting personal grudges colour their support.

Raheem Sterling is one of the most naturally-talented footballers England has produced in a decade or more; a fleet-footed, attacking, creative talent the likes of which most countries would kill for… And yet. And yet his perceived arrogance, self-interest and greed means that he’ll never be taken into the hearts of fans – fans who would prefer him remain a big fish in a small pond until everything that made him special evaporates than have a crack at something bigger and perhaps better.

Sterling’s heart isn’t in Liverpool anymore. You can’t make him love you, and the resentment brewed from the dispute will only further affect a Liverpool side in desperate need of a transition.

It’s time to let him go.

Follow Sam on Twitter, @SamDiss

Posted in Liverpool, Newsnow, Opinion, Transfers & Rumours

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16 Comments

  1. Chris says:

    Stopped reading when you referred to the most successful team in egland as a small pond and referring to a 20 year old kid with potential a big fish!!

    We support the team and sterling single handedly derailed lfc’s season this season, deserves the critism as far as the majority are concerned

  2. Steve says:

    I for one don’t have a problem with him wanting a move away, it’s the way he and his divvy agent are doing there business in public with silly interviews with no permission from Liverpool, if he does move to city, real etc he will find himself sitting on the bench and being a bit part player

  3. Jim says:

    Sterling derailed lfc season ??? What utter tosh , I think the fact lfc sold their only decent player last season derailed the entire season

  4. Vonslaich says:

    @chris

    What derailed your season was a manager in above his head. And a below par team.

    Not one player.

  5. Dave says:

    @ Jim, is right mate…. Not a Lpool fan but wish he would just piss off sick to death of hearing about the pompous little brat and his nob head agent. He’s not as good as he thinks he is either.

  6. Owen says:

    What derailed LFC season was Gerard and his long drawn out farewell tour through the premiership. Compare to Paul Scholes.

  7. Iain says:

    The negativity about Liverpool is getting pretty old. I agree with the authors point, but the way its writen is pathetically negative.

    The Sterling contract situation has nothing at all to do with Gerrard, who was born in Liverpool, came through the youth setup, clearly loves the club and its history and what it stands for. Ask Gerrard if he thinks staying at Anfield was a mistake and I dont think he will agree with your assessment. Why even bring it up? Its just retarded lowest common denominator crap that this site used to be refreshingly free off.

    If Sterling wants to leave, then he should be sold, but a season sitting on the bench earning a measly $35k a week before selling him on next summer with a year on his contract may be good for the club in trying to kerb other over enthusiastic agents, but in general if he doesnt want to contribute to Liverpool, get a bidding war going for his services.

    Liverpool fans (and I am one) should realize that Stirling came to Liverpool from QPR because we were a bigger club and could offer a better deal, it should not be a surprise to anyone that the same motivation to move on should tempt him now. I dont think hes a bad kid, but his agent is a twunt. Thats just football. Personally I think its too soon in his development, but hes all growed up now and can make his own decision.

    Anyway, the reason Im commenting and the reason I’ll be deleting my “pies” bookmark is because of yet another mindless dig at Liverpool, its supporters, and the more antagonistic stance that the site is taking in general. I can live without the tribalism.

    • Karl says:

      You can make that two lost readers.

      I’ve been following Liverpool for over 25 years and I’m in under no illusions that we’re no longer the force we were, but the petty little digs and agenda just weakens any point that might have been there.

      I’m a football fan, I’ve huge respect for the great clubs and players in this country and beyond. There’s a different between rivalry and this sneery, hipster bullshit that’s come into football over the past few years. The game is meant to be fun and once upon a time this site reflected that. Now more and more it’s turning out ‘bantz’ more fitting of a catty tabloid gossip column.

      So yeah, well done. You mildly annoyed a few Liverpool fans (no doubt the intention), you also lost the website a couple of readers, not so clever. It’s not like the world is short of football blogs.

  8. Cambo says:

    Why should he be expected to stay? Well he did sign a contract agreeing to stay until 2017. His words. Not mine and not yours.

    So why even bother with contracts anymore if players are clearly not expected to follow through on them? I tell you, if pool decided not to uphold their end, and to simply not pay him, there would be an uproar. He decided he doesn’t want to play anymore and he gets the world’s sympathy.

    He’s a spoiled brat, and he needs an agent who won’t enable him.

  9. Degs says:

    “Why Shouldn’t He Want To Leave Liverpool?” He’s been a first team regular for 18 months and isn’t currently good enough to get into a better side.

  10. Jamie says:

    Saying he needs to leave to win trophies is a load of rubbish, he’s twenty years old, trophies shouldn’t be his priority when he has a decade of football left to play. He should be focusing on development so that he’s more than just potential.

  11. Dunno says:

    Lol, Liverpool fans. Comparing Gerard’s boyhood loyalty to Sterling is way off the park but i still agree with the basic premise, if a player no longer wants to play for your club let him go, simple as that. Keeping him on the bench for a season as @Ian suggested, especially one as important to the squad as Sterling, is just plain stupid and bitter and would only cause discontent in the locker room which would not be a good thing for a manager under pressure.

    But back to LFC fans, I fucking hate LFC fans. I use to think that Arsenal fans felt overly entitled but this Sterling saga has made me realize just how fucking thick LFC fans are. Without a doubt your’e a club on the decline and yet refuse to accept that good players would rather play for a better (bigger?) club. Rogers somehow miracoulsy leads you to second and you annoint him savoir and then you have a more modest season that is in line with the current status of the club and your’e ready to crucify him (conveniently disregarding that he lost the best player in the PL). Its no wonder Sterling wants to leave, he’s the only not deluded about the potential of the club.

  12. Rob says:

    Pies is so much better without these opinion pieces, leave these to the dopes at 606 etc, and stay with what you do best, giving us funny, light hearted, interesting posts

  13. Ryan says:

    When the comments on a blog post are head and shoulders better than said blog post…well.. you figure it out. Unless..the post was created solely to drum up comments and clicks as to generate some ad cash..everything comes back to money doesn’t it? Oh by the way, Sterling is fast and tricky but his touch is sh..poor and that’s not going to change. Buy low, sell high.

  14. TravisKOP says:

    LFC bought him for pennies, sell him for pounds. They stand to make a 40+ million profit if they play it right. Use that money to buy a TESTED midfielder and have Joe Allen fuck off to the bench again.

  15. PetrovskyKSC says:

    Rehashing the same boring rubbish over and over again is absolutely pointless. Why do you even care what’s the craic with sterling? Isn’t there any other stuff to worry about? Chris, please get rid of Paul and Sam. I want the tastiness back!

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