You’ll Never Walk Alone. That iconic song we hear at every Anfield match day which to a great extent defines Liverpool Football Club. When you look at many of our recent players who have left the club, the term YNWA very much applies. The likes of Pepe Reina, Daniel Agger, Luis Suarez and of course the legend himself, Steven Gerrard, retain the adoration of Liverpool fans across the world. All of these hold something in common. They left the club with dignity and respect and have shown nothing but appreciation for the club ever since. Xabi Alonso is another, as is John Arne Riise. These players love Liverpool Football Club and the fans love them back. It’s a mutual relationship which remains almost unique in the modern day world of football. Yet the recent departure of Raheem Sterling leaves a sour taste in the mouths of Liverpool fans, following his transfer to Manchester City.
Now firstly I must make it clear- I categorically did not want him to leave, and unlike many fans I’ve seen on social media, I did not greet the news of his transfer with celebration. It has been a pleasure watching Sterling develop from that unassuming 17 year old into one of the most precociously talented youngsters in world football. At his best, during the 2013/14 season, he wreaked havoc along with Suarez and Sturridge which so nearly brought us the title. That opening goal, ironically versus Manchester City at Anfield as he wrong footed both Kompany and Hart was one of my favourite Liverpool moments of recent times. So therefore when Sterling left, I was not happy, because we’ve lost an extremely talented player.
Source: liverpoolfc.com
However, the crucial thing is, Liverpool did try to keep Sterling. The club offered him a lucrative £100,000 per week contract which he rejected. You could argue that we should have offered whatever he wanted in order to keep hold of him, but that’s not how Liverpool Football Club is run, and nor should it be. We want hungry, dedicated players who play for the shirt, not the wages. Henderson and Coutinho are prime examples of that. Although Sterling would have you believe ‘it’s not about the money’, reports at the time suggested his demands were £150,000 per week. So had Liverpool offered him that money, Sterling would most likely still be a Liverpool player. That suggests money did play at least some role in the whole saga.
In fact, Sterling’s reasoning over the move changed multiple times. Firstly, the money. Then it was his broken relationship with Brendan Rodgers. Then it was a desire to improve himself and win trophies, although it could be questioned as to whether Manchester City is really that much of a step up. Perhaps Sterling could have driven Liverpool to trophies in the future had he chosen to stay. After all, he had Champions League football last season and an FA cup semi-final to achieve the success he so dearly wants. What did Sterling contribute in these games? Nothing of note. Granted, as a team Liverpool were in disarray but Sterling hardly stepped up to the plate and made the difference.
The point I make is that whatever the true reason for Sterling’s move, it doesn’t matter anymore, because he is no longer a Liverpool player and there’s nothing we can do to change that. The way he handled the transfer was undesirable, giving interviews without the club’s permission, trying to force a move and speaking with a lack of respect for the club who have made him the player he is today. But the degree of hatred and abuse I see for Sterling among many Liverpool fans seems misplaced and unnecessary. When you take a step back and look at the situation, he’s a 20 year old man making a decision for his own career. That’s all it comes down to at the end of the day. Yes, he disrespected the club, which is disappointing. Loyalty is a rarity in modern football (yes, Fabian Delph) which is what makes players like Gerrard special.
I’d also make the point that whenever I have seen Sterling give interviews, he comes across as a well spoken young man, not the vulgar, money-grabber many make him out to be. His team mates say the same thing. Henderson, as captain, has publicly spoken of Sterling being a genuine, grounded lad, as have Lallana, Ibe and Sturridge. These are the people who know Sterling best, and they only speak well about him. Of course he could have gone about the transfer in a more dignified manner, in the way Clyne and Benteke have kept quiet and let the clubs take control of matters themselves. However I think the influence of his agent, Aidy Ward, seems to have been a key instigator in the saga and Sterling has perhaps shouldered more blame than he deserves. I’m not making excuses for him, but an ounce of perspective on the situation is not a bad thing.
We don’t have to care about Sterling any more. He chose to leave in a way which isolated himself from our fanbase, but rather than continue to chastise him for it, surely it’s time to accept he’s moved on. He has moved football club, not to a direct rival such as Everton or Manchester United. By all means feel disappointed. I certainly won’t be cheering if he scores for Manchester City in the Champions League final as I did with Suarez. We’ve managed to pocket £49 million for him (I am aware QPR receive a 20% cut). No matter how much potential he has, and I do think he will be a great player for City, that’s an astronomical amount of money and a bid we could not turn down. In Jordon Ibe we have another hugely talented winger who will be keen to step up in Sterling’s absence. Funds have already been reinvested into Roberto Firmino and Christian Benteke among others. We have a young and exciting squad ahead of the new season, so rather than dwell on expressing hatred towards Sterling, forget about him. He’s not our player any more. He won’t receive the same support as he had here, but that’s his loss, not ours. I thank him for the memories, but no player is bigger than the club. It’s time to look forward to a new era at Liverpool.
Red Regista
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Brilliant article i fully agree with everything you have said here. No longer a liverpool player but no need for hatred towards him.