Topic: Raheem Sterling

[Dench57]

The guy was 20 at the time, all of 20 years old with his entire future ahead of him. He couldn't give us a few more transfer windows to figure things out? He just couldn't sit tight and wait until he was 23-24 and reevaluate his options then? What would have been the harm in that?

We took a risk and gave him games when he was just a little kid and had proven nothing. Then to act like that meant nothing to him?

Well he'd have one less PL medal and a fair bit less cash for starters. It's been a very good move for him so far. Things might have been different had Klopp come in when he was here, but Man City were a far more attractive proposition than we were in 2015. I don't blame him for leaving, it's just the manner he did it in (and his rat agent didn't help).

[-Willo-]

The guy was 20 at the time, all of 20 years old with his entire future ahead of him. He couldn't give us a few more transfer windows to figure things out? He just couldn't sit tight and wait until he was 23-24 and reevaluate his options then? What would have been the harm in that?

We took a risk and gave him games when he was just a little kid and had proven nothing. Then to act like that meant nothing to him?

You are acting like we did him a favour by bringing him to Liverpool to develop him, we wanted him because he was an amazing talent, wanted by every club in England.

He owed us nothing, and he made the right decision.

He's won numerous trophies whilst we've won nothing, and he's earned more money. He's not a local lad who supports us, so he's free to do as he wants.

[El Lobo]

You are acting like we did him a favour by bringing him to Liverpool to develop him, we wanted him because he was an amazing talent, wanted by every club in England.

He owed us nothing, and he made the right decision.

He's won numerous trophies whilst we've won nothing, and he's earned more money. He's not a local lad who supports us, so he's free to do as he wants.

He owed us not acting a prick whilst he was under contract with us

[markmywords]

He owed us not acting a prick whilst he was under contract with us

True, but we owed him, not leaking his wage demands to the press when he had 2.5 yrs left on his existing deal.  (Especially not halfway thru a season, in a move that destabilised him and us)

Sure those demands seemed huge ( and always would seem to be to the average fan),but Rodgers was labelling him the best young player in the world, or something, around that time

[newterp]

Great player - but belongs with the mercenaries at Manchester City in any event.

You can see from the players that have been playing with us under Klopp and in our magical European nights how much playing for Liverpool means to them. Sure - many of them could move on for more money or prestige - but they have stars in their eyes when they talk about our supporters and playing at Anfield under the lights.

Raheem never had or wanted that connection - so it's not a big deal.

We got massive money for him at a time where 50m would be 75-80m now. Helped us refashion the team slowly but surely.

[trimore]

Well he'd have one less PL medal and a fair bit less cash for starters. It's been a very good move for him so far. Things might have been different had Klopp come in when he was here, but Man City were a far more attractive proposition than we were in 2015. I don't blame him for leaving, it's just the manner he did it in (and his rat agent didn't help).

By that logic everyone of our stars, Mane, Salah, and Firmino should have left us in the summer. They were under no disillusion on who the favorites were entering this season to win the PL and it wasn't us, nor the demand their talent was felt at other clubs where trophies are much more certain. You would not have had a problem if they all demanded to leave and we just let them go?

Klopp or no Klopp our underdog status entering the season was undoubtedly true, even more the year before with Mane and Firmino, before Salah. That the likes of Bayern, Barca, City and Juventus all could have used a Salah or Mane and they all have a much better chance of winning a league and equally as good of a chance as winning the CL. But they didn't, I can't so for certain why, but it can't be for Klopp alone, he's just a single guy after all. No amount of charisma could overcome everything Liverpool faced entering the season. No, I could only speculate, but it could have only been the message Klopp was saying: of pride in competition, in the pride of overcoming the odds and the challenge of taking on all comers and coming out on top.

At 20 and his entire career ahead of him that pride should have been there, at least for a little while longer. Sterling was not Mbappe, he was not a certainty. He had a lot of promise, but there are a mountain of kids with a plenty of promise who stalled because their clubs didn't develop them properly. But we did develop him properly and that's where the mutual pride should have been.

It might not be entirely his fault, but letting a star player at all of 20 years old go is the lowest I have ever felt at this club. Even more so than the Hodgson era, when we at least still had a few more years of Gerrard and the hope a better owner would come. The closest we have ever been to being Ajax, or Porto, a complete stepping stone academy club with zero pride in actually winning it all. It might sound entitled, but we deserved better than that at the time. Even with all their fuck ups up to that point this club, FSG, Rodgers deserved better than that. At least they were trying with Lallana, Lovren, Can and Balotelli. That's my thoughts on the matter anyway.

[Dench57]

By that logic everyone of our stars, Mane, Salah, and Firmino should have left us in the summer. They were under no disillusion on who the favorites were entering this season to win the PL and it wasn't us, nor the demand their talent was felt at other clubs where trophies are much more certain.

Erm, no. Rodgers' 2015 team that just finished 6th and got dumped out of the CL groups and then dumped out of the Europa last 32 compared to Klopp's 2018 team that just reached the CL final blitzing all before them (including City). For players looking at a team's prospective success, it's not even a comparison.

City are owned by an oil state, they're the closest thing to guaranteed silverware for any player in this country while the Sheikh is in charge. There was a chasm between us in 2015, but under Klopp we've closed that gap considerably. Hopefully by the end of this season we might just have usurped them.

[trimore]

Erm, no. Rodgers' 2015 team that just finished 6th and got dumped out of the CL groups and then dumped out of the Europa last 32 compared to Klopp's 2018 team that just reached the CL final blitzing all before them (including City). For players looking at a team's prospective success, it's not even a comparison.

City are owned by an oil state, they're the closest thing to guaranteed silverware for any player in this country while the Sheikh is in charge. There was a chasm between us in 2015, but under Klopp we've closed that gap considerably. Hopefully by the end of this season we might just have usurped them.

Not many at the begginning of the seasons would have predicted how well our league season has gone so far. That City would be out of distance in January, where they most likely won't be now. Most were hoping we could repeat our heroics in the CL, but anyone who is honest knows the CL is always going to be kind of a crap shoot. That doing that well in back to back seasons was, and still is, a bit of a stretch. The point still remains there were better prospects than LFC in the summer of 2018 just like there were better prospects than LFC in the summer of 2015. Only a couple less really.

But it's less about the comparison in terms of results than it is about the ages. Sterling was young, much younger than Salah, Mane and Firmino are now. He had time on his side and should have given us more time to figure it out. Things can change quickly in football. Of course Sheikh guarentees silverware, that's my issue. At 20 he should have been much less focused on silverware and more focused on developing as a player and giving back some goodwill to a club that took a chance on him when he was a kid. I just don't think that's unreasonable to ask.

[Cu Chulainn]

I don't blame him for leaving, it's just the manner he did it in (and his rat agent didn't help).

That's how I feel about him. I don't hold anything against any player for leaving, it's their career after all. But the disgusting disrespect towards Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool FC that emanated from Sterling's camp at the time leaves a sour taste in my mouth. 

[6BigCups]

You’d think he was Martin Luther King the way he’s being spoke about in the media this week, christ!

[Chalky Boots]

Well it's a bit better than him getting berated for buying a family member something nice isn't it

[RyanBabel19]

You’d think he was Martin Luther King the way he’s being spoke about in the media this week, christ!

Not at all, nothing wrong with praising someone for highlighting a big issue and speaking up for a massive institutional problem

Glad he's getting a lot of praise for it to be honest, its been a long time overdue

[petecolonia]

He's handled this brilliantly I think. As an issue and what should be a common cause it's something well worth getting behind the lad on, exposing those bastards at their two-faced game!

Feel free to boo him for 90 minutes if it does the trick like..

[steampie]

I'm trying my best to continue to dislike the guy, but he's making it hard! Great finish last night.

[bradders1011]

Find it hard to dislike him now, he's clearly done a hell of a lot of growing up since he left us, as you'd expect for someone his age, and he's just so bloody good now. If only...

[MartinSkrtelsBasement]

Makes a cameo in this music video about black identity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDUPSNdmFew

[FlashGordon]

Never thought I'd see Dave on the main LFC board 

Great young rapper and well in there by Sterling. Any bitterness I had towards him is long gone at this stage, still hope he ends up with only a League Cup this year mind.

[I've been a good boy]

He's been disrespected left right and centre by the scummy media in this country and he's done nothing but keep his head up and win. Don't like the way he left, don't like his dickhead agent and absolutely hate who he plays for but I think he's done alright considering

[RyanBabel19]

Credit to his handling of the media, he left like a spoilt little prick though... nothing will change that to be honest. Imo there's a way to carry yourself and for a club that did a lot for him, he disrespected the fans and the club massively which was out of order, regardless of his agent

[Jon2lfc]

They were chatting about him on the radio earlier.
About he's fast becoming world class.
With his consistency this season, and his decent showing last season, I reckon they're right. He might even be called it right now by many non-City supporters. Can't argue with his numbers. And credit to Josep.

Still remember the lad from when he was tearing up the youth teams and how we all rated him as one for the future.

[Linudden]

They were chatting about him on the radio earlier.
About he's fast becoming world class.
With his consistency this season, and his decent showing last season, I reckon they're right. He might even be called it right now by many non-City supporters. Can't argue with his numbers. And credit to Josep.

Still remember the lad from when he was tearing up the youth teams and how we all rated him as one for the future.

... and breathe.



I just showed you two superior wingers in one picture. Also, your source was most likely English radio, hence English media and we all know how they talk a bunch of shite.

[Jon2lfc]

... and breathe.



I just showed you two superior wingers in one picture. Also, your source was most likely English radio, hence English media and we all know how they talk a bunch of shite.

Eh? Are you alright mate?
I only shared what radio said. I aint saying he's better than any of our forwards.

Let's take bias away for a minute and recognise the numbers and progress of this lad. This is after all the Sterling thread.

[Crosby Nick]

His movement and game intelligence has always been very decent and that’s what’s getting him so many goals, especially in a team that create chances for fun. I’d say his technique and finishing is still not the best (probably improving) but so many of his goals come from him timing his runs perfectly to be in the right place at the right time.

[FCukBarca Haw-Haw]

His movement and game intelligence has always been very decent and that’s what’s getting him so many goals, especially in a team that create chances for fun. I’d say his technique and finishing is still not the best (probably improving) but so many of his goals come from him timing his runs perfectly to be in the right place at the right time.

Best English player atm

[Crosby Nick]

Best English player atm

Probably. Can’t think who else could claim to be. Spurs players have dropped off a bit, haven’t seen much of Sancho.

[Cu Chulainn]

Best English player atm

His current form, yes. He isn't a better player than Kane though.

[Keith Lard]

As others have said, I didn’t like the way he left us and the manouevering of his agent. But a lot has changed since then, we got a decent profit at the time, and for me it’s now water under the bridge.

He is a very good player and completely support him in his fight against depiction of black players by the media, and for his brilliant handling of the racist scum in Montenegro. Deserves huge credit for this.

[Sheer Magnetism]

He's definitely taken a big step up this season. The way he was running at the Montenegro players was terrific, and it looks like he's finally delivering on the goals front for England too.

[Redsnappa]

Still think he acted like a spoilt brat giving it all the lies about Rodgers when he left, especially employing that utter scumbag of an agent to get out - and I hope we still give him dog's abuse when he plays here for Abu Dhabi, but I've been very impressed with the way he's handled himself against the two-faced British media and the fact he's become a default spokesman for anti-racism. Playing well for England too - he'd score bucketloads with Hendo giving him balls on a plate every week if he was still here!

Still doesn't deserve Footballer of the Year over VVD though - which he'll probably get if they win the title 

[Cu Chulainn]

Still don't like him, but he's become some player. He strikes the ball an awful lot better now than he used to.

[GreatEx]

He's grown into a very impressive young man. I think anyone who still bears a grudge about his past actions when he was barely a teen and already feted as England's saviour should just let bygones be bygones.

[Ravishing Rick Dude]

Nope. Still don't like him.

[Sheer Magnetism]

He's grown into a very impressive young man. I think anyone who still bears a grudge about his past actions when he was barely a teen and already feted as England's saviour should just let bygones be bygones.

Is 20 years old barely a teenager now? Was he really being touted as 'England's saviour' back when Rooney was the main man and scoring for fun for the national team, and Harry Kane was emerging as a star? See this is the thing, it should be a given that racist chanting should be condemned and it's fine to say Sterling's been given unfair treatment if that's what you believe, but you don't have to make things up or build him up into a saint in order to do so.

[Elzar]

Is 20 years old barely a teenager now? Was he really being touted as 'England's saviour' back when Rooney was the main man and scoring for fun for the national team, and Harry Kane was emerging as a star? See this is the thing, it should be a given that racist chanting should be condemned and it's fine to say Sterling's been given unfair treatment if that's what you believe, but you don't have to make things up or build him up into a saint in order to do so.

Nobody reasonable is building him up as a saint. He's actually brave enough to come out and challenge a lot of these things, which is really good to see. Of course it should be a given that players don't face racism, but they do and it takes someone bringing it to the front pages to start possible change. No need to use hyperbole to knock him down in challenging that, no matter how we view him.

[b_joseph]

He forced his way out, we have bought players who have forced their way out of teams. It happens. 20 year old making mistakes? Happens
His reasons to move, like most players reasons to move, were sound. And it has paid off financially and through medals.

The leadershop role he is taking in regards to matters that are much bigger than sport, is fascinating. It would be so easy to just be quiet but to stand up the way he has. Considering the current political climate, is brilliant.

[GreatEx]

Is 20 years old barely a teenager now? Was he really being touted as 'England's saviour' back when Rooney was the main man and scoring for fun for the national team, and Harry Kane was emerging as a star? See this is the thing, it should be a given that racist chanting should be condemned and it's fine to say Sterling's been given unfair treatment if that's what you believe, but you don't have to make things up or build him up into a saint in order to do so.

Oops, I meant "barely out of his teens". I am terribly, terribly sorry for my shocking lack of judgement.

There can be more than one England saviour, you know. And Sterling was hyped to fuck when he was at Liverpool both at club and national level. It's not surprising he drank his own bath water a little, and he has proven he can thrive at the highest level.

[Rich]

He's a fantastic player and seems a nice person too. The media will do a complete 180 now, the fucking rats.

[Coolie High]

Respect him a whole lot more than i do Suarez, thats for sure.

[Wool]

Don’t mind him really, and he did make the right move for his career. People on here still suck off Suarez and he was involved in the Evra stuff, fucking bit someone, tried to engineer a move to Arsenal, and then bit someone again to try and leave us so I do find the difference in treatment pretty odd.

[bird_lfc]

Don’t mind him really, and he did make the right move for his career. People on here still suck off Suarez and he was involved in the Evra stuff, fucking bit someone, tried to engineer a move to Arsenal, and then bit someone again to try and leave us so I do find the difference in treatment pretty odd.

Think it’s also worth noting that he was a very young lad with some dickhead agent as a mouthpiece . Does anyone know if he still employs the same bloke?

I have no issues with him and the move has worked for both parties. Realistically, he wouldn’t of progressed the way he has at City if he stayed here I don’t think (puts on Tin hat)