Don’t lose this battle. Don’t buckle if you want to continue having ambitions to be one of Europe’s leading lights. The latest twist in the sorry tale involving Raheem Sterling, Liverpool and a lucrative new contract has upped the stakes and left the England international’s employers’ reputation on the line.
A trend has developed in recent years with Liverpool and their frontline players, namely that they have found it impossible to hang on to them. The lure of Spain was too much for Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano and Luis Suarez, and Fernando Torres found it impossible to reject Chelsea. When you include the sale of Pepe Reina, the retirement of Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard’s imminent move to LA Galaxy, more of Liverpool’s sheen has been removed.
You can see, then, what is at stake with Sterling. Not being able to hang on to World Cup winners and one of the hottest forwards in Europe is one thing but what message does it send out when you are unable to satisfy a precocious 20-year-old’s ambitions?
Say Sterling was to leave for Manchester City in the first week of the new window: what possible hope would Brendan Rodgers have of enticing the kind of talent Liverpool need to get back into the top four next season? Gerrard spoke of his wish to see Liverpool buy ‘players that are ready to come and fight and win and be successful’ but how many would give Rodgers and his squad a chance if they were to offload a player who was named Europe’s Golden Boy for 2014?
The message would be clear: Liverpool are a selling club who cultivate promising youngsters in their Kirkby Academy for the benefit of other teams. No player who wants to be a Champions League regular or compete for major honours would give them a second look.
That is why Liverpool have to take a stand. Sterling is not at the level that his agent claims and it is worth repeating that he is not in the same league as some 20-year-olds who have worn the Liverpool shirt. But he is an England international with pace, talent and an eye for goal.
In time he could fulfil his promise and become a top player but now he is putting his development at risk. Rodgers would be justified in banishing him from the squad for the remainder of the week, dropping him for the trip to Stoke and telling him to report back in July.
Liverpool could hold Sterling to his contract, which has two years to run, and would still be guaranteed substantial compensation if he moved somewhere else in 2017, as he would still be under 23.
This is no longer about Sterling wanting to force through his desire to get a pay rise and play somewhere else — this is about Liverpool taking a stand and preserving their reputation. They need to get tough and remind the watching world they are a big club. Not a selling one. – Daily Mail