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He did well to get out of here
Raheem Sterling’s untold story
MEAN STREETS ... the Maverly house where Sterling lived until he was five
Exclusive
By DAVID FACEY
Published: 24 minutes ago
0
RAHEEM STERLING’S first goal for Liverpool sparked celebrations in the streets of the tough area of Kingston where he was born.
And, for the locals, that made a welcome change from the grim scenes they normally see on the crime-riddled streets of Maverley.
Sterling, 17, was given a reminder of how dangerous his birthplace was when he returned to Jamaica to attend his grandad’s funeral earlier this year.
Pictures of his homecoming — which saw him juggle a ball in the streets with some of his childhood pals — jostled for space in the local newspapers with news of a double murder a few blocks from the family home in Reapers Road. The Kop winger is held up as a role model and an inspiration for the local kids, someone who escaped the poverty trap and made it big.
He left Maverley as a five-year-old to be reunited with his mum Nadine in London.
She had come to the capital a couple of years earlier to find work and a place to live before sending for her four children.
Their new home was in another notoriously tough area of Brent in North London.
HITTING THE BIG TIME ... Sterling has come a long way from his poor upbringing in Jamaica
But her son’s £500,000 move from QPR to Anfield in February 2010 signalled the start of better things.
And his sensational start to this season — including becoming the second youngest scorer in Anfield history with the only goal against Reading last Saturday — has added to his status as a Jamaican hero.
One Maverley resident said Sterling was the player every youngster wanted to mimic when they started kickabout matches.
He explained: “Raheem has been a local hero for years — he was on the front page of the local newspaper, The Gleaner, when he was only 14, playing for the England youth teams.
“Everybody who loves football in Jamaica follows the Premier League and it is so exciting to see one of our own making this huge impact.
“After he scored the winner against Reading, people in Maverley were taking to the streets and partying, with cars honking their horns as they went past.
“It was good to see smiles on all those faces. Maverley is one of Kingston’s most socially deprived areas. Raheem and his family did well to get out.”
One man who is not surprised to see Sterling making such a big impression at Liverpool is QPR academy director Steve Gallen.
HOOP DREAMS ... tiny kid Sterling was a star at QPR's academy
Gallen was “blown away” by Sterling’s talent from the moment he first saw him as a pint-sized 10 year old and supervised his development for five years.
And he warned the Everton back four not to try to intimidate the 5ft 7in youngster in his Merseyside derby debut today — because they would be wasting their time.
Gallen said: “I’d tell any opponents that if they are thinking about trying to kick him up in the air, don’t bother — it won’t work.
“It’s been tried over and over again ever since Raheem was a kid and nobody could get close enough to him.
“He’s so quick and he’s got terrific balance and that allows him to ride the nasty challenges.
“And even though he’s always been on the small side for his age he’s a wiry character — and tougher than he looks.
“Raheem was so good when he was here that he was usually playing against kids two or three years older than him — he was in our under-16s at 13 — and in our under-18s when he was 15.
“He scored bags of goals in his first two years because he was so much better than the other lads.
“We had to move him up because he wasn’t being tested.
“Raheem wasn’t so prolific after that but still scored more than his share. He loves to score, he loves football and has a great attitude.”
That attitude shone through in Sterling’s determination to follow his footballing dream, even when he was being bullied by other youngsters in Wembley.
Gallen said: “Ironic isn’t it? The kid lived about 200 yards from Wembley Stadium and I’ll eat my hat if he doesn’t play there many times for England.
BACK HOME ... Sterling shows off his skills to his old pals in Jamaica
“But it was a rough neighbourhood and a few people told me he was getting picked on.
“The other kids saw him with his training gear and his kit bags and were jealous of him.
“Raheem never complained. He’d come here on the bus by himself and go back the same way because his mum couldn’t bring him as she had the other kids to look after. In the end we had to sort transport out for him and it wasn’t much fun for whoever had the task because he’d always be the last to leave training, come rain or shine.”
Gallen added: “It killed me when we sold him to Liverpool but we hadn’t long come out of administration and there was just me, my assistant and a physio to look after all the youth teams.
“Liverpool had about 25 staff at their academy so, from his point of view, it was the right move.
“We still keep in touch and Raheem was here a few weeks ago.
“He helped the lads fetch the balls in after first-team training and chatted with them while they were cleaning the boots.
“Raheem’s a lovely kid, has a great attitude, a great desire and great skill.
“I hope he has a stormer in today’s Merseyside derby.”
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...#ixzz2AXnXkXRv
Raheem Sterling’s untold story
MEAN STREETS ... the Maverly house where Sterling lived until he was fiveExclusive
By DAVID FACEY
Published: 24 minutes ago
0
RAHEEM STERLING’S first goal for Liverpool sparked celebrations in the streets of the tough area of Kingston where he was born.
And, for the locals, that made a welcome change from the grim scenes they normally see on the crime-riddled streets of Maverley.
Sterling, 17, was given a reminder of how dangerous his birthplace was when he returned to Jamaica to attend his grandad’s funeral earlier this year.
Pictures of his homecoming — which saw him juggle a ball in the streets with some of his childhood pals — jostled for space in the local newspapers with news of a double murder a few blocks from the family home in Reapers Road. The Kop winger is held up as a role model and an inspiration for the local kids, someone who escaped the poverty trap and made it big.
He left Maverley as a five-year-old to be reunited with his mum Nadine in London.
She had come to the capital a couple of years earlier to find work and a place to live before sending for her four children.
Their new home was in another notoriously tough area of Brent in North London.
HITTING THE BIG TIME ... Sterling has come a long way from his poor upbringing in JamaicaBut her son’s £500,000 move from QPR to Anfield in February 2010 signalled the start of better things.
And his sensational start to this season — including becoming the second youngest scorer in Anfield history with the only goal against Reading last Saturday — has added to his status as a Jamaican hero.
One Maverley resident said Sterling was the player every youngster wanted to mimic when they started kickabout matches.
He explained: “Raheem has been a local hero for years — he was on the front page of the local newspaper, The Gleaner, when he was only 14, playing for the England youth teams.
“Everybody who loves football in Jamaica follows the Premier League and it is so exciting to see one of our own making this huge impact.
“After he scored the winner against Reading, people in Maverley were taking to the streets and partying, with cars honking their horns as they went past.
“It was good to see smiles on all those faces. Maverley is one of Kingston’s most socially deprived areas. Raheem and his family did well to get out.”
One man who is not surprised to see Sterling making such a big impression at Liverpool is QPR academy director Steve Gallen.
HOOP DREAMS ... tiny kid Sterling was a star at QPR's academyGallen was “blown away” by Sterling’s talent from the moment he first saw him as a pint-sized 10 year old and supervised his development for five years.
And he warned the Everton back four not to try to intimidate the 5ft 7in youngster in his Merseyside derby debut today — because they would be wasting their time.
Gallen said: “I’d tell any opponents that if they are thinking about trying to kick him up in the air, don’t bother — it won’t work.
“It’s been tried over and over again ever since Raheem was a kid and nobody could get close enough to him.
“He’s so quick and he’s got terrific balance and that allows him to ride the nasty challenges.
“And even though he’s always been on the small side for his age he’s a wiry character — and tougher than he looks.
“Raheem was so good when he was here that he was usually playing against kids two or three years older than him — he was in our under-16s at 13 — and in our under-18s when he was 15.
“He scored bags of goals in his first two years because he was so much better than the other lads.
“We had to move him up because he wasn’t being tested.
“Raheem wasn’t so prolific after that but still scored more than his share. He loves to score, he loves football and has a great attitude.”
That attitude shone through in Sterling’s determination to follow his footballing dream, even when he was being bullied by other youngsters in Wembley.
Gallen said: “Ironic isn’t it? The kid lived about 200 yards from Wembley Stadium and I’ll eat my hat if he doesn’t play there many times for England.
BACK HOME ... Sterling shows off his skills to his old pals in Jamaica“But it was a rough neighbourhood and a few people told me he was getting picked on.
“The other kids saw him with his training gear and his kit bags and were jealous of him.
“Raheem never complained. He’d come here on the bus by himself and go back the same way because his mum couldn’t bring him as she had the other kids to look after. In the end we had to sort transport out for him and it wasn’t much fun for whoever had the task because he’d always be the last to leave training, come rain or shine.”
Gallen added: “It killed me when we sold him to Liverpool but we hadn’t long come out of administration and there was just me, my assistant and a physio to look after all the youth teams.
“Liverpool had about 25 staff at their academy so, from his point of view, it was the right move.
“We still keep in touch and Raheem was here a few weeks ago.
“He helped the lads fetch the balls in after first-team training and chatted with them while they were cleaning the boots.
“Raheem’s a lovely kid, has a great attitude, a great desire and great skill.
“I hope he has a stormer in today’s Merseyside derby.”
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...#ixzz2AXnXkXRv