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Liverpool FC – The Rise, Fall And Future Of Raheem Sterling
By Keith Castelino on November 10, 2013 | 2 Comments
TheHardTackle takes a look at the rise and fall of Liverpool FC‘s Raheem Sterling, the reasons behind his fluctuating fortunes, and examines the road ahead for the winger.
Raheem Sterling - Liverpool winger | Liverpool FC - The Rise, Fall And Future Of Raheem Sterling
Sterling’s explosive start to his Liverpool career got supporters excited
“17 year old Raheem Sterling, much talked about on Merseyside,” quipped Ian Darke in commentary, as the Jamaica-born winger came on for Dirk Kuyt during Liverpool’s defeat to Fulham in May 2012. Raheem Sterling has gone from hearing his name being sung on The Kop to being booed by the Anfield crowd during a comfortable victory over Crystal Palace. Questions are now being asked as to whether he will ‘make it’ at Liverpool; but is it too harsh on the lad?
The Rise
Raheem Sterling’s stock rose around Anfield primarily due to the circumstances surrounding the club’s on-field performance at that time. Liverpool’s 2011-12 season under Kenny Dalglish had been going relatively smoothly, before a stunning free fall after the Carling Cup final victory. This was compounded by limp attacking performances; with the creativity from the wings that Kenny Dalglish hoped to see from the likes of Stewart Downing being nonexistent. The awareness of the modern day Liverpool supporter about the steadily improving players in the academy only caused more frustration at that time.
Thanks to the deadline day horror show in August 2012, Liverpool were woefully short of players in attacking positions to make any meaningful progress under the new manager. In keeping with the old adage “if you are good enough, you are old enough”, Sterling stepped forward in Liverpool’s first home game that season (against champions Manchester City, no less) and began a meteoric rise that culminated in a first appearance for England’s first team, albeit in a friendly.
The Fall
Raheem Sterling’s performances in the Liverpool shirt earned him a first professional contract that would keep him at the club until 2018, but it was clearly evident that his level of performances was starting to dip. There is no way a player can play the full complement of 90 mins 14 times before his 18th birthday and not be burnt out. That is exactly what happened, and by the end of January, it was high time that he was taken out of the firing line.
Brendan Rodgers - Liverpool manager | Liverpool FC - The Rise, Fall And Future Of Raheem Sterling
Brendan Rodgers (above) took Sterling out of the firing line just as he began to burn out
To say that the beehive hairdo was the best looking thing about Sterling’s 2013-14 season would be taking criticism too far, but it would be fair to say that he has not had the best of times. The Anfield crowd is known to be supportive of young players coming through the Academy, but the booing of the winger during what was a comfortable home win over Crystal Palace is evidence that extreme opinions have officially shifted like a pendulum, this time for the worse.
The winger has had his fair share of bumps during his joyride thus far. A televised scolding given to him by Brendan Rodgers on Being: Liverpool raised questions about Sterling’s attitude. Contrary to rumours floating in the internet, though, he has (just) one child from a previous relationship. The press may have had a field day covering his personal life, but the most trouble he has got into with the law of late is failing to inform authorities on selling a car. This is no biggie; 18 year olds can be lax with paperwork.
Raheem Sterling has fallen victim to the classic case of the novelty factor hurting young players after a good start. Footballers tend to be unaware of their surroundings, and were caught unawares by Sterling’s pace. But no 18 year old is a polished article, and once the novelty factor wore off, defenders took advantage of the fact that he was burning out. Moreover, his left foot is not as good as his right; and his crossing and “game sense” is not developed enough for a player who is supposed to play for Liverpool on a weekly basis.
Popular belief states that the very contract that Sterling earned through his performances over the first half of 2012-13 is now the cause of ‘his downfall’.
It is not something to be excused, but performances of many modern day professionals tend to tail off after putting pen to paper on a new contract.
The ‘saga’ that surrounded the signing of Sterling’s first contract was unwarranted, though. That was a time when the club was severely short of first-team players, and this was a young Academy player that the club feared losing. It was natural for the player to assume a stronger position at this time, and even Steven Gerrard once used a trial at Manchester United to secure a YTS contract with Liverpool. A contract is not signed just for the next match, rather (here) for a period of 5 ½ years; and proper management of the Sterling’s form and fitness will ensure that the maximum is extracted out of him while he is at Anfield.
So what does he bring to Liverpool?
Sterling stands out as a winger with lots of pace to burn. There was ample evidence of this fact during the 30 minutes of Premier League football he played under Kenny Dalglish. He roasted Emmerson Boyce and Stephen Kelly and terrorized defenders to the point where they needed to double team up on him to get the ball off his feet.
Nothing excites supporters more than a young player with lots of pace. Sterling, however, did not make a name for himself just by running fast. As observed by Gary Neville, (at least when in form), he always looked around him for options and possesses an uncanny ability to pick the right passes at the right time, at least compared to most 18 year old boys.
Another aspect of Sterling’s same that is often overlooked is his defensive work. Managers often have to deal with wingers who do not help out their defence at all, but that is a problem that Brendan Rodgers has never had with him. He is not physically strong enough to defend a wing on his own; and it would be foolish to expect him to have the positional awareness of a wingback. He should never have been put into that position against Crystal Palace, but Sterling did not shirk his defensive responsibilities during that game, and got forward often enough to earn a penalty. He even played for 15 minutes as a right back during that tough nut of a cup game against Notts County, and was brave enough to tackle Enda Stevens (while on a yellow card) and start the counter attack that led to the winning goal on the night.
A major weakness in Sterling’s game is his consistency, or the lack of it. One only needs to look at the Notts County game to notice that he failed to look up and notice Daniel Sturridge in a goalscoring position, only to show up moments later in the same part of the field to set up Steven Gerrard with a perfectly weighted pass without even looking at him. His touch and crossing can also evade him whenever he needs it the most. And although he is a willing worker in defence, he tends to be over-eager in the challenge and is liable to collect yellow cards.
The Road Ahead
Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery - Bayern Munich winger | Raheem Sterling | Liverpool FC - The Rise, Fall And Future Of Raheem Sterling
Sterling can look at Franck Ribery (left) and Arjen Robben (right) as examples to follow
As far as young players are concerned, supporters tend to be more excited over someone who has pace to burn. It is for this reason that supporters were more excited about Sterling than about Suso, who was a year older and arguably a better all-round footballer. Sterling, though, was looked at as someone who could serve Liverpool for many years to come, but most players who go on to earn success over a prolonged period of time do not do so by virtue of their pace alone. Moreover, Raheem Sterling is a winger. Wingers tend to have shorter careers at the top level than players in other positions.
More often than not, they modify their styles of play to be deployed in central positions as they grow older, a la Ryan Giggs. However, given his slender 5ft 8in frame and his limited repertoire, it would be difficult to visualize the possibility of that happening.
Given that his primary strength is his pace, he is a foul magnet. Hence, he must be carefully managed so as to ensure success over a prolonged period of time. It would be the responsibility of the club’s backroom staff to ensure that there are enough numbers and quality in wide positions over the next few years, thus ensuring that Liverpool will never again be as dependent on Raheem Sterling as they were in the first half of the 2012-13 season. He is quite similar to Theo Walcott in many respects – he can be a deadly player to have on the wing when on the counter, and often does the right things when he does not have enough time to think.
Raheem Sterling is not a ‘twenty goals in a season’ goal scorer whose destiny is to win that elusive Premier League title for Liverpool. That does not mean that Raheem Sterling cannot be a success at Liverpool. Raheem Sterling scored 2 goals and recorded 6 assists in 2012-13, and he did not even play a full season. In terms of numbers, a tally of 5-10 goals and 10 assists every season on a consistent basis would prove to be a valuable contribution at any time. Sterling has all the ingredients necessary for a successful career as a wide man, and can look at Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben at Bayern Munich as fine examples of players in his position who possess pace, score and set up goals and contribute to help out their defence week in, week out.
The future is alright, what about now?
Brendan Rodgers echoes the sentiments of Liverpool supporters when says:
“You just have to give them the time and understanding. There are not going to be too many 17 or 18-year-olds ready for the first team, but we want them to be at 20 or 21.”
Suso - Liverpool attacking midfielder on loan at Almeria | Liverpool FC - The Rise, Fall And Future Of Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling needs a successful loan spell, like Suso (above)
There is a huge gap between the standards of first team football and youth team football, and Raheem Sterling could well be entrenched in that gap real soon. That being said, Sterling will need a loan spell at some point in his Liverpool career. The fact that the club is not as dependent on him this season is a definite sign of progress, but in order for him to be a long-term success, the right decisions will need to be made.
The backroom staff at the club have had a mixed record with loaning out players this season. Joao Carlos Teixeira and Michael Ngoo have already come back early from their loan spells, while Conor Coady is currently being wasted under Nigel Clough at Sheffield United. On the other hand, Jack Robinson and Andre Wisdom are getting to play regularly at Championship sides with just as much pressure in pushing for promotion, while the club seem to have hit the jackpot with Suso (at the time of writing, Suso has more assists than Lionel Messi in the La Liga). It is important that Sterling falls under the category of the latter.
The ideal place for a loan spell would be a Championship club that is pushing for promotion. Were a loan spell to come about this season, Sterling could land up at Burnley or Blackpool early next year, if the backroom staff at the club decide that he is best kept closer to Liverpool. Derby County could be a credible option too if Andre Wisdom gets to play regularly, while Brighton’s attacking ethos makes them an attractive option to consider. The winger only turns 19 in December, and he could yet stay at Anfield and get the occasional run out in home games this season to expose him to first team football, while playing in the U21s to ensure match fitness.
When he first broke into the first team, Raheem Sterling was massively overrated. He is now being excessively criticized by the same support that first built him into something he was not. Make no mistake about it, this is a talented kid, and Liverpool supporters can trust Brendan Rodgers to bring the best out of him.
By Keith Castelino on November 10, 2013 | 2 Comments
TheHardTackle takes a look at the rise and fall of Liverpool FC‘s Raheem Sterling, the reasons behind his fluctuating fortunes, and examines the road ahead for the winger.
Raheem Sterling - Liverpool winger | Liverpool FC - The Rise, Fall And Future Of Raheem Sterling
Sterling’s explosive start to his Liverpool career got supporters excited
“17 year old Raheem Sterling, much talked about on Merseyside,” quipped Ian Darke in commentary, as the Jamaica-born winger came on for Dirk Kuyt during Liverpool’s defeat to Fulham in May 2012. Raheem Sterling has gone from hearing his name being sung on The Kop to being booed by the Anfield crowd during a comfortable victory over Crystal Palace. Questions are now being asked as to whether he will ‘make it’ at Liverpool; but is it too harsh on the lad?
The Rise
Raheem Sterling’s stock rose around Anfield primarily due to the circumstances surrounding the club’s on-field performance at that time. Liverpool’s 2011-12 season under Kenny Dalglish had been going relatively smoothly, before a stunning free fall after the Carling Cup final victory. This was compounded by limp attacking performances; with the creativity from the wings that Kenny Dalglish hoped to see from the likes of Stewart Downing being nonexistent. The awareness of the modern day Liverpool supporter about the steadily improving players in the academy only caused more frustration at that time.
Thanks to the deadline day horror show in August 2012, Liverpool were woefully short of players in attacking positions to make any meaningful progress under the new manager. In keeping with the old adage “if you are good enough, you are old enough”, Sterling stepped forward in Liverpool’s first home game that season (against champions Manchester City, no less) and began a meteoric rise that culminated in a first appearance for England’s first team, albeit in a friendly.
The Fall
Raheem Sterling’s performances in the Liverpool shirt earned him a first professional contract that would keep him at the club until 2018, but it was clearly evident that his level of performances was starting to dip. There is no way a player can play the full complement of 90 mins 14 times before his 18th birthday and not be burnt out. That is exactly what happened, and by the end of January, it was high time that he was taken out of the firing line.
Brendan Rodgers - Liverpool manager | Liverpool FC - The Rise, Fall And Future Of Raheem Sterling
Brendan Rodgers (above) took Sterling out of the firing line just as he began to burn out
To say that the beehive hairdo was the best looking thing about Sterling’s 2013-14 season would be taking criticism too far, but it would be fair to say that he has not had the best of times. The Anfield crowd is known to be supportive of young players coming through the Academy, but the booing of the winger during what was a comfortable home win over Crystal Palace is evidence that extreme opinions have officially shifted like a pendulum, this time for the worse.
The winger has had his fair share of bumps during his joyride thus far. A televised scolding given to him by Brendan Rodgers on Being: Liverpool raised questions about Sterling’s attitude. Contrary to rumours floating in the internet, though, he has (just) one child from a previous relationship. The press may have had a field day covering his personal life, but the most trouble he has got into with the law of late is failing to inform authorities on selling a car. This is no biggie; 18 year olds can be lax with paperwork.
Raheem Sterling has fallen victim to the classic case of the novelty factor hurting young players after a good start. Footballers tend to be unaware of their surroundings, and were caught unawares by Sterling’s pace. But no 18 year old is a polished article, and once the novelty factor wore off, defenders took advantage of the fact that he was burning out. Moreover, his left foot is not as good as his right; and his crossing and “game sense” is not developed enough for a player who is supposed to play for Liverpool on a weekly basis.
Popular belief states that the very contract that Sterling earned through his performances over the first half of 2012-13 is now the cause of ‘his downfall’.
It is not something to be excused, but performances of many modern day professionals tend to tail off after putting pen to paper on a new contract.
The ‘saga’ that surrounded the signing of Sterling’s first contract was unwarranted, though. That was a time when the club was severely short of first-team players, and this was a young Academy player that the club feared losing. It was natural for the player to assume a stronger position at this time, and even Steven Gerrard once used a trial at Manchester United to secure a YTS contract with Liverpool. A contract is not signed just for the next match, rather (here) for a period of 5 ½ years; and proper management of the Sterling’s form and fitness will ensure that the maximum is extracted out of him while he is at Anfield.
So what does he bring to Liverpool?
Sterling stands out as a winger with lots of pace to burn. There was ample evidence of this fact during the 30 minutes of Premier League football he played under Kenny Dalglish. He roasted Emmerson Boyce and Stephen Kelly and terrorized defenders to the point where they needed to double team up on him to get the ball off his feet.
Nothing excites supporters more than a young player with lots of pace. Sterling, however, did not make a name for himself just by running fast. As observed by Gary Neville, (at least when in form), he always looked around him for options and possesses an uncanny ability to pick the right passes at the right time, at least compared to most 18 year old boys.
Another aspect of Sterling’s same that is often overlooked is his defensive work. Managers often have to deal with wingers who do not help out their defence at all, but that is a problem that Brendan Rodgers has never had with him. He is not physically strong enough to defend a wing on his own; and it would be foolish to expect him to have the positional awareness of a wingback. He should never have been put into that position against Crystal Palace, but Sterling did not shirk his defensive responsibilities during that game, and got forward often enough to earn a penalty. He even played for 15 minutes as a right back during that tough nut of a cup game against Notts County, and was brave enough to tackle Enda Stevens (while on a yellow card) and start the counter attack that led to the winning goal on the night.
A major weakness in Sterling’s game is his consistency, or the lack of it. One only needs to look at the Notts County game to notice that he failed to look up and notice Daniel Sturridge in a goalscoring position, only to show up moments later in the same part of the field to set up Steven Gerrard with a perfectly weighted pass without even looking at him. His touch and crossing can also evade him whenever he needs it the most. And although he is a willing worker in defence, he tends to be over-eager in the challenge and is liable to collect yellow cards.
The Road Ahead
Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery - Bayern Munich winger | Raheem Sterling | Liverpool FC - The Rise, Fall And Future Of Raheem Sterling
Sterling can look at Franck Ribery (left) and Arjen Robben (right) as examples to follow
As far as young players are concerned, supporters tend to be more excited over someone who has pace to burn. It is for this reason that supporters were more excited about Sterling than about Suso, who was a year older and arguably a better all-round footballer. Sterling, though, was looked at as someone who could serve Liverpool for many years to come, but most players who go on to earn success over a prolonged period of time do not do so by virtue of their pace alone. Moreover, Raheem Sterling is a winger. Wingers tend to have shorter careers at the top level than players in other positions.
More often than not, they modify their styles of play to be deployed in central positions as they grow older, a la Ryan Giggs. However, given his slender 5ft 8in frame and his limited repertoire, it would be difficult to visualize the possibility of that happening.
Given that his primary strength is his pace, he is a foul magnet. Hence, he must be carefully managed so as to ensure success over a prolonged period of time. It would be the responsibility of the club’s backroom staff to ensure that there are enough numbers and quality in wide positions over the next few years, thus ensuring that Liverpool will never again be as dependent on Raheem Sterling as they were in the first half of the 2012-13 season. He is quite similar to Theo Walcott in many respects – he can be a deadly player to have on the wing when on the counter, and often does the right things when he does not have enough time to think.
Raheem Sterling is not a ‘twenty goals in a season’ goal scorer whose destiny is to win that elusive Premier League title for Liverpool. That does not mean that Raheem Sterling cannot be a success at Liverpool. Raheem Sterling scored 2 goals and recorded 6 assists in 2012-13, and he did not even play a full season. In terms of numbers, a tally of 5-10 goals and 10 assists every season on a consistent basis would prove to be a valuable contribution at any time. Sterling has all the ingredients necessary for a successful career as a wide man, and can look at Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben at Bayern Munich as fine examples of players in his position who possess pace, score and set up goals and contribute to help out their defence week in, week out.
The future is alright, what about now?
Brendan Rodgers echoes the sentiments of Liverpool supporters when says:
“You just have to give them the time and understanding. There are not going to be too many 17 or 18-year-olds ready for the first team, but we want them to be at 20 or 21.”
Suso - Liverpool attacking midfielder on loan at Almeria | Liverpool FC - The Rise, Fall And Future Of Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling needs a successful loan spell, like Suso (above)
There is a huge gap between the standards of first team football and youth team football, and Raheem Sterling could well be entrenched in that gap real soon. That being said, Sterling will need a loan spell at some point in his Liverpool career. The fact that the club is not as dependent on him this season is a definite sign of progress, but in order for him to be a long-term success, the right decisions will need to be made.
The backroom staff at the club have had a mixed record with loaning out players this season. Joao Carlos Teixeira and Michael Ngoo have already come back early from their loan spells, while Conor Coady is currently being wasted under Nigel Clough at Sheffield United. On the other hand, Jack Robinson and Andre Wisdom are getting to play regularly at Championship sides with just as much pressure in pushing for promotion, while the club seem to have hit the jackpot with Suso (at the time of writing, Suso has more assists than Lionel Messi in the La Liga). It is important that Sterling falls under the category of the latter.
The ideal place for a loan spell would be a Championship club that is pushing for promotion. Were a loan spell to come about this season, Sterling could land up at Burnley or Blackpool early next year, if the backroom staff at the club decide that he is best kept closer to Liverpool. Derby County could be a credible option too if Andre Wisdom gets to play regularly, while Brighton’s attacking ethos makes them an attractive option to consider. The winger only turns 19 in December, and he could yet stay at Anfield and get the occasional run out in home games this season to expose him to first team football, while playing in the U21s to ensure match fitness.
When he first broke into the first team, Raheem Sterling was massively overrated. He is now being excessively criticized by the same support that first built him into something he was not. Make no mistake about it, this is a talented kid, and Liverpool supporters can trust Brendan Rodgers to bring the best out of him.
Paul Marin -19 is one thing, 20 is a whole other matter. It gets even worse if they win the UCL. *groan*. 
05/18/2011.MU fans naah cough, but all a unuh a vomit?-Lazie 1/11/2015
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