22 under 22 Player Profile: Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
“I take great pride in putting him into the team. We played him in a number of positions so he could develop…For me, I coud put him anywhere on the pitch. He [is] absolutely brilliant.” - Brendan Rodgers
Birthday: December 8th, 1994
Nationality: English
Positions: Winger, Attacking Midfielder, False 9
Club appearances: 131
International Caps: 20
It’s hard to imagine that almost four years have passed since Raheem Sterling made his Premier League debut for Liverpool FC against Wigan Athletic. Originally from Maverley, Jamaica, Sterling immigrated to England at the age of six; he found his new home on St. Raphael’s Estate, an area that stood in the shadow of the great Wembley stadium, an image now etched on his body.
His meteoric rise to one of Europe’s most promising footballers comes as no surprise––just after becoming a teenager, he was already starting for QPR’s Under-18s. His raw pace combined with a skillfully direct style garnered massive praise amongst youth scouts across England and mainland Europe. Mark Anderson, Liverpool youth scout, hailed Sterling from the moment he spotted him in a match against Crystal Palace at the age of 15, calling him the “best thing [he’d] ever seen.” In 2010, Sterling was bought by Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez for £600,000, a fee that would soon be seen as highway robbery.
He was quick to stake his claim in the Liverpool academy, with special performances such as his 5 goal haul in Liverpool’s 9–0 thrubbing of Southend United in the 2010–2011 FA Youth Cup. It soon became quite clear that Raheem was ahead of his age group.
Sterling’s first full senior season at Liverpool came under new manager Brendan Rodgers. Sterling was part of a Liverpool side in transition; a young teenage starlet thrust into an imbalanced side under a completely new manager did not yield immediate results. Although his natural ability was apparent, there was little end product, only scoring 2 goals and providing 2 assists in the 2012–2013 campaign.
However, the following season would become Sterling’s foundation.
A quiet first half of the season found its capstone at the KC Stadium, where a dreadful Raheem and a woeful Liverpool side were beat 3–1 to Hull City. Liverpool fans were calling for Sterling’s head––most felt that a loan move would suit the young winger best. I sometimes found myself questioning where his development was going. Whether or not he was just another young prospect that just wasn’t going to blossom into the player some thought he could become. But then something changed.
It was utterly rapid. Breathtaking. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it. All of the sudden, everything clicked. He quickly became a major cog in the ruthless Liverpool attack that scored 101 Premier League goals, leading the front line with the likes of Luis Suárez and Daniel Sturridge. Every time he stepped onto the pitch, he got exponentially better. Budding confidence. Smart, incisive passes. Quick bursts of pace. He glided across the pitch. His low center of mass gave him the ability to evade most tackles and develop a very strong hold-up play, something few and far between for a player standing only 5'7'’. His potential was becoming reality before everyone’s eyes.
Goals and performances like the ones against Manchester City and Norwich City are prime examples of his maturity at such a young age, helping drag Liverpool to their closest title challenge in 25 years. There was something almost old-school about him. Run. Recieve. Turn. A direct style that emulated his personality: straight to the point. His confidence blew his opposition away. Constant pressing and strong counter-attacking intelligence were massive assets for Liverpool’s success. Raheem would finish with 10 goals and 6 assists in the famous 2013–2014 campaign. But aside from the numbers, he provided hope for a new generation, giving him the ability to represent his country at the World Cup in Brazil. I’m still buzzing about that shot against Italy.
His pace has always been his most obvious assets. His ability to blow past defenders and his confidence in 1v1 situations makes him a deadly winger in any side. However, one the England international’s biggest strengths is his footballing brain: Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers would constantly shift Sterling’s position, playing him across the front three, in behind the striker as a No.10, and even as a right-wing back. Even with the constant positional merry-go-round, his performance levels rarely dropped. Last season, Sterling was the spearhead of the Liverpool attack, finishing with 12 goals and 9 assists. Raheem showed no fear; his belief in himself propelled him to widespread European acclaim, winning the 2014 European Golden Boy award. The careers of previous winners Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, and Lionel Messi illustrate the notion that this is not an award for great players. It’s an award for generational players.
Much of Sterling’s recent media presence has been circulating around his exit from Liverpool FC in the summer of 2015. In short, it wasn’t pretty. Sterling had come to the conclusion that to propell his career, he needed to be at a club where constant opportunities for success and trophies were the standard. Manchester City fit the bill. Who wouldn’t want to play alongside world-class players such as Sergio Agüero, David Silva, and Yaya Toure? £49 million. Sorted. A fair price, especially for such a young talent with a unimaginable ceiling.
However, his big money move to the Citizens hasn’t lived up to expectations. Although he has already equaled his goal tally from last season, his performances have been inconsistent. With already 46 appearances this season, Sterling will be hoping to help his side maintain a Top 4 finish, with the prospect of the title all but over. With transfer fee’s often hampering a player’s first season at a new club, Sterling has done reasonably well, paving the way for a hopeful season with incoming manager Pep Guardiola.
With 20 England caps already under his belt, Sterling is becoming an established presence both domestically and abroad. There is no doubt all football fans will be expecting Sterling to hit the ground running next season. With Guardiola’s unprecedented success with youth in both Barcelona and Munich, many sky blue fans will be hoping for the same with their golden boy.
