Constant Rebuilding urged Sterling to take up Manchester City option
“Football is football and talent is talent. But the mindset of your team makes all the difference.”- Robert Griffin (Washington Redskins, Quarter-back)
How long does a club keep on planning for the future? Is it better to be patient or is it sometimes the petulance of the player, which makes the best-drawn plans of a manager look farcical.
The context I am talking about is the events surrounding Liverpool FC. Brendan Rodgers for the first few seasons was implementing a vision which seemed to promote a pass and move type of football. The lack of certain personnel's in certain positions made him purchase players which would suit the system.
As was seen over the course of the next season, Liverpool did spectacularly well and thus gave every team a run for their money. Luis Suarez undoubtedly achieved his potential and reaped the benefits of a system, which was both elegant and produced some eye-catching football. It made Suarez leap over to the world class player category. It was also the season which unleashed Raheem Sterling’s potential.
The hullaballoo surrounding Sterling reached such epic proportions that reconciliation seemed a distant possibility. Stranger things have happened in football though.
While Rodgers tried to play hardball, in the end it was only the fee that mattered as all parties were left happy, with how things worked out.How it turns out for Sterling though is something only time will tell. Instead, Liverpool now have replaced him with Benteke, a signing whose goals will hopefully replace the guile of Sterling.
Loyalty Issues
Loyalty in football is a double edge sword in the cut-throat business of football. Given the time span and the amount of risk involved of physical nature mainly in the form of career ending injuries, it may seem justified that players tend to move on to more rewarding deals, financially and mentally.
Let us just analyse things from Sterling’s perspective, irrespective of his agent turning his head. His main attributes are pace, quick feet, a low centre of gravity and doggedness. Now, the majority of these attributes are a result of his primary attribute that is “Pace”.
With age though players tend to lose pace as the hamstrings are the ones which suffers most, given the sudden acceleration and top. Just ask the numerous athletes, much closer to LFC, we have the example of Fernando Torres, who enthralled us.
Different occupations have different pedestals by which one measures ones career. We are the sum of our thoughts. A normal person in his own privacy will give primacy to his profession and career and the demands that are required out of that job.
Being not subject to public scrutiny is a privilege we as individuals tend to enjoy. The failings of humans are such that, we tend to perceive that the grass is always green on the other side. We start comparing a player’s situation to our very own thus we start questioning the players commitment, their loyalty and most importantly their passion.
It applies more so for professions which demands so much passion. Artists, painters, sculptors are human beings who flourish when left to themselves and perform with an open mind. Professional athletes are not permitted such luxuries but are still willing to put their heart and soul out there, subjecting themselves to unfettered criticism and abuse.
A simple illustration is, when you watch YouTube video's of these same players whom we criticize when they turn professional, you will see them performing with such uninhibited passion, that it makes one flounder when one wants to describe the skill and trickery they rivet us with.
Obviously, the drawbacks of positional indiscipline are present but it is the mesmerising style that captures our attention. What you see is pure joy being expressed by the players themselves. The catchphrase of the "World at their feet" is given an altogether new meaning.
Inner Peace
From a Liverpool perspective, the constant rebuilding is one of the primary reasons why Sterling has made the move. Here is a bright and young player who knows that he has already achieved his potential for the time being in a limited Liverpool team.
The way he shouldered the burden last season obviously made him demand a better contract. In an article by Barney Ronay of Guardian, he points out “Freedom is what Sterling seeks again”.
His move to Manchester City will free him and let him beguile us once again. It is saddening for a LFC fan that it might be in the sky blue jersey, but from a neutral point it will be a glorious sight. At the end of the day, everyone wants to see this young talent bloom and dazzle with his flair. The panache will be back and instead of being burdened he will soar, as was proved on his pre-season debut.
As my friend a Spurs fan pointed out to me, it was the manner in which he forced his transfer that irked the Liverpool fans, given the support LFC as a club had shown him by treasuring and protecting him. Aidy Ward, his agent didn't help matters by being loud mouthed about it as well and airing his grievances in public about the impropriety in the way his client had been treated.
Sterling to be fair was disillusioned with Liverpool FC. Here is a young footballer sweating it out with electric pace but still is not being able to command the respect. In any other profession, a person would start looking for better prospects. In other professions, you get in touch with the recruitment agency. A person wanting a change in scenery and job profile is what we ought to understand.
Shouldering responsibility is up to individuals. Steven Gerrard, chose to shoulder the responsibility of leading Liverpool through darkness and glory. It was the path he chose, the same applies for living legends such as Buffon, Del Piero who stuck with Juventus when they were embroiled in match-fixing scandal and were demoted to the second division.
It was a decision they took when there was an exodus of so many top class players. For that act of selflessness, they will always be legends and have cemented themselves a place in the club’s folklore. Examples such as these are abundant across football. Whatever helps him attain his true potential and that gives him inner peace will sway his decision.
Ambitions
For a long time, Liverpool has ceased to be a challenger to the title. With the exception of two seasons in the past decade, there has hardly been a consistent challenge. From being a torchbearer in English football, Liverpool has become more of a feeder club to the top Spanish clubs, such as Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Fernando Torres was an exceptional top class purchase. A look back at the teams from the earlier decade shows the presence of Mascherano who moved to Barcelona, Alonso who moved to Madrid and now most recently Suarez.
Attracting talent hasn't been a problem for Liverpool, as can be seen in the acquisitions of Coutinho, Lucas, Sturridge, Henderson. The drawback is that now these players are opting for Liverpool as their finishing school who know the clubs limitations.
The constant attrition of top-class players was also one of the primary reasons for Sterling’s head being turned. Steven Gerrard was the exception sticking it out with Liverpool through thick and thin as he continued to lead but even he fell tantalisingly short of the Premier League.
A glance at Rodgers transfer policy this season again shows that this time he is not just planning for this season but for next season's European campaign as well ( here I am being an optimist). A host of attacking options, along with home-grown talent, is the combination he is relying upon.
It shows that he is trying to cover each position with two potential world class players. The purchase of Firmino, Ings, Can only reaffirms this belief. The recent addition of Benteke only affirms the belief that Brendan is indeed geared to mount a title challenge.
Only time will tell whether Sterling’s move will pay andy dividends for his career. But hopefully, this move will help him raise his game to another level and we will probably see the unveiling of Sterling 2.0, faster and more tenacious. But as pointed out earlier, what seems right in the present may not always be the same in the future.
Game time may be curtailed and limited chances might hamper the progress for which he is choosing to make the move. Still footballers are the best ones to make this call. After all, everyone wants to pursue their passion with a smile.