Daniel Sturridge frustated at lack of starts, cannot commit long-term to Liverpool
The 26-year-old England international and Liverpool centre-forward, Daniel Sturridge has hit out at his German boss, Jurgen Klopp stating the fact that he needs more starts for the Anfield-based club.
Although a part of the Liverpool squad, Sturridge had to spent the entire 90 minutes on the bench as the Reds succumbed to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Villarreal in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final.
Moreover, the 26-year-old striker, who had joined Liverpool from Chelsea back in 2013, hasn't had the best of times since Jurgen Klopp's arrival at the Merseyside club. Daniel Sturridge started in three of the last seven matches that Liverpool had played and is surely, not thrilled by the ongoing proceedings at the club.
Also read: Jurgen Klopp says Daniel Sturridge must learn the difference between 'serious pain and only pain'
After an injury-ridden season, which forced him stay out of the football field for a couple of months since early December, Daniel Sturridge insisted that he is fully fit and said, “Maybe people don’t see this, but I am someone who wants to play every minute of every match, so maybe when I’m not starting or when I’m taken off, it’s hard to take.”
“You want to be on the pitch every single match, every single minute,” the 26-year-old added.
When asked about Jurgen Klopp, the England international said, “It’s exciting, of course, what the manager is bringing and where we are heading. I am doing everything in my power to be out there on the pitch, and I am feeling good as well.”
Having said that, Daniel Sturridge refrained himself from committing to Liverpool on a long-term basis and some would believe, it is because of the lack of starts under their new manager.
“There are things (that) I want to achieve with Liverpool. (However) I would never say I am Liverpool until I die, because I would be lying. I think any player who says, 'Oh yeah, this is the only team I will play for, for the rest of my life’, they are deluded. In football, every team looks for replacements every single year."
Sturridge, further added, “So for myself all I can do every weekend is go out there, perform as well as I can, perform to the best of my abilities, and then come the end of the season hopefully have the European Championship to look forward to… And to next year.”
When asked about his fitness status, the 26-year-old striker added, “I’m feeling so good right now, feeling great, and my body is at a level where I’m able to play however many games a week repeatedly and not break down.
“I am so ambitious, so hungry, right now for success that it is hard to put it into words. Now I’m in a place where I feel amazing, and I feel ready. My body feels great, I’m ready to play every game for the team,”