Raheem Sterling

[Maxiedge]

Would imagine what most people would wish for Sterling to want to play for Liverpool and for Sterling to be putting in good performances more often than not.


But if it is a case that Sterling prefers the idea of playing elsewhere, then it does not matter a damn what we Liverpool supporters wish for.

Give him what he wants in order to keep him is my opinion. If he wants to leave, that's because we haven't surrounded him with the necessary quality. That's the bottom line really isn't it, but he can't come out in an interview and say that so he has to tip-toe around the issue. Do what we have to do to keep him.

[tanner]

Give him what he wants in order to keep him is my opinion. If he wants to leave, that's because we haven't surrounded him with the necessary quality. That's the bottom line really isn't it, but he can't come out in an interview and say that so he has to tip-toe around the issue. Do what we have to do to keep him.

Within reason though surely?

We've offered him £100k plus I think? Personally I think his minds made up and that there are combination of contributory factors, money, the bright lights of London, and trophies. If that's the case then we'll need to go beyond reason to convince him to stay and that sets a bad precedent. Not only that, we'll end up going through the same thing every season, he's that type of person unfortunately.

[CJ]

wibble

[Maxiedge]

Within reason though surely?

We've offered him £100k plus I think? Personally I think his minds made up and that there are combination of contributory factors, money, the bright lights of London, and trophies. If that's the case then we'll need to go beyond reason to convince him to stay and that sets a bad precedent. Not only that, we'll end up going through the same thing every season, he's that type of person unfortunately.

Yeah the good players want trophies, they want to be on strong sides in contention in big games. We haven't been able to offer him that this season but we did allow him a nice break to Jamaica to say thanks for carrying us for a couple of months.

The club messed up last summer and now we've go to pay for it. I dread to think who would replace him if he left.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Give him what he wants in order to keep him is my opinion. If he wants to leave, that's because we haven't surrounded him with the necessary quality. That's the bottom line really isn't it, but he can't come out in an interview and say that so he has to tip-toe around the issue. Do what we have to do to keep him.

So if he wants a wage that is in line with the very best talent in the league then he should just get it regardless of whether or not he even comes close to matching the return that those top players give?


Have no issue with him getting a pay rise, but he is nowhere near being a top level player in terms of ability or return. He has the potential to be a top player as the first half of the season suggested, but one could also argue that the last five months have shown that he also has the potential to be a very average player.

Top level players should be the highest paid players, but Sterling is not one of them yet.

[Maxiedge]

So if he wants a wage that is in line with the very best talent in the league then he should just get it regardless of whether or not he even comes close to matching the return that those top players give?


Have no issue with him getting a pay rise, but he is nowhere near being a top level player in terms of ability or return. He has the potential to be a top player as the first half of the season suggested, but one could also argue that the last five months have shown that he also has the potential to be a very average player.

Top level players should be the highest paid players, but Sterling is not one of them yet.

I guess that's where we differ. For me, he is a top level player but still has a lot to learn, granted. He has certain attributes (like tenacity and running at pace) you can't just hope for another player to come along and replicate. In a fair world, his quick feet should have got Fabregas sent off first minute and we would've gone on to win that game and still be in contention for CL. Sorry bit of a tangent there, but my point is that we're lacking quality at the moment and not in a strong position to be playing hardball with our best asset.

[Norbs]

Can't really remember to be honest. He was good for England recently.

He was fantastic in that game, MoM

Which asks more questions sadly than it answers

[Norbs]

Give him what he wants in order to keep him is my opinion. If he wants to leave, that's because we haven't surrounded him with the necessary quality. That's the bottom line really isn't it, but he can't come out in an interview and say that so he has to tip-toe around the issue. Do what we have to do to keep him.

It'll be carnage on here if he signs for someone in the top 4 for less money than we offered him.

I can't see why he can't be offered a rising contract that starts on £100k in the first year and rises through the contract

[DannyMan2006]

Yeah the good players want trophies, they want to be on strong sides in contention in big games. We haven't been able to offer him that this season but we did allow him a nice break to Jamaica to say thanks for carrying us for a couple of months.

The club messed up last summer and now we've go to pay for it. I dread to think who would replace him if he left.

Good players do want trophies. But the majority of them are only bothered about money. Sterling knows he is in a great place to develop and if he stayed for a few years he would improve as a footballer and be ready for a big move.

So the football sense is to stay put, and that is without red tinted specs on. Everyone in the media, red or otherwise, says exactly the same thing. But there is a problem, and its called Aidy Ward. His agent.

Raheem has been offered a big contract, but lesser players at other clubs are getting more. So his agent has pointed to that and expects the same. Average or unproven players at teams like Man Utd are getting silly money. Luke Shaw is a well known example.

Our club is run differently. We don't have a bottomless pit of money and we put players into certain pay brackets. I don't think the club should go against its values and policies for the sake of keeping any one player. Certainly not one who isnt exactly the real deal.

[DannyMan2006]

It'll be carnage on here if he signs for someone in the top 4 for less money than we offered him.

I can't see why he can't be offered a rising contract that starts on £100k in the first year and rises through the contract

Not a chance in the world that he signs for less than he would get here.

[Doc_Piptorious]

I guess that's where we differ. For me, he is a top level player but still has a lot to learn, granted. He has certain attributes (like tenacity and running at pace) you can't just hope for another player to come along and replicate. In a fair world, his quick feet should have got Fabregas sent off first minute and we would've gone on to win that game and still be in contention for CL. Sorry bit of a tangent there, but my point is that we're lacking quality at the moment and not in a strong position to be playing hardball with our best asset.

Eden Hazard is a top level player. Luis Suarez is a top level player. Diego Costa for all his unpleasant qualities is a top level player.

Sanchez, Robben, Vidal, Kroos, Aguero, and Reus. All top level players.


I can see no valid arguement as to how Raheem Sterling could currently be regarded as being seen as being on that level. He is in the early stages of a career that may see him become a top level player or that might see him become nothing of the sort.


For me he is a young player who looks to have the potential to have a very high ceiling. He is also a young player who has had as many poor games as he has had good ones to date and at this stage of his career tends to flit between being excellent or poor with no great amount of middle ground.


He needs time to develop. He needs to quality around him because he is not yet good enough to be the top quality on a regular basis for others and he needs to be the one to want to give himself time to develop into a proper top player.

If he thinks he is already a top player and one of the best players in the league and that he deserves the wage of one of the very best, then good luck to him if he can find a club that will buy into that and spend what it takes to get him. But I think that route may see him getting more bench time than he would like. Better players than what he currently is have made mega money moves and seen it end in tears.

But if he wants to stay at Liverpool, accept the reported offer of £100k a week (which would make him the highest paid 20 year old footballer in the world if I am not mistaken) and look to use the game time he is certain to get in order to grow as a player, then I think he has a chance of actually becoming the player that he seems to think he already is.

[DannyMan2006]

It'll be carnage on here if he signs for someone in the top 4 for less money than we offered him.

I can't see why he can't be offered a rising contract that starts on £100k in the first year and rises through the contract

Why would we give him a rising contract? What if he doesn't improve? I think a good wage with performance related incentives would be the right call. The good wage is for the club to decide.

[Maxiedge]

Good players do want trophies. But the majority of them are only bothered about money. Sterling knows he is in a great place to develop and if he stayed for a few years he would improve as a footballer and be ready for a big move.

So the football sense is to stay put, and that is without red tinted specs on. Everyone in the media, red or otherwise, says exactly the same thing. But there is a problem, and its called Aidy Ward. His agent.

Raheem has been offered a big contract, but lesser players at other clubs are getting more. So his agent has pointed to that and expects the same. Average or unproven players at teams like Man Utd are getting silly money. Luke Shaw is a well known example.

Our club is run differently. We don't have a bottomless pit of money and we put players into certain pay brackets. I don't think the club should go against its values and policies for the sake of keeping any one player. Certainly not one who isnt exactly the real deal.

But really, is he in a great place to develop? We leak goals like no-one's business, don't have a striker and midfield is non-existent. Just trying to get another viewpoint across here...

[DannyMan2006]

Ridiculous to suggest he is a top level player. He is a good premiership player and that is all. He would not get in the first XI at any of Chelsea, Arsenal or City. I saw Arsenal lose to Swansea on the box the other day, their first team was top quality and they had players like Walcott & Wilshere on the bench.

And if anyone can tell me a game where Raheem was top quality other than playing in a diamond at the tip, I'd be interested to hear. And i can't think of a better team in world football than ourselves where he'd get a game in that role.

He can't even make a claim to better than one of his team mates in that role this season, Couts is a level above him this season.

[DannyMan2006]

But really, is he in a great place to develop? We leak goals like no-one's business, don't have a striker and midfield is non-existent. Just trying to get another viewpoint across here...

We have a manager and a view point from the top that places value in playing youngsters. He can have ups and downs here and he would have little pressure. This club will still challenge for trophies and will likely be in Europe every season.

He will start every week and in Anfield he plays on a great stage to a great crowd. He would be a fool to leave here and gamble with his future. He should look long term as opposed to short term.