Raheem Sterling

[EwarWoo]

Yes, his agents leading him by the nose and his attempts to make himself look better with the fans are just making him look foolish.

[Venton]

I don't get that at all. There's no evidence to suggest that he's some shrinking violet being coerced by a dominating agent. This is a highly confrontational strategy to make him too toxic for us to keep and he's playing his part beautifully.

[EwarWoo]

I didn't say he was a shrinking violet, I said he was naive.

[rodo]

I don't get that at all. There's no evidence to suggest that he's some shrinking violet being coerced by a dominating agent. This is a highly confrontational strategy to make him too toxic for us to keep and he's playing his part beautifully.

the greedy ****er knows exactly what he is doing

[Yozza]

the greedy ****er knows exactly what he is doing

Not naive in the slightest

[EwarWoo]

So he's stupid when its an insult but he's in no way naive when it could potentially be construed as a partial excuse.

This threads not gone beyond reason much

[Venton]

I didn't say he was a shrinking violet, I said he was naive.

You said he's being led by the nose by his agent. I don't buy this whole naive narrative at all.

This bridge-burning path to get a transfer is entirely deliberate, I don't understand why you are trying to put a dress on it.

[EwarWoo]

Well, clearly because I think you're wrong.

[MrMichael]

I understand where you are coming from Michael but as a club we also have to take responsibility for whats happened. What happened to keeping things private? There was no need for Rodgers to come out and say "We have made Sterling an incredible offer". Immediately that would send alarm bells ringing that something isn't right and fans may start to assume Sterling's camp are being greedy. I can see why their camp would be annoyed at negotiations being leaked. Ward and Sterling antics have been piss poor but there is no way Liverpool are totally blameless for the way this saga has been carried out.

I just don't see that as the timeline dude. The club were negotiating behind the scenes, as they did with every other player - did we hear anything about Henderson, Coutinho, Skrtel even from Rodgers? Difference was those players haven't had no intention of signing. Anyway, next thing we have stories in the media, obviously via Aidy Ward, that Sterling is upset we undervalue him, didn't offer him a new contract the previous year (despite him existing deal clearly stating when that would happen), and mutterings about him playing out of position etc.... So everyone wants to hear from Rodgers what is going on. And he says, not having a go at the player but purely factually, "we've made him a great offer and the ball is in his court". If Sterling's "advisers" hadn't made his contract a press issue... he had 2.5 years left at the time so it would hardly have come up on its own.... there would have been nothing for Rodgers or anyone else to say.

Let's look at this logically. Does anyone believe Sterling has ever had any intention of signing? And that if he did Rodgers, the guy who has bigger him up to the world as the most talented youngster in Europe or whatever it was, completely put him off by one factual press statement? Seriously? Nah, I just don't buy it for an instant, the only thing that will have annoyed Sterling's people is how badly their PR was going, but their bad advice re.the BBC interview etc has contributed that than anything else.

I don't see that the club has done anything wrong at all. And neither would Raheem have done if he'd just wanted to leave but gone about it in a totally different way. Unfortunately his advisers are opportunistic dicks, that's all there is to it imo.

[Vermilion]

Agree with Earwoo, his advice is all coming from his agent, it's what he pays him for.

This doesn't mean he's incapable of thought or agreeing with his agent, and it doesn't make him blameless, but i just doubt Sterling has come up with these tactics himself.

He may have said to his agent that he was dreading returning to training, or been promised by him the move would be done by now and he wouldn't have to, and his agent has suggested this course of action.

I just doubt very much that it's Sterling taking the lead here is all.

We are talking about a bloke willing to have his mates take and circulate pics of him blowing up baloon's after all!

[Alex]

He could just say "Nope, not doing that" and then not do it. But thats not happening is it. Hes just as bad as his agent here.

[Vermilion]

He could just say "Nope, not doing that" and then not do it. But thats not happening is it. Hes just as bad as his agent here.

He could yes, but remember he wants this move, so it's not hard to influence someone to do things that will get them what they want, especially someone just into adulthood. imo.

Obviously people mature at different rates, but it's not that hard a leap for me to make that his agent is that very influence, especially looking at the pics which circulated of what Raheem is like when with his mates.

[MrMichael]

I don't think any of us know the lad personally; I think it is fair to say he has been naive in whom he has chosen to listen to about what, it might be an explanation but it isn't a very good excuse at the end of the day. Ultimately he chooses and pays for the advice he has been getting; I have no doubt at all that the tactics have come from Aidy Ward who thankfully seems to be damaging his own reputation here not just his clients, but none of it would be happening without Sterling's consent.

I hope for his sake when all this is over he can actually look back and learn from it because he undoubtedly has the talent but at the moment does not have the maturity to become truly world class.

[Vermilion]

I just don't see that as the timeline dude. The club were negotiating behind the scenes, as they did with every other player - did we hear anything about Henderson, Coutinho, Skrtel even from Rodgers? Difference was those players haven't had no intention of signing. Anyway, next thing we have stories in the media, obviously via Aidy Ward, that Sterling is upset we undervalue him, didn't offer him a new contract the previous year (despite him existing deal clearly stating when that would happen), and mutterings about him playing out of position etc.... So everyone wants to hear from Rodgers what is going on. And he says, not having a go at the player but purely factually, "we've made him a great offer and the ball is in his court". If Sterling's "advisers" hadn't made his contract a press issue... he had 2.5 years left at the time so it would hardly have come up on its own.... there would have been nothing for Rodgers or anyone else to say.

Let's look at this logically. Does anyone believe Sterling has ever had any intention of signing? And that if he did Rodgers, the guy who has bigger him up to the world as the most talented youngster in Europe or whatever it was, completely put him off by one factual press statement? Seriously? Nah, I just don't buy it for an instant, the only thing that will have annoyed Sterling's people is how badly their PR was going, but their bad advice re.the BBC interview etc has contributed that than anything else.

I don't see that the club has done anything wrong at all. And neither would Raheem have done if he'd just wanted to leave but gone about it in a totally different way. Unfortunately his advisers are opportunistic dicks, that's all there is to it imo.

Don't think we've done much if anything wrong here, that i know of.

However, lets not pretend (not that you were) that football clubs are'nt capable of playing similar games to Sterlings agent when trying to sign players or move them on.

[Vermilion]

I don't think any of us know the lad personally; I think it is fair to say he has been naive in whom he has chosen to listen to about what, it might be an explanation but it isn't a very good excuse at the end of the day. Ultimately he chooses and pays for the advice he has been getting; I have no doubt at all that the tactics have come from Aidy Ward who thankfully seems to be damaging his own reputation here not just his clients, but none of it would be happening without Sterling's consent.

I hope for his sake when all this is over he can actually look back and learn from it because he undoubtedly has the talent but at the moment does not have the maturity to become truly world class.