Raheem Sterling’s camp after the winger was left out of Chelsea’s squad opposite Manchester City has been heavily criticized by pundits on Sky Sports’ Super Sunday.
Sterling was not included in Chelsea’s squad for the season opener, and in a statement released just before kick-off, his camp said they were seeking “more clarity” on his long run at the club.
The decision to make such a public announcement before kick-off was criticized by Jamie Redknapp, Micah Richards and Daniel Sturridge. . .
A spokesperson for Sterling said:
“Raheem Sterling has a contract with Chelsea Football Club for the next 3 years.
“He returned to England two weeks early to lead individual education and has had a positive pre-season with the new coach, with whom he has developed an ongoing relationship.
“He is committed, as always, to delivering the popularity of Chelsea FC and the fans he holds dear, and given his inclusion in the club’s official pre-match dressing room this week, we expected Raheem to be involved in this game. ” weekend, somehow.
“As a camp, we have had a positive discussion and assurances from Chelsea FC regarding Raheem’s long career at the club. Therefore, we are looking for explanations about the situation. Until then, we will continue to support Raheem’s preference to begin with. “the new season in a positive way”.
Jamie Redknapp: “He said he came back two weeks early, it’s smart of him, you don’t want to communicate it. He plays better. He hasn’t been very good since he’s been at Chelsea.
“If the coach doesn’t need to play with you, keep going. Don’t ask your reps to come and do that, especially on game day. Surely it’s silly, he does more than that. Their representatives do more than that. This is a very bad statement. There are other players who can simply make statements that are not part of the team.
“He didn’t do well enough. That’s your opinion, if you think you did well enough in the preseason, keep doing better. The coach’s opinion is the only one that counts and if he possibly doesn’t decide for you, it’s bad. “luck. You have to go back to the morning of education, be the most productive coach and show that you need to play. It’s the only way to get back into the team.
Micah Richards: “Raheem and his team know exactly what they are doing: they are looking to make noise. There is a lot of noise in the club anyway. Doing this before the adjustment is not enough.
“It won’t be for his teammates and he’ll probably come back to the team.
“He’s his manager and he lets his teammates down. That’s my problem. He’s more than that. “
Daniel Sturridge: “The timing is not ideal, especially on match day. He will feel smart enough against Chelsea. I came in early, he had a smart pre-season, in his brain he probably thinks he felt. ” I do not agree with the message that came out on the day of the game. Sterling is a player smart enough to be part of the Chelsea team.
In his post-match press conference, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said: “I need Sterling, but I need them all. I can’t have them all, so some will have to leave. In the next few days we will see if we can. “
And speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the match, Maresca said: “The coach has to make decisions that don’t please the others or the players. That’s normal. It’s just a technical decision, nothing more. We will see in the future in the coming days. “
Juventus retain Raheem Sterling, reports Gianluca Di Marzio of Sky Italy.
Sterling has been on Juve’s target list all summer as they are keen to sign at least one winger. However, his higher salary at Chelsea is the main obstacle in any deal.