A figure of disdain amongst Liverpool fans, Raheem Sterling has more than ruffled a few feathers on Merseyside during the pre-season build-up, but now that the Premier League campaign is well and truly upon us, that cacophony of emotion ought to fade into the background as Manchester City’s star buy attempts to compose his own infectious tune.
A winner of the prestigious Golden Boy gong back in December of 2014, Sterling finds himself in impressive company. Alongside the likes of former recipients Paul Pogba, Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, Mario Gotze, Cesc Fabregas and Rafael van der Vaart, the 20-year-old has been selected as one of the best players under 21 years of age to ply his trade in Europe.
Truthfully, if the most expensive English player ever can scale the heights those six superstars have done he will have done incredibly well. However, the Jamaican-born England international still has a long way to go to ultimately prove his worth, and there are more than enough cautionary tales to choose from regarding other not so fortunate “Golden Boys” of the continent.
Sterling would do well to heed them.
The likes of Anderson, Alexandre Pato and Mario Balotelli who each took home the accolade in 2008, ’09 and ’10 respectively underline precisely why the Tuttosport-founded prize is purely a superficial one – it doesn’t offer players a platform, it doesn’t guarantee anything and it certainly doesn’t ensure a path to greatness. That trio of stars currently find themselves unsure of their futures, with two of them banished to Brazil to rediscover their groove, while the other has become more of a character of fun than one who strikes fear into the hearts of back-tracking defenders.
For the Citizens star, the next few months really could define him as a player, too, and it’s vital he realises that and takes his new start seriously. Because although there’s been a lot of hostility towards him from a number of different sections – be that on social media, from the stands or elsewhere – you can be sure there are just as many neutrals wishing him all the best of luck.
At the end of the day, Sterling is a top, top player and down through the seasons we have all seen enough talent go to waste for one reason or another and it would be exhilarating to see the £49 million man go on to reach the dizzying heights so many young professionals dream of.
While many have seen his exit from Anfield as a move made in poor taste, and perhaps done a little disrespectfully, it’s also easy to draw the positives from it all, too. He has ambition, he wants to get to the top of the game and for the past few seasons, City have done that with more regularity than Liverpool (indeed, the 2008/09 season was the last time the five-time Champions League winners finished ahead of their league rivals).
The Reds will always be a top side with big dreams, but as Sterling himself has said, the decision was an easy one.
He’ll now be getting a bigger wage, he’ll have a stronger strike-force to assists and play off, and yes more will be expected of him, but that’s not a bad thing; it just goes to show the hunger and drive that resides within him right now.
Manuel Pellegrini’s charges go head-to-head with West Bromwich Albion in their opening league fixture, but it’s against Chelsea that the Sky Blues starlet will arguably face his biggest test to date, although it’s not until November that he’ll confront his former employers in Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium.
That said, every game will bring with it a fresh set of obstacles and if he plans on becoming as good as his talents clearly allow, it’s vital he pushes himself every time he takes to the field to represent his new club – only then will the attacking midfielder be able to play to the tune of his own beat and drown out the noise of his detractors.
