When unearthing raw talent, personality overcomes ability to make sure the small fortune clubs spending goes on a player with the right mental attributes.
Brendan Rodgers would not have been thinking of this when Raheem Sterling lowered the curtain on the 2014-15 season.
The 20-year old winger was put on the bench on the final day at the Britannia Stadium where they were humiliated 6-1. Rodgers said he had better mentally prepared options than Sterling.
This angered the young Englishman, which sent his contract negotiations into a spiral.
Sterling said in a press conference “ I was bullied into a contract at Liverpool”
Social media erupted at the comment, stating that the young winger is already on a 100,000-pound paycheck at Anfield and the irony of being bullied into a contract is idiotic.
With his contract rebel, he is forcing a move away from the club, and Manchester City look like they are the only ones in the race.
Rodgers rejected a 40-million-pound offer, now we may see Sterling rotting in the reserves, after Rodgers requested 50 million.
It shows Sterling’s mentality and his bitterness to shun Liverpool fans has overcome his playing ability. The fans want him away, no matter how good his performance is.
After calling in sick for two training sessions this week and refusing to go on Liverpool’s tour, former captain, legend and Liverpool icon, Steven Gerrard spoke out about the Sterling saga.
After arriving in Los Angeles, Gerrard said “ I’m not happy with all that carry on, you don’t throw in illness or refuse to go on tour, the fans want to see you in a Liverpool shirt”
A lesson could have been learned from the former Liverpool skipper, who is renowned as having one of the best personalities in football.
Gerrard remained loyal to Anfield and refused big offers from Chelsea and other big clubs. He is always looked up to as a role model on and off the field.
Gerrard didn’t bat an eyelid when he got moved around the pitch in different positions, or got asked to spend time on the bench at times of this season.
Raheem Sterling is the complete opposite.
One of the best examples is the Italian forward Pablo Osvaldo, who has played for over ten clubs scoring 85 goals in over 250 appearances.
His horrible ego and mentality hurt his reputation as a footballer when he moved to AS Roma.
Osvaldo’s credentials seem good, scoring 27 goals in two seasons at the club, but his attitude let him down.
On the 25 November, Osvaldo was apparently angry at teammate Erik Lamela for not passing to him in a goal-scoring opportunity.
Osvaldo was fined and suspended for three weeks after “punching Lamela in the face”.
In the clubs 2013 Coppa Italia loss to cross-town rivals Lazio, Osvaldo insulted and shouted at caretaker manager, Aurelio Andreazolli, for giving him only 15 minutes of game time in the final.
He also refused to attend the end of season awards night.
Andreazolli had had enough of Osvaldo’s aggressiveness and sold him away to Southampton for 15 million euros, where he had tussles with Vincent Kompany and now captain Jose Fonte.
He then had three failed loan attempts at Juventus, Boca Juniors and Inter, where he was suspended for not showing up to two training sessions, and not providing a good excuse for his absence.
Sound familiar?
Upon his return at the end of this season, Ronald Koeman dismissed Osvaldo from the club, officially terminating his contract on the first of July 2015.
He said that Osvaldo was “unbearable, unmanageable and despicably selfish”.
With players like Osvaldo and Sterling, it’s easy to see that no matter how many goals you score or how much of an impact you make at the club, if your attitude, ego or poor mentality overshadow your football, then no manager will want you.
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