Raheem Sterling Salah Gabung Manchester City

Legenda Liverpool, John Barnes, merasa Raheem Sterling sudah membuat kesalahan dengan pergi dari Anfield untuk bergabung dengan Manchester City.

Sosok berusia 21 tahun mengikat kontrak lima tahun dengan City di 2015, namun sejauh ini ia gagal memenuhi ekspektasi di Etihad.

"Apa yang selalu saya katakan pada para pemain muda adalah, bermain dengan baik selama semusim dan buka potensi untuk bertahan di klub mereka selama empat atau lima tahun," tutur Barnes di Omnisport.

"Saya sudah katakan hal yang sama tentang Adam Johnson ketika ia bergabung dengan City, Jack Rodwell, Scott Sinclair. Hingga anda sudah melalui periode empat atau lima tahun, semua hanya sekedar potensi. Dan kadang anda bisa melihat kemampuan mereka menurun, John Stones contohnya."

"Jadi saya bilang pada Raheem, demi dirinya, untuk melupakan semua uang tersebut dan bertahan di Liverpool, di mana ia tidak akan dinilai karena menerima gaji 180.000 poundsterling per pekan. Ia hanya akan dinilai sebagai pemain muda. Namun ia memilih pergi ke Manchester City dan anda sudah melihat apa yang sebenarnya terjadi." (omni/rer)

PRESS SING STERLING PRAISES "The morning after the night before, and a sift through today’s press reports is a reminder of just how good the night was"

The morning after the night before, and a sift through today’s press reports is a reminder of just how good the night was.

Not that most Blues would have needed any reminder after a stunning comeback saw City top Group D and avoid the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona in the knockout stages.
You can read the official view on last night’s win right here, or watch birthday boy Raheem Sterling’s reaction on CityTV.
So what did the media make of last night’s win?
Sterling’s two minute double made it 3-2 to City before Wilfried Bony gave the Blues a two goal advantage late on and the Manchester Evening News was, like others, full of praise for Sterling.
Stuart Brennan states: “Raheem Sterling came of age in the Champions League with a match-winning performance … on his 21 birthday!
“The Blues striker scored twice in the last ten minutes to turn round a game that had been ebbing away from his team, despite a spirited second-half fightback.
“The England man is enigmatic to say the least – at times the ball bobbles off him, and he runs down too many blind alleys.
“But then he produces a sublime backheel to set up David Silva for the game's emphatic first goal and, in a frantic finish, bagged two of his own to set the Etihad alight.
“Qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League should be a reason for great joy … but it always feels like Manchester City are dancing on the edge of a high cliff.
The Independent are full of praise for Sterling’s performance which included a brace that turned the game on its head late on.
Tim Rich writes: “It was not a final, it was not in the Nou Camp or San Siro and perhaps you might say the result did not matter very much. However, for Raheem Sterling, this pulsating, enthralling encounter was one of the reasons he went through several agonising months tearing himself free of Liverpool.

“Even if Sterling had not scored twice in a minute to take Manchester City through to the business phase of the Champions League as group leaders, this would have been a memorable performance. That he indeed did, on his 21st birthday, gave the night a dusting of magic.
“The first, which drew Manchester City level, was a scrappy affair but the second, a minute later was a gorgeous drive, finishing off a move begun by David Silva and Wilfried Bony – an indication of the class that was judged worth £49m. By then, Borussia Mönchengladbach, who had led City in both group matches, were battered and exhausted. Bony pushed through to score a fourth.
“As the news that Manchester United had lost and Seville had beaten Juventus drifted around the stadium, it was hard to imagine the night could become much sweeter. Manuel Pellegrini had said that for Manchester City to top their group for the first time would be a sign of progress. It is hard to argue.”
It was similar praise in the Telegraph with Chris Bascombe picking out the second half and Sterling’s performance as the key catalysts to the win.
Bascombe scribes: “It summed up the mood of transformation at The Etihad Stadium that the players were booed onto the pitch and acclaimed as they left it.
“The jeers, of course, were directed at the UEFA anthem accompanying Manchester City and Borussia Monchengladbach – more vociferous than ever. By full-time, it was the double of Raheem Sterling allied to the misfortune of Juventus and Manchester United that put the arena into a state of euphoria.
“For the first time City qualified as group winners, finally avoiding the obstacle course created by top seeds. The tradition of seeing in the new year by being outclassed by Barcelona in the last 16 has finally been cancelled.
“Few had seen it coming for 79 minutes, when City were toiling to overturn a 2-1 deficit. The home side were dire in the first half but superb after the break, culminating in three goals in five minutes.”
“It was dangerous, frustrating and ultimately exhilarating as three goals in the last ten minutes – coupled with Juventus' defeat at Sevilla – saw them at the top.
“Now, instead of dreading Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona in Monday's draw, they are more likely to get a side like PSV Eindhoven, Benfica, Roma or Gent.”
You want more of the same? Oh go on then, one more for the road…
Let’s end today’s round-up with former City striker Niall Quinn’s verdict on Sky Sports last night: "It feels like they are coming of age to top the group. They can now look forward to the draw on December 14 and feel good about themselves.
"I saw a connection between the crowd and the players in the last 10 minutes and they knew things were going well. They were awesome on the ball and there was a connectivity there that suggested this result means more than any other this season.
"This is the one that makes them probably the Premier League's best bet in this competition and a step ahead of the rest, at least for one night.
"It hasn't happened before and it's of enormous benefit to everyone connected with the club that the result in Seville went their way."

AlasanLiverpool Harus lolos ke liga champion

Liverpool akan bersaing secara langsung dengan Manchester United memerebutkan tiket ke Liga Champions musim depan. Meski masih ada kemungkinan mereka berbagi tiket, tapi bagi Liverpool, kepentingan mereka sendiri masih jadi yang utama.
Karena itulah setiap laga sisa di musim ini akan menjadi sangat krusial bagi Liverpool, termasuk ketika menjamu Manchester United akhir pekan ini.
Dan jika memenangi pertaruhan dan gengsi sebagai tim terbaik di Liga Primer Inggris kurang menjadi motivasi, Liverpool setidaknya punya alasan lain yang tak kalah masuk akal untuk bisa mendapatkan tiket Liga Champions di musim ini.
Gagal ke Liga Champions sama artinya memaksa Liverpool harus menghadapi ancaman eksodus pemain. Bahkan saat ini ancaman itu sudah ada.
Lihat saja situasi kontrak Raheem Sterling dan Jordan Henderson, dua pemain penting di lini tengah Liverpool. Kontrak mereka akan berakhir 18 bulan lagi.
Jika Liverpool bisa mendapatkan kepastian bermain di Liga Champions musim depan, maka tak ada alasan bagi mereka untuk pindah klub. Kecuali jika memang ada tim lain yang menawarkan uang lebih banyak dari Liverpool.

Luis Suarez pernah mengatakan, bagaimana pun situasinya, Liverpool harus lolos ke Liga Champions, karena seperti itulah ekspektasi fans, karena seperti itulah harusnya Liverpool, berada di kasta terbaik kancah sepakbola Eropa.
Makanya itu, lolos ke Liga Champions bukanlah sebuah prestasi bagi Liverpool, tapi suatu keharusan.
Tentunya semuanya yang merasa punya hubungan dengan Liverpool mengingat dengan jelas ketika tim mereka menunjukkan kemampuan terbaik mereka. Pada 2009, Real Madrid datang ke Anfield dan pulang dengan membawa kekalahan 4-0. Catatan seperti itu yang harus dikembalikan.

MENARIK PERHATIAN

Bila Liverpool bisa bermain di Liga Champions musim depan, hal yang pasti adalah akan ada banyak perhatian pada tim besutan Brendan Rodgers ini.
Perhatian bisa muncul dari tim rival. Kembalinya juara Eropa lima kali pastinya akan menyemarakkan kompetisi antarklub terbaik se-benua biru ini. Tak sedikit pula yang akan sangat menantikan bagaimana rasanya menghadapi tim yang berpotensi menjadi yang terbaik itu.
Perhatian lain datang dari para pemain bintang yang klubnya gagal bermain di Liga Champions. Tak sedikit tim papan atas Eropa yang berpotensi gagal bermain di kompetisi terbaik Eropa tersebut, dan hal itu pastinya mengecewakan pemain-pemain mereka.
Nah, dengan kemungkinan bermain di Liga Champions musim depan, daya tawar Liverpool pun ikut naik. Bukan tidak mungkin pemain seperti Xherdan Shaqiri, Juan Manuel Iturbe atau Stephan El Shaarawy dan banyak pemain muda penuh potensi lainnya siap hijrah ke Anfield dengan sukarela.

Sterling set for England U21s

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insists he is happy for Raheem Sterling to take part in this summer's U21 European Championship.

Rodgers has been careful to manage the development of the 18-year-old and has played him in the club's U21 side despite Sterling breaking into the first team this season.

Sterling has already played for Roy Hodgson's senior side, making his England debut in the 4-2 friendly defeat to Sweden in November.

But he could well represent Stuart Pearce's side in this summer's U21s tournament in Israel, where England will face the host nation in the group stages, as well as Italy and Norway.

"I spoke to Stuart Pearce because we have a number of England U21 boys here and I don't think it would do Raheem any harm," Rodgers told the Daily Mail.

"He's had a good season and going to a tournament like that, if selected, will be good for his experience."

As far as Sterling's club football is concerned, Rodgers has confirmed he is considering playing the winger against Chelsea in the FA Youth Cup semi-finals.

"Micah Richards played in the Youth Cup when he was in the Manchester City side in the semi-finals so we will see," added Rodgers.



"I don't know a player around his age who is playing regularly at this level.

"We just have to ensure that as a club, we don't make any mistakes with his development."

Sterling's girlfriend to compete for world beauty

The girlfriend of Liverpool FC rising star Raheem Sterling Shana Ann Rose Halliday has made it to the world final of a beauty pageant.



Shana Ann was crowned the winner of England’s Top Model of the World pageant.



The 19-year-old, originally from Garston, now lives with her footballer boyfriend Raheem, who joined Liverpool in 2010, in Formby.



She will now will jet off to Egypt to compete against girls from more than 90 countries on March 17.



Shana, who works as a sales assistant at Hollister, told the ECHO: “I still can’t believe it. I’ve been wearing my tiara all day since I won.

 Raheem Sterling's girlfriend Shana Ann Rose Halliday to compete for world beauty title.

“I’ve only come second in a pageant before so I’m made up, I had a ball and everything went smoothly.” The former Calderstones School pupil added: “I’m really looking forward to the photo-shoot.



“I can’t wait to go to Egypt and meet all the different girls from around the world, it will be a good experience and I’m really excited but nervous.”



The pageant, organised by former Miss United Kingdom, Rachelle Perez, saw 12 finalists competing for the all-expenses paid trip to El Gouna at a sold- out show at Shorrocks Hill, in Formby.



Rachelle, from Melling, said: “Shana has also won a 12-month modelling contract with G-Models. Our judging panel included Take Me Out star Ollie Lemmings, beauty queen Sam Woolley and from Desperate Scousewives Steve Dermott.



“It was a great evening and we also raised hundreds for children’s charity Stick ’n’ Step, in Wirral.



“The audience were really raising the roof with the screams and cheers for each contestant.





“The final scores between the top five were really tight.



“There was one point between first and second place.



“It’s such an amazing feeling to be able to give other girls the opportunity to help make their dreams come true.



“I can’t wait to head out to Egypt with Shana to offer my support and advice.



“Hopefully she will bring home that world crown and $20,000 prize money.”

Liverpool boss Rodgers: Sterling is tired

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers feels the demands of the season have taken their toll on teenage star Raheem Sterling.



The 18-year-old winger has made a huge impact since being handed his full Barclays Premier League debut by Rodgers last August.



His progress earned him an England cap against Sweden last November and a new five-year contract but he has not completed a full 90 minutes since December.



Rodgers believes fatigue is a factor and wants to manage the player's development carefully.



Rodgers told reporters: "This is a kid we're talking about, so we have to take a wee step back.



"It is so mentally and physically draining, this league. It hurts experienced professionals and this boy has stepped up from the academy, played football and earned a contract off that.



"We have to nurture that and, at times, he has to have the mentality to keep learning.



"If he didn't kick another ball this season, he's had a good one.



"But what you are seeing now is more tiredness of the legs when before he could go up to people and take them on.



"That zip has gone and it's down to fatigue. Was that to be expected? Yes it was."

Sterling: 'My mum makes me do housework'

Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling has admitted that his mother 'tells him off' if he fails to do his chores around the house.

The 18-year-old, who recently signed a new long-term contract at Anfield, has insisted that his mother, who has moved up from London to be with her son on Merseyside, keeps him grounded.



"She tells me off for being lazy, for not helping around the house, but I'm becoming better at that," Sterling told the club's official website.



"She wants me to brush the stairs and help out in the kitchen, it's hard work. She gives me stick but I do my bit. I cleaned the living room a couple of days ago."



"I went last summer. Everyone is living okay but not everyone has it easy - their mums and dads have to work hard for it.



Sterling continues "When I go to Jamaica in the summer I'm looking to pay for two primary schools in my area, for the whole school's school fees and their lunch money for the year. Hopefully it can be done.



"I think everyone who plays for Liverpool has to pinch themselves now and again," he said. "It's a dream come true for all the players. You've got to realise that it's real, kick on with it, work hard and try to do your best for the football club."



The England international is preparing to face Wigan Athletic in the Premier League this Saturday.

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