In an age where knowledge of footballers has been opened up almost beyond comprehension; where a schoolboy in a small town sitting in his bedroom knows more about the latest wunderkind from the Tippeligaen before a Premier League manager, it seems strange to come across a young player who exceeds expectations.
The list of failed ‘next big things’ is long and undistinguished with players who – for a multitude of reasons – never justified the hype: Freddy Adu, Michael Johnson and Federico Macheda among recent cases. There are often mitigating circumstances as to why a young talent doesn’t make the grade, beyond the fact that maybe they just weren’t that good in the first place.
The influx of money and the temptations that arise, teenagers being moved thousands of miles away from their home, injuries, and all the aforementioned attention and expectation means, if anything, it is harder for young players to succeed than ever before.
Two years ago Raheem Sterling was mostly known for being on the receiving end of a chiding from Brendan Rodgers , in the unintentionally amusing ‘Being Liverpool’ TV series. It was an essentially harmless exchange, but in the context of the concern over a succession of young English footballers with attitude problems, he fit that particular narrative perfectly.
Whether it was that lazy characterisation or Sterling benefitting from so many before him having their potential ludicrously overhyped, the way he is playing right now appears to have gone far bey-ond what was anticipated of him.
At present, he’s the best player at Liverpool, and among the most exciting players to watch in the Premier League, if not Europe.
Against Tottenham yesterday he was simply electrifying. Scoring the opening goal and typifying Liverpool’s Borussia Dortmund-esque rapid counter-attacking that exp-loited a considerable lack of pace throughout the Tottenham side.
But Sterling is not all speed, a degree of subtlety is emerging in his game, as arguably the most impressive part of his development has been how comfortably he looks when used in a more central role.
Bought by Rafael Benitez as a 15-year-old winger in 2010, he has made the transition to a central attacking midfielder with impressive assurance. On the flank, players can be starved of possession and subsequently seem to be hidden but at the tip of Rodgers’ midfield diamond, Sterling must remain involved and has shown he has the presence and growing intelligence to dictate Liverpool’s attacking play.
While he still has a tendency to run down dead ends on the pitch, and his passing may not always be crisp, his confidence and willingness to always attack defenders is an attribute Rodgers is in no hurry to try and coach out of him, and, at that age, he should be allowed to make mistakes. Rodgers also deserves huge credit for the trust and faith he has placed in a player who turns 20 in December.
Sterling still faces many, many potential pitfalls, both physical and mental, and his constant raising of the bar means at some stage there will be a lull. But, for now, he is a diamond of a footballer shining very brightly.
