n8rngtd.topIf it wasn’t for the despicable performances from all 11 England players on the pitch in Monday’s defeat to Iceland, Raheem Sterling would likely have been selected as the scapegoat for a disastrous EURO 2016 campaign, and many would feel no sympathy for the 21-year-old if he had been.
It truly has been a season to forget for a man who was not long ago being touted as the best young player in world football.
A move to Manchester City was seen by many as a financial decision rather than a footballing one and the £49m price tag didn’t help Sterling’s cause.
This questionable valuation was shown to be truly inflated during the domestic season, when Sterling struggled to replicate his performances at Liverpool and was often left on the bench after some disappointing showings.
The young man has almost certainly lost confidence in his abilities, but there is no greater individual to restore his talent than Pep Guardiola, who will lead Manchester City into battle next season.
Here are FIVE reasons why Guardiola is the ideal man to revive Sterling’s career.
Man Management
Guardiola is a man who likes to create a strong relationship with his players. In his professional career, Sterling is yet to work with a man as adept at this as the Spaniard.
Sterling, now more than ever, needs a reconciling, but stern, voice to make him feel wanted, but also keep him on his toes.
Pep has already demonstrated his abilities with Sterling. According to reports, the new Man City boss rang the 21-year-old before England’s final group game against Slovakia to offer words of encouragement.
Fitting the System
No young player who was so glorified in his teenage years could ever imagine being dropped due to form at just 21. However, this is what Raheem Sterling faced last year at the Etihad and it quite clearly knocked his confidence.
However, Raheem Sterling is the perfect player to fit into a Guardiola system. He holds his position well and helps maintain an attacking threat. The former Liverpool man also moves well in possession and without possession, a key passage in Guardiola’s tactical bible.
The Coman Project
During his time with Guardiola at Bayern Munich, Kingsley Coman turned from useful substitute to bona fide superstar.
The comparisons between the aforementioned French youngster and Sterling’s career are very similar.
When he arrived in Munich, Coman was adept with the ball at his feet; a consummate dribbler. However, his final product was a major downfall to his game.
Cue Pep Guardiola and his management genius.
Both coach and player worked closely in developing this side of Coman’s game and it has paid off after just one season.
Do the same with Sterling, and City may just have a seriously good player on their hands.
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A Premier League Challenge
Sterling is clearly a player who thrives when confident and plummets when not. The young star needs to be playing well, needs his team to be playing well and needs to be challenging at the top end of the table to truly flourish.
Last season, Sterling was not getting regular game time but perhaps most importantly was playing for no silverware towards the end of the season. This should all change when Guardiola arrives at the Etihad and mounts a serious title challenge.
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Learn, Learn, Learn
Perhaps the most important lesson that Pep Guardiola will teach Sterling next year is to open up his ears and listen to advice and instruction.
The 21-year-old has been scolded by former managers for not listening and seemingly not caring during training sessions – we all know of that scene in the ‘Being: Liverpool’ documentary of 2012. Guardiola will simply not allow this.
Sterling will need to adapt quickly to Pep’s fast-paced training and tactical discussions.
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