MANCHESTER: Pep Guardiola has made a personal intervention to help Raheem Sterling out of the slump that has cost him his place in the England team and left Roy Hodgson feeling reluctant to pick the one attacking player in his Euro 2016 squad who can offer genuine width.
Guardiola decided to contact Sterling after hearing that one of the players he will be inheriting at Manchester City next season might be suffering because of the sustained abuse he has attracted since his acrimonious departure from Liverpool last July.
What is not commonly known about Sterling’s transfer to City is that Guardiola in effect sanctioned the deal even though he was working at the time as Bayern Munich manager. Guardiola had already been lined up to replace Manuel Pellegrini and City’s owners are understood to have consulted him before making Sterling the most expensive English player in history. Guardiola, who had also considered recruiting Sterling for Bayern, made his admiration clear during a lengthy telephone conversation with the player before England’s goalless draw against Slovakia, when the 21-year-old was left out of the side on the back of two erratic performances in the opening Group B fixtures against Russia and Wales.
Guardiola explained it was important to block out negative thinking and encouraged Sterling to remember the qualities that had made him one of the outstanding young players in English football. He also made it clear he was looking forward to working with Sterling in Manchester next season. “As long as you work for me, I’ll fight for you,” Guardiola told his player. “Keep your head up, don’t worry, I know you’re a good player and you are a big part of my plans.”
{{/usCountry}}Guardiola explained it was important to block out negative thinking and encouraged Sterling to remember the qualities that had made him one of the outstanding young players in English football. He also made it clear he was looking forward to working with Sterling in Manchester next season. “As long as you work for me, I’ll fight for you,” Guardiola told his player. “Keep your head up, don’t worry, I know you’re a good player and you are a big part of my plans.”
{{/usCountry}}Sterling is not expected to return to the side for England’s game against Iceland in Nice on Monday, with Hodgson’s initial thoughts centred around a front three that would have Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana either side of the recalled Harry Kane.