Raheem Sterling’s Agent Is Dragging Transfer Saga Into The Gutter!
I really couldn’t care less if Raheem Sterling wants to leave Liverpool.
What I do care about is respect and Sterling’s agent Aidy Ward has shown little to no respect for his clients current employers or their supporters.
Ward attacked the Anfield club in quotes published by the Evening Standard.
Here are some of my favourites…
“He is definitely not signing. He’s not signing for £700, £800, £900 thousand a week. He is not signing.”
“My job is to make sure I do the best with them. If people say I am bad at my job, or they are badly advised it does not matter.”
“Carragher is a knob. Everybody knows it. Any of the criticism from current pundits or ex-Liverpool players – none of them things matter to me. It is not relevant.”
The second quote about about doing his best by his clients seems to contradict his first statement. What kind of agent would really tell a client to turn down a £900k a week contract? Answer: A stupid one! Not that Ward would really do that if Liverpool were crazy enough to offer such a deal (obviously they wouldn’t).
This outburst has made it impossible for Liverpool to take Mr Ward seriously. It will also help turn the Liverpool fans totally against his client.
Now that probably won’t trouble Aidy Ward, as he’ll see that as a great way to get Raheem away from Anfield. But the fact remains that the twenty year old has a deal until 2017.
Of course he could buy out that final year, which could force Liverpool to accept a substantial bid, this up and coming transfer window. But by being so disrespectful and aggressive towards the club, Liverpool could dig in and let Sterling rot in the reserves for a year and stall his career.
Surely all you needed to do was hold a meeting with Liverpool’s manager Brendan Rodgers and the clubs hierarchy and hand in a written transfer request.
Be a man and tell them straight to their face that you want out. It’s hard to argue with honesty.
Surely an employer that helped launch your career and get you to the stage where you are one of the world’s most wanted players deserves more respect. As do the fans that have supported you throughout your fledgling career.
Acting like a brat or letting a brash agent act as your mouthpiece could also deter potential suitors. Again something a top advisor would think about in order to protect their client.
Even if Jamie Carragher is a ‘knob’, why on earth would a professional agent say that? It will be Sterling that will be the one that bumps into Carragher in the future. Again there is simply no need to be so disrespectful.
Now Aidy Ward can spend all summer negotiating with other clubs as he tries to whore out Raheem’s services but until Liverpool agree to sell him, then they own Sterling.
That means he will be contractually obliged to do certain things for his employers, for instance meet fans at sponsored events. I would mark Sterling down for every fan project going and make sure he attends and faces the wrath of the supporters. If he no shows he gets fined.
Players are spoiled and think they have no one to answer to. That is mainly down to greedy, arrogant agents who seem to only lookout for themselves, although they’ll say that they are only looking after their clients best wishes.
I am a big believer in honesty. As I’ve said Raheem Sterling should just come out and say ‘I want to leave Liverpool FC‘. Fnas will moan, of course they will, but at least you’ve been up-font and acted like an adult.
By slapping a club like Liverpool in the face, you just look bad and ungrateful.
Football is being ruined by agents that are no better than parasites. They (and their clients) have no understanding of the word loyalty and to be honest Liverpool will now be better off just selling Raheem Sterling!
Posted on May 22nd, 2015 by scott
Filed under: Article
Only disagree with your last sentence. Liverpool reputation will be better off by making him see out his contract. To sell him now, would be to cave in to the crude bullying tactics of his agent,.
Like you say, the disrespect is beyond pathetic. He’s a talented player but if he was left to rot and left when his contact expires, as i understand, we still get a fee due to having him as a youngster.
The other thing that gets me is, what club is going to want to deal with him and his agent when Ward is being such a tool? His agent is acting like he has a world beater, which Sterling may become, but, just now, he isn’t going to take the place of any top team wingers. Is someone really going to fork out the £30million plus thats being branded around for potential and then have Ward constantly try to bully them?
I doubt he’ll leave and think Sterling will really pay the price for having a poor agent and letting his ego cloud his judgement. Sunday could be an interesting watch, put him on the pitch and pile pressure on him to see if he fails or keep him out the squad and fire him into a reserves match….
Rob – I started off writing the article thinking the same way as you. If Liverpool were to hold him to his contract, I’d applaud that.
But you also have to look after the rest of the squad. The poisonous atmosphere could ruin any harmony that’s in the team. Better off selling him and doing better without him imo.
Alasdair – Yeah Liverpool, whatever happens, will always get a fee. But if his deal runs down it will be substantially less than it would be.
Teams will always pay for potential, especially for the younger English players (I don’t get it either)