Raheem Sterling: 'Tired' teenager defended by Rio Ferdinand
- Published
Raheem Sterling (right) has not scored for England in 10 appearances
Former England captain Rio Ferdinand has defended Raheem Sterling's request to "sit out" England's 1-0 win over Estonia on Sunday because of fatigue.
Sterling was used as a substitute in the Euro 2016 Group E qualifier after telling boss Roy Hodgson he was tired.
Ferdinand said more English players should follow the 19-year-old's lead as it would benefit the national team.
He said on Twitter:, external "Fair play to him. English players are normally too proud to do that unlike our foreign friends."
Sterling came on as a 64th-minute substitute in Tallinn and was fouled for the free-kick that captain Wayne Rooney scored from.
The teenager, who has played 1,079 minutes of football this season, responded to criticisms from fans by tweeting: , external"Excuse me for being human. On my way home."
Former England full-back Danny Mills |
|---|
"If I was Raheem Sterling, I'd want to play every international game I could at this stage. I don't really believe a player his age will have gone to the manager and told him he's tired. Has there been influence from elsewhere? The club manager, for example? Who knows." |
Last month Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers had promised to protect the teenager, external in a bid to avoid the experiences of Michael Owen, whose career stuttered from his mid-twenties onwards because of injury.
Like Owen, who made the England 1998 World Cup squad aged 18, Sterling has become a key player for both his club and country at a young age.
Ferdinand said he and other England players, like Rooney and Steven Gerrard, would have benefited from more rest and pointed to his former Manchester United team-mate Carolos Tevez, who would not take part in training when tired.
Chief football writer Phil McNulty |
|---|
"Raheem Sterling's absence after England manager Roy Hodgson revealed Liverpool's teenager had told him he was feeling tired generated a lot of heat in freezing Tallinn on Sunday. |
"How can a 19-year-old be tired in the early weeks of October? How can he be jaded after only playing 45 minutes of the 5-0 win against San Marino? Is this the spectre of club v country rearing its head again?" |
The former defender added on Twitter: "Tevez would come in some days and sit on the massage bed while the team trained. "I'm tired"... match day - firing and energised.
"With more rest at the right times throughout seasons, Rooney would have gone into tournaments for England fresher 100%. Too proud again.
"Same could be said of Gerrard, [Frank] Lampard, John Terry, Ashley Cole myself etc - all too proud to sit out of training or a match with the bigger picture in mind.
England coach Roy Hodgson believes he should not be solely responsible for resting Raheem Sterling
"Going by many of the responses on here - because players earn a fortune they cannot get tired. Leave off!"
Former England rugby union captain Will Carling also sympathised with Sterling.
"Always amazed how simplistic some people are," Carling tweeted. , external"Professional sportspeople can never get tired/ lose form. They get paid! They're still human!!
"I am not just talking footy. Sometimes the adrenaline is just not there. The extra edge. Down to opposition, or fatigue."
- Published12 October 2014
- Published12 October 2014
- Published12 October 2014
- Published12 October 2014
- Published10 October 2014
