Jamie Redknapp and Micah Richards destroy Raheem Sterling for bombshell statement live on Sky Sports
Chelsea lost their opening game of the Premier League season 2-0 at home to Manchester City, with Raheem Sterling left out of the squad and his representatives releasing a statement on his behalf
Jamie Redknapp and Micah Richards took aim at Raheem Sterling over the bombshell statement released by his representatives just ONE HOUR before Chelsea kicked off their Premier League season.
Former Liverpool and England midfielder Redknapp labelled it “absolute rubbish” and ex-Manchester City and Aston Villa defender Richards insisted it should’ve been kept “in house”.
Sterling was left out of the Chelsea squad for their 2-0 defeat to City at Stamford Bridge. Blues boss Enzo Maresca insisted it was a “technical decision” that meant he didn’t even make the squad.
Within minutes of the teams being announced, a statement was issued by Sterling’s camp, demanding clarity over his future in west London.
" Raheem Sterling is contracted to Chelsea Football Club for the next three years. He returned to England two weeks early to conduct individual training, and has had a positive pre-season under the new coach, who he has developed a good working relationship with," it said.
"He is committed, as ever, to delivering at the highest level for Chelsea FC and the fans, who he holds in high regard, and given his inclusion in official club pre-match material this week, our expectation was that Raheem would be involved in this weekend’s fixture in some capacity.
"As a camp, we have always had positive dialogue with, and assurance from, Chelsea FC in relation to Raheem’s future at the club, so we look forward to gaining clarity on the situation.
“Until then, we will continue to support Raheem’s desire to start the new season positively."
Without Sterling, Chelsea fell to defeat against Pep Guardiola's champions, Erling Haaland and Mateo Kovacic finding the net.
Maresca was asked about the statement during his post-match interview with Sky Sports - doubling down on the ‘technical decision’ remark - before being asked in his post-match press conference if he wanted to keep Sterling at the club. He said, simply: "I want all 30 players but there is no space for all of them so some have to leave.
“The only thing I can say it was a technical decision and now we will see and get clarity. All the players if they want to be Chelsea players we want to try and see how we can use them. Raheem, we take clarify in the next days.”
While Maresca was being quizzed in the bowels of the stadium, on the pitch, Redknapp, Richards and Daniel Sturridge were discussing the statement, with a particularly unhappy Redknapp letting rip.
“He must have initiated that,” said Redknapp. “It’s really nice of him to come back two weeks early. He didn’t have the Euros, you don’t need to talk about it, just get on with it, play better.
“He hasn’t been great at Chelsea. When he’s come into games or started matches, he hasn’t been good enough. So if the manager doesn’t play you, you don’t get your representatives to come out and do that. Especially the day of the game. I think that’s absolute rubbish.
“He should do better than that. His representatives should do better than that. I think that’s a really poor statement. There’s 30 other players not in the squad who could put statements out. He hasn’t done well enough. If you think you’ve done well in pre-season, just keep doing better.
“The manager’s opinion is the only one that counts. If he’s not going to pick you, that’s unlucky. You have to turn around, be the best in training, and show you want to play. That’s the only way to get back in the team.
“Putting statements out on that, I’m not having that one bit.”
And Redknapp also pointed the finger at the club’s big-spending owners - who have splashed over £1bn since taking over from former owner Roman Abramovich almost three years ago - insisting they’re making their new manager’s job “impossible” already.
“This has given us a sub-plot - it’s the biggest problem for Maresca,” he continued. “Because once he’s picked his eleven and his subs, it’s probably a relief that that’s done. Because keeping all his players happy, is impossible.
“You’ve got 20 players that can’t even get in your training ground 11 vs 11. How can that be right?
“The best team in the world, or in the Premier League in the last five years, work on the basis of 24/25 players in their squad. How and why do they think they’ll reinvent football and try to do this?
“You’re making the manager’s job virtually impossible with the group of players they’ve got.”
Richards similarly couldn’t believe what had been forthcoming from the Sterling camp. And he insisted that they “know exactly what they’re doing”.
“We’ve all been left out,” he said. “We’ve all wanted to put statements out… Raheem and his team know exactly what they’re doing.
“They’re trying to make noise. The thing is with Chelsea already, there’s noise around the club anyway. Everyone talks about the players, the ownership, can we even guess Chelsea’s starting eleven?
“Putting that statement out before the game is not good enough. I love Raheem as a player, really nice guy. But that doesn’t matter. We’re talking about the facts of today. That is not going to help your team-mates, or your case of getting back in the team.”
“We always talk about when managers come out and say things publicly about players, we say ‘oh he shouldn’t do that, it’s not good enough’.
“And now he’s come out and basically called his manager out and let his team-mates down. That’s my problem with it. I think he’s better than that, he knows it.”
“ Conor Gallagher could’ve talked about how he felt [being in Madrid for five days]. He remained professional. He could’ve put out a statement. The same with [Trevoh] Chalobah. Chelsea fans not happy with how he’s being treated. It’s the same for all of them. We love Raheem. But we have to be honest. Keep it in house.”
Sturridge added: “I have a lot of love and respect for Raheem Sterling.
"The timing isn’t great. It’s bad timing to be fair. But he will feel good enough to help Chelsea football club. I don’t agree with the message going out on the day of the game.
“But in my opinion, Raheem Sterling is a good enough player to be in the Chelsea squad.”
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