Brendan Rodgers denies Raheem Sterling refused to start for England
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Version 0 of 1. Brendan Rodgers has rejected claims that he put pressure on Roy Hodgson not to start Raheem Sterling in England’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Estonia. Liverpool’s manager stated that the young forward had been “hung out to dry” and that there was no club versus country row brewing following the incident. Sterling was a substitute in Tallinn last Sunday, with Hodgson explaining after the 1-0 victory that the 19-year-old had told him he was feeling tired. There have been suggestions Liverpool wanted Sterling to rest after starting against San Marino the previous Thursday but Rodgers insisted the player was merely fatigued. “At no point did Raheem Sterling say he didn’t want to play for England,” Rodgers told the Independent. “The boy is being hung out to dry and I dare say the criticism will continue for a few more weeks to come because of this.” Rodgers described the omission of Sterling as a “managerial decision” by Hodgson and said he had left Sterling on the bench previously in similar circumstances. “Let me tell you, there have been at least five occasions in the past when Raheem has said he felt tired before games but he’s never refused to play,” said Rodgers. “We have taken on board what he has said and taken a decision accordingly. I rested him against Aston Villa and we lost the game. But it was our decision to do so – and our decision alone. Last season he said he felt tired before the Manchester City game. We won 3-2 and he put in a man-of-the-match performance.” Rodgers’ comments put the spotlight back on his relationship with Hodgson, which has come under intense scrutiny. The pair have clashed over suggestions by Rodgers that England were to blame for a thigh injury sustained by Daniel Sturridge and Hodgson has queried Liverpool’s two-day post-match recovery programme. Rodgers heavily criticised the reporting surrounding Sterling. Hodgson never specified that Sterling had refused to play, though he said the teenager approached him during training the day before the Estonia match Sterling would reportedly be happy to play for England’s Under-21s at their European Championship finals next summer if Liverpool reach agreement with the FA. |