Sports
‘The Hated One’ to ‘The Special One’: How Raheem Sterling has altered his image at Man City
‘The Hated One’.
No, not the latest offering from Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, who has morphed down the years from ‘The Special One’ to ‘The Happy One’and now seemingly ‘The Moody One’.
Instead, the moniker above was bestowed upon himself by Raheem Sterling in the summer of 2016.
Having made few friends when forcing a move away from Liverpool in 2015, and then done little to endear himself to the Manchester City faithful during a largely forgettable debut campaign at the Etihad Stadium, the jet-heeled winger became public enemy No. 1 in England on the back of a disastrous showing at the last European Championship.
Well, maybe enemy No. 2. Joe Hart probably wrapped up top spot on that particular chart with his antics against Iceland.
Whatever his standing, Sterling was definitely not flavour of the month, with England supporters taking to booing their own player during a scrappy 2-1 victory over Wales in Lens.
Having anointed himself ‘The Hated One’ on social media, the 23-year-old would later admit to that period being “the most difficult time” in what has already been a career of wild fluctuations between the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.
More inconsistent showings were to follow, though, and a year on from his frustration in France, it was suggested that City may be prepared to cut their losses on a £44 million asset and trade him in as part of a deal to lure Alexis Sanchez away from Arsenal.
Pep Guardiola sought to quickly quash those rumours, saying: “No chance. Zero chance. Not one per cent chance we will swap Raz because I trust a lot in him.”
Sterling claims to have had no “negative thoughts” during that saga, with the supportive words of his manager enough to convince him that he would have a role to play in 2017-18 as part of a star-studded City side.
And what a role he has played .
A red card for over-celebrating the most dramatic of winners against Bournemouth in August offered an early bump in the road but by the midway point of the season, Sterling was flying.
In 19 Premier League games prior to the turn of the calendar year, 13 goals had been scored (boasting a conversion rate of 35.14), four assists recorded and 30 chances created (at an average of 1.6 per game).
In 2018, Sterling’s output has shifted somewhat, with his game having become more about creativity and less about providing the finishing touch – although not entirely through choice.
Over the second half of a title-winning campaign, assist figures have been raised to seven – in just 12 outings – while creating a further 24 opportunities for grateful team-mates (2 per game).
There has been a noticeable dip in the goalscoring department, with the target found five times amid a run which has seen Sterling’s conversion rate slump to 16.67 and seven ‘big chances’ squandered – with a derby defeat to Manchester United at the Etihad proving to be particularly wasteful.
He is, however, aware of his faults , admitting to Sky Sports : “Of course, people see it and my problem is that when I have too much time to think that’s when I mess up a lot. If it’s more instinctive with less time to think I am much better. If it’s through on goal and I have too much time to think I try to over-complicate things. That’s when I do mess up at times. I have full confidence in myself and believe I will get it right in a matter of time.”
A nomination for the PFA Young Player of the Year award suggests that a few chinks in the armour are being forgiven, with Sterling’s most recent outing seeing him provide three assists in a Man of the Match showing against West Ham – the first time in his career that he has achieved such a feat.
He has also become the second man – after Leroy Sane in the same meeting with the Hammers – to record 10+ goals and assists across a solitary Premier League season. Not bad when you consider the calibre of talent that City have at their disposal, and have had down the years.
And the most exciting thing is, there is the promise of more to come, especially when taking into account his continued ‘either or’ output when it comes to goals and assists.
Former England coach Gary Neville told Sky Sports when selecting the most illustrious of role models: “[Cristiano] Ronaldo, when he first joined United, wasn’t a free-kick taker, he wasn’t a corner taker, he wasn’t good from a deadball, he wasn’t a great ‘kicker.’ Raheem Sterling, isn’t a great ‘kicker’ of a ball. Could he put a corner on the six-yard box, whipped in every time? No. The answer is no.
“Ronaldo couldn’t do this at 18, 19, 20 either, it’s not a criticism, it’s a question of development. Can Sterling get to those Ronaldo or [Thierry] Henry levels? That’s debatable, because they’re two of the great players but that’s the challenge.”
Sterling may never be ‘The Popular One’, but then neither is Ronaldo.
He has, however, successfully shaken ‘The Hated One’ tag – at least outside of the red half of Merseyside – and can complete his road to redemption when back in the colours of England at this summer’s World Cup finals in Russia.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the appointment of German tactician Bruno Labbadia as the new Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National Team, the Super Eagles.
This development was announced by the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, in the early hours of Tuesday, following the approval of the NFF Executive Committee based on a recommendation from its Technical and Development Sub-Committee. Labbadia’s appointment takes immediate effect.
Born on 8th February 1966 in Darmstadt, Germany, Labbadia enjoyed a distinguished playing career, earning two caps for the German national team. His club career included stints at prominent clubs such as Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Arminia Bielefeld, and Karlsruher SC. Notably, he won the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 1994.
Labbadia’s coaching career has seen him manage top-tier clubs such as Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, and Bayer Leverkusen, among others. He holds a UEFA Pro License and is well-regarded for his tactical acumen.
With his appointment, Labbadia becomes the sixth German to lead the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts, and Gernot Rohr. Höner notably guided the Super Eagles to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Rohr qualified Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Labbadia’s immediate task is to prepare the Super Eagles for their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches.
Nigeria will face Benin Republic on Saturday, 7th September in Uyo, and Rwanda on Tuesday, 10th September in Kigali. The team will also play four additional qualifying matches in October and November as they aim to secure a spot in the 2025 AFCON, scheduled to be held from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
The Super Eagles, placed in Group D, will face familiar foes Benin Republic, who recently defeated Nigeria in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The draw for the AFCON qualifiers, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, last month, also sees Nigeria taking on Libya and Rwanda, both of whom are also part of the Super Eagles’ group for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers set to be hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Labbadia’s appointment comes at a crucial time as the Super Eagles look to regain their dominance on the African continent and secure qualification for both the AFCON and the World Cup.
Finidi George has stepped into a new role as the technical manager for NPFL side, Rivers United, following his resignation as coach of the Super Eagles.
During his brief tenure with the Eagles, George’s 1-1 draw against South Africa in Uyo and a 2-1 loss to Benin Republic in Abidjan cast doubts on Nigeria’s World Cup qualification, prompting calls from fans for his dismissal.
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Nevertheless, Rivers United, the 2021-22 champions, expressed optimism in a statement on Wednesday via their official handle about having the former Eagles international manage their team.
“Finidi brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our team, having had a distinguished playing career spanning over fifteen years,” the statement read.
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Dr. Okey Kpalukwu, General Manager of Rivers United FC, welcomed George, stating, “We are delighted to have Finidi George join our team. His appointment marks a new chapter in our club’s history, and we are committed to working together to achieve success.”
Expressing his gratitude to the club, an elated George remarked, “I am honored to have this opportunity, and I thank the Sports Commissioner, the General Manager, and the supporters for their confidence in me. I am committed to working hard and making the team win.”
Inter Milan were taken over by US fund Oaktree on Wednesday after the Serie A champions’ outgoing owners Suning missed a deadline to repay a debt worth hundred of millions of euros.
In a statement, Oaktree announced they had “assumed control” of Inter after the non-repayment of a “three-year loan to Inter Milan’s holding companies that matured on 21 May 2024 with a total balance due of approximately 395 million euros ($428 million)”.
Chinese conglomerate Suning have relinquished control of Inter to Oaktree three days after the team were officially crowned Italian champions for the 20th time.
Suning borrowed 275 million euros at over 12 percent interest three years ago to pay staff and players as the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the finances of clubs across Europe, putting up their controlling stake in the club as collateral.
“Oaktree is dedicated to achieving the best outcome for the long-term prosperity of Inter Milan, with an initial focus on operational and financial stability for the Club and its stakeholders,” Oaktree continued.
Inter became a powerful force at home and abroad after Suning acquired the club in 2016, with seven trophies including two Serie A titles and two European finals.
Simone Inzaghi’s team cruised to this year’s championship, winning the Scudetto with five matches remaining by beating AC Milan in a thrilling local derby.
Oaktree, which manages $192 billion in assets, said they are “committed to working closely with Inter Milan’s current management team, partners, the league and governing bodies to ensure the Club is positioned for success on and off the pitch”.
Inter ended up in the hands of Oaktree in a manner similar to the way another US fund, Elliott Management, took control of their local rivals Milan in 2018.
Elliott became Milan’s owners when Chinese businessman Li Yonghong was unable to repay a loan he had taken out when he bought the club from the late Silvio Berlusconi’s Fininvest the previous year.
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