Responding to the bizarre line of questioning about his early withdrawal, the England international insisted he was physically ready for a heavier workload despite his restricted minutes. “Yeah, I felt good enough to continue but, of course, it’s the coach’s decision,” he explained regarding Van Persie’s call. Pressing the obvious point about wanting to keep playing, Sterling added: “Like every footballer does. Once you’re on the grass, you just want to be in the grass. But it’s understandable.”
Sterling’s move to Rotterdam hasn’t been without its detractors, but he has found a fierce ally in former Man City team-mate Jack Grealish. After a social media account mocked Sterling’s initial debut as a “nightmare” and compared him to “Bambi on ice,” the Everton loanee hit back. Grealish responded to the ‘stupid’ criticism with a passionate defence of his friend.
“What a f***ing stupid Instagram post man what’s wrong with you guys,” Grealish wrote in the comments section. “Guy hasn’t played or trained for so long. People like you guys is what [is] wrong with the world. Have some respect.” The support comes as Sterling continues to adapt to a new league following a frustrating end to his time at Stamford Bridge, where he was forced to train away from the first team.