Media persecution of Raheem Sterling

[oldtimerdiscopants]

Saying a player who moved clubs won't make it isn't an unfounded criticism if it's based on footballing reasons though, and Barnes may well have had them. After all his last season with Liverpool was not outstanding and it took Pep's arrival and 18 months of incredibly hard work by player and coach to get Sterling to the POTY candidate he is now.

I think it's entirely possible that if we didn't get Guardiola in 2016, Sterling wouldn't have made it here. Look where he was after Euro 2016.

So that's why I can accept people saying things like he wouldn't make it, he's not worth the fee etc - especially Liverpool fans who are going to have red tinted glasses on. That's normal run of the mill footballing opinion that happens to players of all backgrounds.


It's when things go beyond football that it's unacceptable and feeds into the persecution in the media - anyone who uses words like greedy, mercenary etc to describe a player moving to a better club, or even goes into stereotypes like calling him another Aaron Lennon/Theo Walcott/ Andros Townsend.

I get what you are saying mate but Sterling was making a move up not a move down he had more chance of success not less with a move to City. I honestly believe he spoke as a Liverpool fan, he probably never understood that his view on Sterling at the time would help fuel the hate towards him specially from other scouse fans who listen to what he has to say.

For example when the dippers signed Chamberlain for £35 mill Barnes gushed saying he was a Klopp type of player, that didn't work out so well for the great pundit, Nostradamus was completely wrong about that. He speaks as a fan and I get that but if he'd have come out with just a "Wish the lad all the best" statement I believe Sterling would have recieved less flack because he would have been excused by one of their greats.

 

[MillionMilesAway]

I think Hamilton gets loads of positive attention from the Motor Racing media but you will know better. it’s way above any praise Raz gets outside of City apart from a handful of journalists in the football media. Hamilton may get the odd vitriolic condemnation from the non Motor Racing media but the Motor Racing Journos tend to tow the line, if they didn’t they would get no access to Hamilton’s team and that would be a disaster, the Sports Editors wouldn’t put up with that, would they?

I think it's a bit different as there aren't any top level other British drivers to focus on, leading to that last point of yours.

 

[domalino]

. As to Raheem's example of Tosin and Phil's buying houses, let's not forget that Rashford bought a house for his mum (and last time I looked he wasn't white) and he was celebrated for it. That confirms it is not 100% racism here.

This is wrong, and it's really important for people to understand this.

For there to be a racist element to something, not every single black player needs to be treated badly. Racism isn't always universally applied.


Sterling has had a narrative with racial undertones of being greedy and ungrateful constructed around him by the media (which his former club willingly played up during a contract stand-off) since he was 19, which then frames these articles about him. Rashford, luckily for him, has never had that big public contract dispute where his media image becomes the stereotype of the ungrateful uppity black man which changes the angle of these articles.

Rashford hasn't "stepped out of line" yet, so he's treated fine. Watch what happens if he starts enjoying his wealth publicly or tries to get as a big a contract as possible (like every player)

 

[mancity2012_eamo]

This is wrong, and it's really important for people to understand this.

For there to be a racist element to something, not every single black player needs to be treated badly. Racism isn't always universally applied.


Sterling has had a narrative with racial undertones of being greedy and ungrateful constructed around him by the media (which his former club willingly played up during a contract stand-off) since he was 19, which then frames these articles about him. Rashford, luckily for him, has never had that big public contract dispute where his media image becomes the stereotype of the ungrateful uppity black man which changes the angle of these articles.

Rashford hasn't "stepped out of line" yet, so he's treated fine. Watch what happens if he starts enjoying his wealth publicly or tries to get as a big a contract as possible (like every player)

I hear what you are saying Domalino, but other than wanting away from Liverpool, how has Sterling stepped out of line?
I'd argue the media have actively looked for reasons to malign him, where there are none, purely because it suits their audience. (Rags, Dippers and anyone who would like to see City put in their place.) The racist element of it is true however, but the leaving of Liverpool, as the song goes is what lit the fire.

 

[domalino]

I hear what you are saying Domalino, but other than wanting away from Liverpool, how has Sterling stepped out of line?
I'd argue the media have actively looked for reasons to malign him, where there are none, purely because it suits their audience. (Rags, Dippers and anyone who would like to see City put in their place.) The racist element of it is true however, but the leaving of Liverpool, as the song goes is what lit the fire.

The "it's because he left Liverpool" line so often repeated on Bluemoon simply doesn't hold weight, he was getting this long before he even thought about leaving. The Sun was claiming he had 8 kids when he was 18, they went mental because he got given a week off and went to Jamaica or when Hodgson rested him after he said he was feeling fatigued in training.

Liverpool played their part. They intentionally played up the "greedy ungrateful brat" image by using press conferences to attack him and refusing him the right of reply to tell his side in the 2015 contract dispute, but the tabloids had it in for him long before it could possibly have been motivated by appeasing a Liverpool supporting audience.

 

[IT and Me]

Good piece. http://www.sportbible.com/football/...at-reflects-the-true-raheem-sterling-20181210

 

[mancity2012_eamo]

The "it's because he left Liverpool" line so often repeated on Bluemoon simply doesn't hold weight, he was getting this long before he even thought about leaving. The Sun was claiming he had 8 kids when he was 18, they went mental because he got given a week off and went to Jamaica or when Hodgson rested him after he said he was feeling fatigued in training.

Liverpool played their part. They intentionally played up the "greedy ungrateful brat" image by using press conferences to attack him and refusing him the right of reply to tell his side in the 2015 contract dispute, but the tabloids had it in for him long before it could possibly have been motivated by appeasing a Liverpool supporting audience.

That's true and perhaps the gutter press is not quite as visible or transparent in these things here in Ireland. I never paid much attention when he was at Liverpool
1, because I don't read the gutter press and
2, it just wasn't prevelant on TV.... He was being praised more than not for being an up-and-coming part of their potent attack and augmenting the SAS.
But I think it was not as acceptable in the TV media until it was facilitated by the Liverpool Punditry mafia. That's when it got out of hand and he was abused at every ground the length and breadth of Britain. It really was open season in the tabloids then.

 

[Citizen in Pakistan]

The "it's because he left Liverpool" line so often repeated on Bluemoon simply doesn't hold weight, he was getting this long before he even thought about leaving. The Sun was claiming he had 8 kids when he was 18, they went mental because he got given a week off and went to Jamaica or when Hodgson rested him after he said he was feeling fatigued in training.

Liverpool played their part. They intentionally played up the "greedy ungrateful brat" image by using press conferences to attack him and refusing him the right of reply to tell his side in the 2015 contract dispute, but the tabloids had it in for him long before it could possibly have been motivated by appeasing a Liverpool supporting audience.

Correct but It severely intensified after his move to city which led to him getting booed on nearly every away ground as media portrayed him as a national villan for leaving pool.

 

[bluealf]

Has a bling jet, messing about with various supermodels and is arrogant because he is spending his hard-earned fortune investing in his love of rap music and fashion.

Sound familiar?

Is this a clue to our new summer signing? No doubt he wouldn't sign anyway :(

 

[Neville Kneville]

The "it's because he left Liverpool" line so often repeated on Bluemoon simply doesn't hold weight, he was getting this long before he even thought about leaving. The Sun was claiming he had 8 kids when he was 18, they went mental because he got given a week off and went to Jamaica or when Hodgson rested him after he said he was feeling fatigued in training.

Liverpool played their part. They intentionally played up the "greedy ungrateful brat" image by using press conferences to attack him and refusing him the right of reply to tell his side in the 2015 contract dispute, but the tabloids had it in for him long before it could possibly have been motivated by appeasing a Liverpool supporting audience.

The fact he left Liverpool, means that they now have a bigger audience to aim their thinly disgused racist stories at & therefore get even more clicks.