Today, soccer has become the gigantic game and everyone expects every player to play every match comes to his way irrespective of his fitness and requirement of the rest. There have been countless controversies over when a club should rest its star players and when national team manager should use the players for national duties. Recently, the controversy again sparkled when Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers and England national team manager Roy Hodgson made a different point of views over player’s recovery and if they require training during this rehabilitation period. The recent hullabaloo belongs to Sterling, 19, who was selected for England Euro qualifier in Estonia last Sunday but could not play citing he was not fit. Still, England boss selected him and rested on the bench, yet he got a chance to fire a free kick which earned England the decisive goal of the game. Later, when Sterling revealed that he had informed Hodgson he is not fit, media shined the rising differences between Liverpool and English bosses.
Expectedly, 67-year-old rejected the criticism of using unfit players and said, “I’ve obviously read and listened to a lot of what has been said. He has been absolutely incredible for me and what has been nice to see is his maturity as a young man; he’s 19, a full international and he will hopefully be a key player for England and Liverpool for many years.
“This is a kid we bring up to be responsible and honest — lots of players will tell you they haven’t played when they haven’t felt right but this is a kid who didn’t say that. What he was saying was he felt tired. I’ve had it a number of times here with Raheem where he has been tired in his legs but he has gone on to play in games and be exceptional.”
Media linked the strategy used by national boss as against to Liverpool boss’ recent suggestion that players should take rest for two days after every game and Rodgers still affirms over his policy to use only fully fit players. What he added about this is “In terms of my methods, there’s probably one thing to clear up. I’ve seen a lot written about this second-day recovery. “I think a lot of people will be looking at that and thinking that on the second day, Liverpool players are sitting at home on the couch with their feet up watching Sky Sports, which is far from the truth.”