Raheem Sterling and the media: A Race Issue?

CSF

http://www.joe.co.uk/sport/we-need-to-talk-about-raheem-sterling/70406

From the British equivalent of Joe.ie (and about a million times more articulate than all of them combined) an article from what I think is a lower division player about the Raheem Sterling treatment in the media.

A lot of interesting issues in it that I never really thought of previously, in how we're conditioned to view black players, the adjectives used to describe black players relative to white etc?

What do people think? A real issue or an issue being blown out of proportion?

mcgovern

CSF wrote: »

http://www.joe.co.uk/sport/we-need-to-talk-about-raheem-sterling/70406

From the British equivalent of Joe.ie (and about a million times more articulate than all of them combined) an article from what I think is a lower division player about the Raheem Sterling treatment in the media.

A lot of interesting issues in it that I never really thought of previously, in how we're conditioned to view black players, the adjectives used to describe black players relative to white etc?

What do people think? A real issue or an issue being blown out of proportion?

Funny, there are no articles about Sturridge, Clyne, Smalling, Rose, Walker, Bertrand, Alli, Rashford... it's almost as if it has nothing to do with race at all.

CSF

mcgovern wrote: »

Funny, there are no articles about Sturridge, Clyne, Smalling, Rose, Walker, Bertrand, Alli, Rashford... it's almost as if it has nothing to do with race at all.

The article doesn't just discuss Sterling though does it? Loads of black players are mentioned. None of the ones you quoted, fair enough, but it can't reference every single player.

MD1990

Don't think Sterling situation is anything to do with race.

But the points made about black players is general is correct in that they are usually complimented for there physical attributes rather than technical for eg Yaya Toure is his prime. Also the lack of black managers shows there is a huge problem.

CSF

What is the Sterling situation though? Sometimes it's difficult to tell. Just that he left Liverpool for a really big fee without necessarily having the talent to justify that fee?

GLaDOS

That piece comes across as very bitter and emotive. Hard to take it seriously as an objective analysis of criticism of Sterling. If the player himself has suffered racism, that's obviously deplorable, but doesn't mean it's the of cause of anything negative said about another black player.

I do think Sterling has come in for some over-the-top criticism, but I'd put that down mostly to the fact he's pissed of Liverpool supporters, and in general a lot of fans disagreed with his "money grabbing" move. Add in stuff like the whole snapchat thing and he's an easy target for the press.

brianregan09

A race is about the only thing Sterling would win ....rubbish footballer who's got along on very little actual ability just a speed merchant like Walcott

Nothing at all to do with the colour of his skin ridiculous statement ,

Harry Palmr

Barney Ronay in the guardian cashing in on this angle as well to a degree

Lovely Bloke

We are never afforded the grace to pair with another man of the same skin in defence - two black centre backs leave you prone to brain farts they say.

I've never, ever heard this.

In fact,in the Ferdinand/Vidic partnership Rio was always lauded as the "intelligent ball playing" centre half, while Vidic was the "animal" tackler and gung ho, put your head anywhere merchant.

Similarly, in the Chelsea defence of the same era, the "immigrant" Carvalho was the grace to Terry's grunt.

Black players are said to are too selfish to play up front together. We’re stroppy and arrogant and disrespectful to authority.

Piss off tbh. Yorke & Cole say fúck off.

We disappear over the winter months because "we're not built for it"

That's actually levelled at Spanish players too, in fact, any players perceived to be from warmer climes. Could Messi do it on a cold night in Stoke?

but there is a toxic edge to when someone critisises him calling him “Boy”. Listen for it.

The phrase "the boy done good" is used about ALL players, young or old, black or white.

This guy is making stuff up that isn't there, and when he starts outright lying it's impossible to take anything he says seriously,.

He is doing a dis-service to the actual race problems in the game.

I disagree that joe.co.uk is "a million times more articulate than" the Irish equivalent, on the basis of that article, it's about the same.

Clickbait nonsense.

GLaDOS

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

In fact,in the Ferdinand/Vidic partnership Rio was always lauded as the "intelligent ball playing" centre half, while Vidic was the "animal" tackler and gung ho, put your head anywhere merchant.

Was thinking this myself, seeing as how be brought up Ferdinand himself.

Harry Palmr

The reason Sterling gets it in the neck right now is because he is emblematic of a whole generation of spoilt-brat players who are millionaires at 20, are cosseted by their clubs to within an inch of their lives and who consequently seems quite apart from the supporters, who predictably rail against same when the national team comes home early having played like drains.

Sterling the man is an easier target than others in that he clearly puts money over many other things in life, has a record as a bit of a bad boy (this was true when growing up in London as well as off the field at Liverpool where he came to the police's attention twice in about a year) and yes agitated like **** to leave one club for another with the help of Aidy Ward.

Arghus

I think it's more of a class issue than a race issue when it comes to how high profile English players are perceived by the media. But that can be an even more complex discussion than race...

I think Sterling gets a lot of flack in the media because of how much he was been built up to be England's next footballing superstar. Some of his disastrous PR and erratic form over the last 18 months have made it far easier for the papers et all to give him a kicking.

There's some truth in the article: there can be barely hidden codified racism in how players are described sometimes, but I think it's less of an issue than he thinks and I don't think it's the primary cause of Sterling's media troubles.

thebaz

I'm still in shock of last weeks result & the real growth of the Right in England - but don't think criticism here has anything to do with Racism - think he is being guided poorly & should have stayed at Liverpool - not his fault that City paid so much for him , when he can barely cross a ball - the best players in Britain now are black , and this will continue , better athletes , doesn't mean they can't be criticised cause of ther colour. Most people agree the one shining light for England was Rashford - and Joe Hart too picked up some criticism

SureYWouldntYa

I think the abuse he's got is because Liverpool are the media darling club in Britain, and he dared to leave them

Ever since he said he wanted to leave Liverpool for a bigger club last summer he got abuse from every sector of the media

There'll always be a witch hunt for him, the media is heavily influenced by ex Liverpool players

Harry Palmr

thebaz wrote: »

I'm still in shock of last weeks result & the real growth of the Right in England - but don't think criticism here has anything to do with Racism - think he is being guided poorly & should have stayed at Liverpool - not his fault that City paid so much for him , when he can barely cross a ball - the best players in Britain now are black , and this will continue , better athletes , doesn't mean they can't be criticised cause of ther colour.

*Racial sterotype alert*

ricero

SureYWouldntYa wrote: »

I think the abuse he's got is because Liverpool are the media darling club in Britain, and he dared to leave them

Ever since he said he wanted to leave Liverpool for a bigger club last summer he got abuse from every sector of the media

There'll always be a witch hunt for him, the media is heavily influenced by ex Liverpool players

thebaz

Harry Palmr wrote: »

*Racial sterotype alert*

read my first sentence - I've spent the week getting abuse of real Right wingers on my twitter

CSF

I probably chose my thread title badly, the article is about way more than just Sterling. On the Sterling aspect alone, do I think it's strange that Sterling gets treatment that perhaps Vincent Kompany or Wes Morgan right now? Absolutely not. I think the negative media sentiment is largely reserved for guys who dress a certain way and do their hair a certain way.

Largely I fail to see what Sterling has done to be the subject of vitriol from so many, unless you blame him for his transfer fee. If you're a Liverpool fan, it's normal for people to dislike players who leave your team but Suarez, Mascherano and Alonso all left to have a better chance of winning trophies and nobody minded too much, I think they're remembered fondly. Sterling is younger and has proven a lot less but it's not his fault City wanted him is it? Milner, Navas, Silva, Aguero were able to go there, presumably more for the financial package on offer than City's historical prestige, and escaped this.

I don't agree with everything in the article (the boy done good in particular) but there's more right than there is wrong IMO.

Washington Irving

SureYWouldntYa wrote: »

I think the abuse he's got is because Liverpool are the media darling club in Britain, and he dared to leave them

Ever since he said he wanted to leave Liverpool for a bigger club last summer he got abuse from every sector of the media

There'll always be a witch hunt for him, the media is heavily influenced by ex Liverpool players

Dirty Dingus McGee

Seems a ridiculous article where he's bringing up points solely to suit his story.

Didn't Wayne Rooney get loads of criticism for daring to look out for himself and get the most money he could from Manchester Utd.

He complains about black players being described as beast or animals as if it is a bad thing when it is usually said as a way of complementing how physically imposing some players are.

I'm pretty sure Kante was praised for his reading of the game along with Makelele before him who was always described as an intelligent players.

Maybe Sterling gets criticism because he happens to have under performed and him being black is just a coincidence.

jayo26

Just someone looking for attention in my opinion.

Simple fact is the English media are trash they have to blame someone make them a scapegoat and this year it is sterling's turn.

2006 it was Rooney he was vilified for lashing out and Ronaldo was vilified for winking but it wasn't England's fault.

1998 it was David Beckham they tried to destroy him they reported stuff about him and his family that should never of been wrote.

Rooney seemingly disrespected working folk in England for going on a holiday yesterday what a load of crap.

Agent Coulson

thebaz wrote: »

read my first sentence - I've spent the week getting abuse of real Right wingers on my twitter

And I bet you most of them would have done a better job on the right wing for England than Sterling did in the Euro's.

bucketybuck

MD1990 wrote: »

But the points made about black players is general is correct in that they are usually complimented for there physical attributes rather than technical for eg Yaya Toure is his prime.

What utter rubbish. Toure's physicality got commented upon because he was in fact a physical specimen, that was a defining attribute and it had nothing to do with race.

More to the point, have you already forgotten players like Okocha, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Eto, Thierry Henry, Ronaldo, Ferdinand, Cole and many many more. All lauded as world class for their technical ability, and I don't recall any overuse of the word "physical" when people talked about some guy called "Pele".

That people like Toure or Drogba are big and strong does not mean black people only get complimented for their physicality. Such drivel in that article and this thread.

Ben Gadot

Well he made me think about my use of the term beast.

Then again, I always appreciated Yaya immensely for his technical skill and often described him as the complete midfielder, so he can fack off.

I agree with the poster who said England just pick a scapegoat when things go to pot. It was Beckham and Rooney before, now it's Sterling.

Finally, no surprise to see who ran the front page story about his mother's house.

RainMakerToo

Sterling's biggest problem is that a lot of his media appearances had nothing to do with football.
He is seen a a young player with huge potential who appears to be wasting it by preferring to go inhaling laughing gas with his mates than perhaps work on the areas of his game that need obvious attention. Poor finishing has been a problem for years and hasn't gotten any better so that itself implies he hasn't been working on it.

Add in the fact he made a lot of money from a huge transfer and huge wages and obviously there will be some jealousy too. I'm not convinced any of the reasons he gets abuse is purely down to race though.

Ulysses Gaze

SureYWouldntYa wrote: »

I think the abuse he's got is because Liverpool are the media darling club in Britain, and he dared to leave them

Ever since he said he wanted to leave Liverpool for a bigger club last summer he got abuse from every sector of the media

There'll always be a witch hunt for him, the media is heavily influenced by ex Liverpool players

WarZ

This sounds weird but I've noticed that players from Tottenham and Manchester United always seem to be (more or less) immune to criticism for England but players from other clubs like Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea seem to get dogs abuse.

Francie Barrett

I am amazed that anyone has tried to turn Raheem Sterling into a race issue.

I am a Liverpool fan who has watched him since he lit up our club as a kid. I watched him as a teenage who broke into the Liverpool senior team as a teenager. He certainly had troubles with us as a kid, but I genuinely think that Brendan Rodgers provoked a wonderful response from him. At some point, his fame proceeded his actual ability, and Man City stepped in and threw a wad of cash at him and his agent. Naturally, he moved. Personally, I think he should have stayed with us. Under Brendan (and I am sure under Jurgen) he would have had an ally that would have been on his side, getting the best out of him. Instead, he moved to a faceless money grabbing club, which just happened to benefit his agent, a certain Aidy Ward, a person our club will never associate with again.

ceegee

WarZ wrote: »

This sounds weird but I've noticed that players from Tottenham and Manchester United always seem to be (more or less) immune to criticism for England but players from other clubs like Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea seem to get dogs abuse.

Also, Kane and Rooney were getting plenty of stick after the Iceland match

Francie Barrett

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Instead, he moved to a faceless money grabbing club, which just happened to benefit his agent, a certain Aidy Ward, a person our club will never associate with again.

Oh purleese.

The English club you picked is lovely? The crowd who bought one of your best players are "faceless" (whatever that even means) and "money grabbers" (I would have thought stinginess is the LAST thing you could say about Man City).

Either way the use of language in describing black players could be an interesting topic, but he just doesn't pick out good examples or ones that can't be explained. I would have thought the dearth of black coaches or managers might be a more interesting angle.

stephenl15

I think it's crazy and short sighted to say Raheem Sterling has very little talent or is "rubbish". He clearly has fantastic ability, one bad season and he's all of a sudden crap. Now that IS rubbish but an opinion many seem to have. The guy is 21 for Gods sake. As far as it being a race issue, I think that's just attention seeking on the authors part and pretty ridiculous. More down to his flash image, perceived bad attitude, high transfer fee and media hype making him an easy target than anything else.

Gbear

Sterling has always been apalling in front of goal.
That has to be something you accept before you judge him.

There's no point on giving out about how your target man doesn't have blistering pace.

What Sterling has, is pace, strength, balance, vision and quite a good brain. He's not the Messi everyone in England wanted him to be. It's hard to argue he's worth £50m right now.
There's still a hell of a player in there though.

I'd hardly judge him based on what a cretin like Roy Hodgson made of him, and despite City being awful this season, he ultimately had a successful season on a personal level, with as far as I know, his best returns for goals/assists ever and a trophy to boot.

Liverpool fans delight in attacking him because they're bitter and most are happy to jump on him because everyone's jealous of being a made man at 21 so they're easy to whip up into a frenzy by scumbag tabloids every time something like this happens.

There's no race thing. That's just bollocks. It aways happens to whoever happens to be a convenient scapegoat when England inevitably fail.

Benimar

stephenl15 wrote: »

I think it's crazy and short sighted to say Raheem Sterling has very little talent or is "rubbish". He clearly has fantastic ability, one bad season and he's all of a sudden crap. Now that IS rubbish but an opinion many seem to have. The guy is 21 for Gods sake. As far as it being a race issue, I think that's just attention seeking on the authors part and pretty ridiculous. More down to his flash image, perceived bad attitude, high transfer fee and media hype making him an easy target than anything else.

He hasn't had one bad season though, he's had one good season. In November 2013 Liverpool lost to Hull, Sterling stunk the place out and there was serious worry that he wouldn't kick on. Many Liverpool fans could see a scenario where we sold him at the end of the 13/14 season.

All of a sudden he started to perform and from December 2013 to February 2015 he was playing at a very high level, and was essential to Liverpool. Then the contract talks kicked in and his form fell off a cliff.

He hasn't had a good 15/16, ending the season on Man City's bench while their other high profile signing, DeBruyne played every minute he was fit.

Maybe he can regain top form, but he's only really shown that for 14 months of the last 3 seasons.

I dislike him for the way he went about his business, not for who he joined, the money he earns and certainly not his skin colour.

As others have said the race thing is horsesh1t.

Iused2likebusts

He hasn't kicked on at all in the past 12 months despite getting to play with better players. He still can't cross a ball and his technique when it comes to shooting is laughable for an England international. He had a great 6 months with Liverpool but you would wonder how much of that was down to the space suarez was creating for him.
It's nothing to do with race.

Beefy78

I think the article goes a little nuts when it starts to talk about the animal comparisons and the attributes that black and white players are supposedly perceived to have on the field. I don't agree with the arguments put forward or the evidence in their support.

But the stuff about money...? Absolutely. I've said it before on here when the stories about Raheem were brought up last year. It's mainly the black players who are accused of being greedy. Sterling moved from a mid-table side to a title contender. Had he been white there'd have been no more to it than that but he's black so he's greedy and a money-grabber. Go back a few years and contrast Ashley Cole's contract disagreements with Arsenal with both Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney blackmailing their clubs for an extra seventy grand a week. Cole is black and therefore he is less deserving of the money was the clear narrative.

Gbear

Beefy78 wrote: »

I think the article goes a little nuts when it starts to talk about the animal comparisons and the attributes that black and white players are supposedly perceived to have on the field. I don't agree with the arguments put forward or the evidence in their support.

But the stuff about money...? Absolutely. I've said it before on here when the stories about Raheem were brought up last year. It's mainly the black players who are accused of being greedy. Sterling moved from a mid-table side to a title contender. Had he been white there'd have been no more to it than that but he's black so he's greedy and a money-grabber. Go back a few years and contrast Ashley Cole's contract disagreements with Arsenal with both Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney blackmailing their clubs for an extra seventy grand a week. Cole is black and therefore he is less deserving of the money was the clear narrative.

Rooney and Gerrard didn't leave and if they had you can be absolutely certain that they would've been crucified by their fanbases for "greed".

Utter bollocks that it's a race thing. Players are given grief for being greedy all the time irrespective of their skin colour.

Dempsey

Because one scenario describes a club holding onto their star player and the other describes players leaving the clubs that developed them for clubs supported by wealthy benefactors?

Icaras

Beefy78 wrote: »

But the stuff about money...? Absolutely. I've said it before on here when the stories about Raheem were brought up last year. It's mainly the black players who are accused of being greedy. Sterling moved from a mid-table side to a title contender. Had he been white there'd have been no more to it than that but he's black so he's greedy and a money-grabber. Go back a few years and contrast Ashley Cole's contract disagreements with Arsenal with both Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney blackmailing their clubs for an extra seventy grand a week. Cole is black and therefore he is less deserving of the money was the clear narrative.

I havent read the artical but didnt he do an interview a few weeks before saying he was a footballer and want to focuse on playing football and playing is the only thing that matters and then signs with a "rival" team? I think that caused a lot of bitterness from fans and hes seen as being another mercenary footballer.

Paully D

Francie Barrett wrote: »

I am amazed that anyone has tried to turn Raheem Sterling into a race issue.

I am a Liverpool fan who has watched him since he lit up our club as a kid. I watched him as a teenage who broke into the Liverpool senior team as a teenager. He certainly had troubles with us as a kid, but I genuinely think that Brendan Rodgers provoked a wonderful response from him. At some point, his fame proceeded his actual ability, and Man City stepped in and threw a wad of cash at him and his agent. Naturally, he moved. Personally, I think he should have stayed with us. Under Brendan (and I am sure under Jurgen) he would have had an ally that would have been on his side, getting the best out of him. Instead, he moved to a faceless money grabbing club, which just happened to benefit his agent, a certain Aidy Ward, a person our club will never associate with again.

Manchester City were averaging almost 30,000 about 15 years ago in what is now League 1. Sure, they were lucky that their owners decided to choose them to invest in and it has invoked a lot of jealously across the board, especially among fans of clubs who City have now leapfrogged into the elite as a result, but they are anything but a faceless club.

It wasn't only due to money that he moved. It played a part, sure, but he moved because along with that, he was getting the opportunity to join a side who are challenging for honours year in, year out.

jayo26

Paully D wrote: »

Manchester City were averaging almost 30,000 about 15 years ago in what is now League 1. Sure, they were lucky that their owners decided to choose them to invest in and it has invoked a lot of jealously across the board, especially among fans of clubs who City have now leapfrogged into the elite as a result, but they are anything but a faceless club.

It wasn't only due to money that he moved. It played a part, sure, but he moved because along with that, he was getting the opportunity to join a side who are challenging for honours year in, year out.

Just saying but two premier league titles and league cups do not make ye an elite club. Yes city are well run and have a great structure but that's all ye have at the moment.

Elite clubs have the trophies they have the fan base they have the stadium they have the infrastructure they have the world wide identity, I'd say Liverpool are as much of an elite club as city.

CSF

jayo26 wrote: »

Just saying but two premier league titles and league cups do not make ye an elite club. Yes city are well run and have a great structure but that's all ye have at the moment.

Elite clubs have the trophies they have the fan base they have the stadium they have the infrastructure they have the world wide identity, I'd say Liverpool are as much of an elite club as city.

Paully D is a Sunderland fan. Not really on topic but it's a delusional argument. You can't finish where Liverpool have been and call yourself an elite club. Liverpool are a club with a great history but Man City are a much better place for any player to be right now.

jayo26

CSF wrote: »

Paully D is a Sunderland fan. Not really on topic but it's a delusional argument. You can't finish where Liverpool have been and call yourself an elite club. Liverpool are a club with a great history but Man City are a much better place for any player to be right now.

That's true but until 7 year ago city were finishing lower then them consistently and you can't become an elite club overnight.

Yeh city might be a better place right now but that wouldn't be hard the way Liverpool have been finishing.

PeterTheEighth

I think the only problem that people have with Sterling is that he took the money to sit on the bench at City instead of earning his wings with a few more years at Liverpool. And the way him and his agent handled the whole thing at Liverpool, like a spoilt brat "I want MORE money".

The fact that he was even on the England team though, has to be put down to Hodgson alone, as Sterling certainly didnt play his way into the team. It probably wasnt even fair to bring him, KNOWING the abuse he would get for not really deserving to be there.

CSF

jayo26 wrote: »

That's true but until 7 year ago city were finishing lower then them consistently and you can't become an elite club overnight.

Yeh city might be a better place right now but that wouldn't be hard the way Liverpool have been finishing.

7 years is an exceptionally long time in football.

jayo26

CSF wrote: »

7 years is an exceptionally long time in football.

Let's not derail the thread sorry..

Dempsey

Depends on your definitions.

Id consider Liverpool a big club but they are not an elite club at the moment. Elite clubs can hold onto their best players for longer than they have to start with

Sterling has the game to be a top player in England.

This season will tell a lot. He'll need to improve or city won't hang on to him

Gbear

PeterTheEighth wrote: »

I think the only problem that people have with Sterling is that he took the money to sit on the bench at City instead of earning his wings with a few more years at Liverpool. And the way him and his agent handled the whole thing at Liverpool, like a spoilt brat "I want MORE money".

The fact that he was even on the England team though, has to be put down to Hodgson alone, as Sterling certainly didnt play his way into the team. It probably wasnt even fair to bring him, KNOWING the abuse he would get for not really deserving to be there.

Sit on the bench?

People have this notion about Sterling that he's not getting his game or couldn't buy a goal last season.

He made 47 appearances last season, scored 11 and got 10 assists.
How many players his age in the world can say that?
How many players of any sort in the league can match that?

All that's happening is that there are absurd expectations being placed on him.
He's doing fine. In fact, for a player his age, he's doing amazing.
I'd say there's about a dozen players in the past 20 years who've contributed what he has at this age.

Of course he's going to have ups and downs. That's entirely to be expected at his age. And nobody ever said he was a world class finisher, so why are they surprised with him missing chances if he's bad at that anyway and low on confidence with an insane amount of pressure being put on him?

That might mean he shouldn't have been starting for England, mind you, but it's not like any other options were appearing and it's not as if their manager had the vaguest idea what he was doing.

This entire narrative is a fiction invented by tabloid scum and moronic fans who have no sense of perspective.

JinkyJackson

Elite clubs: Real Madrid
Barcelona
Bayern Munich
Manchester United