Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling made his first appearance for Robin van Persie’s Feyenoord team against Telstar, but struggled to make a significant impact. The former Chelsea and England international, who has been training alone for months in west London, faced criticism on social media for his subdued performance. Despite the backlash, Sterling’s teammate Jack Grealish came to his defense, highlighting the challenges Sterling has faced in regaining match fitness.
Jack Grealish said: “What a f***ing stupid Instagram post. Man, what’s wrong with you guys? [The] Guy hasn’t played or trained for so long. People like you guys are what’s wrong with the world. Have some respect.”
Sterling’s return to the pitch was marked by his substitution in Feyenoord’s 2-1 victory, with Anis Hadj-Moussa scoring twice. Van Persie, the former Arsenal and Manchester United striker, provided insight into Sterling’s current condition and the team’s approach to his reintegration.
Robin van Persie said: “Raheem trained last Tuesday, for the first time with the group. That was his first time in a group in several months. When you see the choices he makes in small moments, how quickly he thinks and switches, you see that other players also see it and respond to it. That’s how it works. You also want to show each other that you’re good too. That was evident in those training sessions. In my opinion, he’s a player of exceptional quality. He showed that in those training sessions. I enjoyed seeing that, and so did his teammates.”
Van Persie acknowledged the need for patience as Sterling works towards full match fitness. He emphasized the importance of careful management to ensure Sterling’s gradual return to playing 90 minutes.
Van Persie added: “How match-fit are you after not playing for six months? It depends on how he gets through tomorrow. That looks positive. But we have to be careful with him. We’ll talk to Raheem about that. He needs some time to be able to play 90 minutes. That won’t be Sunday and it won’t be next week either. But we’ll try to get there as soon as possible.”
Sterling’s journey back to full fitness is a testament to the challenges players face after prolonged periods away from competitive football. As he continues to train with Feyenoord, the focus remains on building his match fitness step by step. The support from his teammates and management will be crucial in his return to form. Meanwhile, Sky Sports has announced an increase in live Premier League game broadcasts, promising at least 215 matches this season.
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