Jamie O’Hara and Jason Cundy have criticised England boss Gareth Southgate for his treatment of Chelsea player Raheem Sterling.
According to both talkSPORT pundits, Southgate made a really odd decision to play the Chelsea attacker in England’s defeat to France last week in a World Cup quarter-final.
Sterling, who started the World Cup in good touch with a goal against Iran, had to leave Qatar mid-tournament to fly home for personal reasons in England.
The 28-year-old winger did return to England camp just days before the quarter-final against France, which they ended up losing 2-1.
Nobody was surprised to see Sterling on the bench for the France clash. However, plenty were shocked when he replaced in-form Bukayo Saka with 10 minutes to go as England tried and failed to find an equaliser.
Raheem Sterling treatment
O’Hara and Cundy have been left mystified over the Sterling decision from Southgate:
“Raheem Sterling, he’s been back in England, comes back to Qatar, doesn’t train and plays. What’s that about?” Jamie O’Hara told talkSPORT.
Jason Cundy replied: “I thought that was a strange decision.”
Sterling is one of the senior figures in the England camp and a go-to man for Southgate that has delivered in the past on the international stage. Therefore, you can understand the rational behind getting him on the pitch in the last phase of a quarter-final when you need a goal.
In our view, bringing Saka off when he was looking so dangerous was a costly error, though.
Sterling will return to Chelsea after another campaign with England that didn’t bring any silverware.
The £50million wide man did suffer a pre-World Cup dip in form, but the Blues desperately need him back to his sharpest later this month.
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