Chelsea owner Todd Boehly singled out Raheem Sterling in dressing room rallying cry after ’embarrassing’ Blues defeat last season
- Todd Boehly regularly went into the locker room after games last season
- During one visit, he called Raheem Sterling critical
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Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has reportedly singled out Raheem Sterling for a dressing room following the Blues’ 2-1 defeat at home to Brighton last April.
The Seagulls came from behind to win at Stamford Bridge towards the end of a miserable season for Chelsea, which saw them finish 12th in the league, and Boehly approached the players after the final whistle.
According to The TelegraphBoehly first gave Sterling a personal pep talk instead of talking to the entire team.
The American reminded Sterling that he is a world-class player – having won four league titles with Manchester City – but demanded more from him in terms of performance and leadership.
Sterling was closest to the dressing room door, which could explain why he was spoken to first, but it could also have been interpreted as a major statement from Boehly as the England winger was his first major signing in July 2022 .
Todd Boehly reportedly singled out Raheem Sterling for a dressing down last season
The tirade against Sterling came after Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat at home to Brighton last April
Sterling started well this season after Boehly withdrew, but was recently jeered by his own fans
It is believed that Sterling took the criticism well, after which Boehly turned his attention to the rest of the group.
Speaking to the team, Boehly lashed out at the locker room tirade, calling their performance during the campaign “embarrassing.”
It was not the first time he had addressed the players after a match, as this happened regularly during his first season at the helm.
Interim boss Frank Lampard claimed at the time that he had no problem with Boehly taking center stage in the dressing room, insisting it only showed his passion for the club.
Boehly’s emotional speech was intended as a rallying cry, but Chelsea were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid just three days later, winning just one of their last seven league games after the loss at Brighton.
Sterling scored twice in a 2–2 draw against Nottingham Forest the following month, and started this season strongly as he looked set to be called back for England.
However, his performances have declined in recent weeks and he was jeered by his own fans when he was substituted during a 4-2 home defeat to Wolves earlier this month.
The 29-year-old has not featured for the Blues since and was limited to cameo appearances on the bench in Chelsea’s last two matches against Aston Villa and Crystal Palace.