When Raheem Sterling was left out of England’s final squad, Gareth Southgate’s message was that the winger was unhappy with his fitness. He had a hamstring injury and was not at the level he wanted to be. Sterling preferred to focus on getting his body ready for the new season.
They apparently never got to the question of whether Sterling should be included in the squad after his first season at Chelsea scored just nine goals in all competitions.
While England sent out Malta and North Macedonia in June, Sterling spent his time racing hills at a country park in Surrey with members of the Camberley Judo Club and a Commonwealth Games silver medalist.
The video is incredible to watch. Sterling accelerates up the steep, dusty incline of Lightwater Country Park with pumping arms alongside Fin Allan, who took judo silver at last year’s Birmingham Games. Within seconds, Sterling pulls away, while Allan scrambles into his dust.
It’s Sterling again who later emerges first on top of the hill, while the chasing platoon of topless judokas struggles behind.
Raheem Sterling Sterling spent part of his summer racing the hills in a Surrey country park with members of the Camberley Judo Club
The Chelsea star also tried his hand at the mat during judo sessions with experienced practitioners
Raheem Sterling scored his first goal of the season for Chelsea against Luton Town on Friday
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You suspect they would have had more success when they ran into Sterling back at the gym on the judo mat. Good practice, for when those unwieldy Premier League defenders try to wrestle him to the ground.
Not that Luton could even get a hold of him on Friday night. Sterling scored twice to secure another victory for Chelsea under Mauricio Pochettino. His first goal was a beautiful thing, cutting into the penalty area from the right, past three defenders and into the bottom corner.
All the work over the past summer seems to be paying off. It was a flashback to the old Sterling, one we haven’t seen in a while. Amid Todd Boehly’s multibillion-pound spending spree, it’s easy to forget that Sterling was the first major signing of the era. The chaos around the club didn’t help either.
Sterling admits his head was “fuzzy.” He sustained a hamstring injury. He had to rediscover his ‘obsession’ with football.
“I came into a difficult period, that’s all over now,” Sterling told Sky Sports on Friday night. “The most important thing is that I’ve looked at myself and I’m someone who always tries to analyze what I’ve done, what I’ve done wrong and what I can change. I want to be obsessed with football again. Football 24/7 and nothing else, focused on top performances and goals and assists.
The 28-year-old was also a regular in Gareth Southgate’s England squad, but was left out after a disappointing season.
Sterling was pictured during a session at the Camberley Judo Club as he attempted to regain fitness
The England star credited Mauricio Pochettino for his promising start to the season
“I said (to myself) a lot has happened in your career, a new challenge, taking on a challenge is hard and your head can be a little fuzzy and you need that to see exactly what you want.
My love for football is too great to disappear at this age, at the age of 28. I want to make sure I can maintain the standards I’ve set over the years and keep going.”
After all, this is a player who had reached double-digit goals in the Premier League in the five seasons before his move to Chelsea.
It wasn’t just judo and hill runs that helped Sterling clear his mind and find his footing, but also a conversation with Pochettino.
“I had a conversation with the gaffer earlier last week and we went through the role, and I know exactly what he needs from me and it’s as simple as that,” Sterling said.
“Last season I felt I was too deep and played the ball to the full-backs. We had a simple conversation. He said: “Raheem, no matter where you play, if you are dynamic and aggressive, no one can stop you. It doesn’t matter left, right, center, just be aggressive with the ball. I have the desire and the hunger to do that.’
Sterling also stated that he wants to be Chelsea’s top goalscorer this season. That’s the goal.
Teammate Nicolas Jackson may have something to say about that. Sterling set up the Senegal international against Luton for his first Chelsea goal.
Sterling was part of a revamped front line alongside Nicolas Jackson’s summer signing
The 22-year-old Jackson, who took over from Villarreal on a £30 million contract this summer, is bearing the brunt of Chelsea’s attack following Christopher Nkunku’s injury.
His early performances led former Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge to compare him to blues hero Didier Drogba.
“I’m very happy,” Jackson said. “But right now you can’t compare me to him because he’s a legend, a huge figure that you can only compare when I’m done with my career.”
For now, it’s still about Sterling. Southgate will announce its England squad on Thursday. If his start to the season is going to be a milestone, this time their conversation will probably end with the agreement that the England squad will be stronger with this Sterling in it.
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