Raheem Sterling made his second appearance for Dutch side Feyenoord on Sunday after agreeing to terminate his contract with Chelsea.
Former Chelsea and Liverpool star Raheem Sterling was disappointed again by Feyenoord on Sunday (Image: Getty)
Raheem Sterling came off the bench in his new team Feyenoord’s 2-0 loss to FC Twente on Sunday. But for the second week in a row, the Briton’s performance came under scrutiny.
The 31-year-old arrived in the Eredivisie last month after mutually agreeing to terminate his contract with Chelsea, but his debut was delayed due to visa issues. Coach Robin van Persie’s team accommodated Sterling by relocating their practice sessions across the Belgian border to avoid work permit restrictions and integrate Sterling early.
He made his first appearance last week against relegation-threatened Telstar, coming on as a substitute just after the hour mark. However, he made little impact and after the 2–1 win his actions were the subject of much debate.
He was brought on from the bench again as the Rotterdam team played away to Twente and were leading 1-0. However, former Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool winger Sterling failed to spark a comeback in the final 2-0 defeat, and the Dutch media did not mince words.
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Specifically, AD criticized Sterling’s lack of match fitness. The article states: “After the break, Feyenoord needed an equaliser, and the question was how many minutes would be given to the much-talked-about Raheem Sterling. In the end, he finished with 30 minutes.”
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“But Feyenoord had just won at the Flors-Veste Stadium. A heroic performance is impossible because Sterling is far from fit and everyone knows it and sees it. They were just waiting for the knockout of FC Twente.”
The 31-year-old was given just 30 minutes (Image: Getty)
AD columnist Willem van Hanegem was particularly harsh on his words. He wrote: “The English player would not have wanted this move and neither would Feyenoord.
“According to the manager, it will take another eight weeks for Sterling to be properly evaluated. Only then can he be fit. So why sign him?”
De Telegraaf
Rather than question his fitness, De Telegraaf focused on the impact Sterling had on the four-time Premier League champions when he came on in the 61st minute.
Their critical analysis said: “Robin van Persie knew he had to intervene and did so an hour later, making three substitutions at the same time.
Sterling didn’t make much of a difference as a substitute (Image: Getty)
“Englishman Raheem Sterling, Dane Casper Tengstedt and South Korean Hwang In-beom were tasked with reinvigorating the team. However, the attacking play did not improve.
“FC Twente had won more duels and in the second half I felt they controlled the pitch and held Sterling, Tengstedt and the fans in check.”
NOS
Like his contemporaries, the NOS was harshly critical of British influence, or lack thereof. NOS said: “Van Persie tried to liven up the game by making three substitutions in the 61st minute.
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“However, the introduction of Raheem Sterling in particular proved to be a waste. Twente sealed the match in the 72nd minute with a beautiful shot into the top corner. Feyenoord were stunned, but Twente played calmly and jubilantly.”
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