Why Raheem Sterling deserves the number 7. The departure of a certain Uruguayan leaves both a numeric and metaphorical void in the squad. Who will be the next star player to create a moment of magic to turn a game around? Parachuting in a marquee signing into a number 7-etched Liverpool shirt – assuming that the player is of a very high quality – is a feasible option. However, does that necessarily mean it’s the best one? The symbolism of Raheem Sterling claiming the renowned shirt – a successful graduate of Liverpool’s youth academy – cannot be understated. It denotes a message to any young player who has aspirations to succeed in a red shirt. It cements Rodgers’ principles of dedication and hard work, aligned with talent of course, being the prerequisite to success. Deeper than that, the connotations of Sterling receiving the number 7 would clearly demonstrate a paradigm shift in tactics and team cohesion. Si Steer’s excellent piece on the shifting emphasis from a talented individual to the group as a whole would be illustrated perfectly by the tactically astute and unselfish Sterling being Suarez’s numeric replacement. Raheem Sterling would be the poster-boy of this new, team orientated ideology. Sterling certainly does not lack in the talent department either. At the tender age of 19, the Liverpool starlet has already nearly hit double-digits with 9 goals in the Premier League – from predominantly wide positions– in just 30 appearances. Despite the young starlet’s natural endowment of blistering pace, he also boasts exceptional technique, mature composure and phenomenal strength for his size. He’s no Aaron Lennon. With age on his side, and under Rodgers’ excellent tutelage, Sterling will only get better. Sterling isn’t the finished product yet, but has the potential to be a world-beaters – just like Liverpool football club itself. Isn’t that how all of Liverpool’s famous number 7’s started? Liverpool Football Club does not buy legends, it creates them. That is the lineage of the number 7 shirt. Removing yourself from the aforementioned microcosm of football will likely tell you that Raheem’s number is unlikely to impact his career. Sterling is likely to flourish in a Liverpool shirt even if he sticks with the nondescript number 31. However, the symbolic importance, philosophical cementation and the alleviated confidence from Sterling himself could just be the subtle accession needed to kick-start Liverpool’s season and Raheem Sterling’s career. -T7N-
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 18:52:52 +0000