England
manager revealed the Liverpool winger told him he was feeling tired and so
decided to bench the 19-year-old for the 1-0 win over Estonia.
Sterling came on for the final 25
minutes and won the free-kick which Rooney scored to give Hodgson’s men victory
in Tallinn.
Jamie Redknapp and Jamie Carragher
discuss claims Raheem Sterling asked not to start against Estonia
But the post-match debate has
centered over his conversation with the England manager, and Carragher believes
it is something which should have been left behind closed doors.
“We can debate whether Raheem
Sterling should say that to the manager – for me, as a player, I’d never give
the manager an opportunity to leave me out," said the Sky Sports
pundit. “I just think, whether he is tired or if he didn’t feel right before
the game, keep that between yourselves.
“Listening to Roy Hodgson – let’s
not forget Adam Lallana came on for Sterling and did really well against San
Marino – he may have been looking to [rest him].
“Just come out after the game and
say ‘I played Lallana, he came on and did well in the last game, I think Raheem
needs a little bit of a rest’ and talk about it then. Rather than now, where
there’s going to be a debate about Raheem Sterling and is he right at that age
to be asking things like that? “
"Roy Hodgson could have been a
bit more careful with what he said before the game and after the game, and we
wouldn’t be having these discussions now.For more details
