He has already won the war but Aidy Ward is determined to twist that knife.
The agent freed Raheem Sterling from the clutches of Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool this summer and, perhaps emboldened by his client’s hat-trick against Bournemouth, he has had another pop off the recently sacked Reds boss.
Quoted extensively by Mail Online, Sterling’s agent Aidy Ward does not spare the Antrim native, saying half the Liverpool players would not consider Rodgers a good manager.
He also accuses Rodgers of making “sly remarks” in press conferences and states that had Jurgen Klopp come in sooner Sterling would still be at Anfield.
Tell us what you really think, Aidy.
“I had no problem with (chief executive) Ian Ayre for example. I have no issue with anyone but Rodgers. He had a massive job with massive funds. How did he do? Good coach, but as a manager I didn’t like certain things about how he dealt with Raheem.
“Fifty per cent of the players would probably tell you Brendan is not a good manager, but he is a good coach,” said Ward, before praising Klopp.
“The new Liverpool manager probably would have been a great fit for Raheem – passionate, disciplined in the right way, new ideas, not afraid of trying new things,’ said Ward. “He’ll do great at Liverpool.
“Would Raheem under Klopp have been a good scenario? Yes, 100 per cent, definitely, mainly because of the person Klopp is – the passion, the drive, the emotion, wanting to achieve.
“Raheem has all of this, but you won’t always see it outwardly. Working with Klopp – that could have been great. He’s going to get the best out of those players. It could have been a dream come true.”
Sterling has made a bright start to his career at the Etihad, his hat-trick on Saturday bringing to five the number of goals he has scored since his £49million transfer.
In contrast Liverpool have struggled, firing Rodgers and bringing in Klopp who is coping with a lack of attacking players – a shortage that Sterling would certainly have helped alleviate.
So, Ward’s assertion that Sterling could have stayed will only piss off Liverpool fans no end.
“Raheem could’ve stayed, he should be at Liverpool. I think for me it was like he was being told to be a good boy and sign a contract. In December I spoke to Liverpool and said we’ll sign a contract if there is a buy-out clause – those clauses are now common practice. They said no to that.
“Then there was an underhandedness, there were sly remarks. In press conferences, Brendan told everyone Raheem would sign – why do that? I knew, Brendan knew and Liverpool knew there was an issue. Right now he probably should be a Liverpool player, but he’s not and he’s in a great place at City,” said Ward.
“Last season I thought subliminal messages were being sent to Raheem. Why would Liverpool play him at left wing back? Would you play Simon Mignolet up front? I think it was the game against Manchester United, he was played as an attacking midfielder, moved to right back, then up front, then left back, and eventually back to attacking midfielder. I was watching thinking: ‘Well this is interesting.'”
But all is well that ends well, for Sterling at least.
“Let me explain. Look at Raheem now, he’s buzzing, he’s happy and he’s at a good club, with good players, a good manager, good coaches and good staff. He’s in a good place.”
Twist it Aidy, twist that knife.
