Former Premier League star blasts Chelsea’s treatment of Sterling

Ex-Premier League star Phil Jagielka says he cannot understand why Chelsea have banished Raheem Sterling from their first-team squad.

Speaking to David Seaman’s ‘Seaman Says’ podcast, via Betway, the former Everton defender questioned Chelsea’s harsh treatment of the England international.

After being told he has no future with the club, Sterling has had his squad number taken away and his training privileges at Cobham revoked.

Jagielka is baffled why Chelsea have ostracised Sterling and believes new manager Enzo Maresca may not have been involved in the decision-making process.

“I think if Raheem was on the bench, he’d have probably made it stronger,” Jagielka said. “But there’s obviously been a statement. It doesn’t seem like it’s 100 percent the manager’s choice.

“It seems like the people that make the money decisions or the owner have decided there’s a group that have got an ‘X’ across them that they don’t want there, and it seems like Raheem might be surplus to requirements.

“I just don’t know how the changing room can cope with it. I don’t understand how people can walk in. If I put myself in Raheem’s position, he can’t come in happy knowing that basically he’s got to go to another changing room and train with the kids when he’s not done anything wrong.”

While Jagielka believes Chelsea’s treatment of Sterling is questionable, fans with long memories may believe there is an element of ‘you reap what you sow’ in play.

Sterling’s underhanded behaviour when he attempted to force a move out of Liverpool nine years ago angered their supporters and then-manager Brendan Rodgers.

The boot is now firmly on the other foot, with Chelsea deciding that the winger’s poor performances no longer warrant the sizeable salary he pockets each week.

The club are keen to get Sterling off the wage bill as soon as possible and have effectively adopted the same principles he applied when he wanted to leave Liverpool.

He subsequently got his wish with a £49 million transfer to Manchester City, but became public enemy number one with Liverpool fans across the globe.

While sympathy for Sterling may be thin on the ground in certain quarters, Jagielka believes Chelsea’s actions are worthy of strong criticism.

“I think it’s just insane the way Chelsea are doing it,” Jagielka added. “It’s basically, if they don’t want you, then you’re not allowed to train with the first team.

“That used to happen to the real bad eggs in your changing room – the ones you didn’t want there because they were upsetting the apple cart.

“Most of the ones they want to potentially get out the door are on nine-year contracts, so it’s not really going to happen. I don’t understand how they’re doing it. Surely there’s got to be a better way?”

“The environment they’re setting for the start of the season is absolutely insane. They’re just making the environment worse and worse and worse.

“Maybe when the transfer window shuts and they’ve maybe sold twelve people and are left with forty, it might be all right.”