Dujon Sterling slips into obscurity at Rangers with Philippe Clement ‘paying the price’ of Michael Beale decision – Chris Jack
Dujon Sterling has already become a “forgotten” member of the Rangers squad who nobody really speaks of, according to Chris Jack.
With the Gers facing a problem at left-back for the trip to Sparta Prague in light of Borna Barisic’s injury and Ridvan Yilmaz having been left out of the European squad by Michael Beale, Jack told the Rangers Review morning briefing on 26 October that Philippe Clement is “paying the price” of his predecessor’s decision since Sterling isn’t ready to step in at grasp his opportunity.
The former Chelsea youngster arrived on a free transfer in the summer but has also picked up an injury despite rarely playing, and has now been lumped in with returning veteran centre-back Leon Balogun as Light Blues players who appear to slipped between the cracks.
Jack said (13m 45s): “It raises questions about Dujon Sterling. He’s not exactly come in and set the world alight. He’s almost become one of the forgotten guys of the squad.
“If you look at the summer signings, [Jack] Butland obviously speaks for itself, there’s debate about [Sam] Lammers and [Cyriel] Dessers, we know the situation with Danilo, but Sterling has almost become one of these guys, like Leon Balogun, who’s just in the mix in the squad but people don’t really talk about them.
“They don’t really miss them, people aren’t really calling for them to get a shot. He’s clearly not going to get in ahead of Tav, he should have been the back-up left-back but he’s obviously not available for whatever reason for this one tonight.
“That would have been part of Michael Beale’s thinking that Sterling can play either side so that’s why the European list is the way it is but it’s obviously not transpired that way and Philippe Clement is now paying the price for Michael Beale’s call.”
Opportunity missed
Sterling seemed a relatively positive acquisition when he was picked up this summer following a loan spell at Stoke City, with his versatility thought to be a benefit.
But it has arguably worked against him so far as Beale didn’t see fit to start him over anyone at left-back, right-back or in midfield.
As such he has made just seven appearances and not completed 90 minutes once, and now the biggest chance for him to stake a claim has come along and he isn’t in position to take it.
The regularity with which players at Ibrox seem to get injured whether they have actually done anything or not is alarming, and that miserable trend has continued here with the 24-year-old.
Perhaps Clement will be more willing to rotate and give Sterling opportunities in future, but if there is ever a time a player wants to be available to impress it is when a new manager comes in and is assessing their options.
Having come to Glasgow in part due to his previous connections to Beale it is not an especially positive situation for the summer signing to find himself in that the Englishman has now gone and he hasn’t been able to provide a much-needed answer to an early question for his successor.
There is still plenty of time in the season for Sterling to come back and turn things around at Ibrox, but he is currently at risk of getting by-passed before his Gers career ever gets off the ground.
In other Rangers news, a “perverse” boost has been mooted in the club’s hopes of completing a permanent deal for an in-form Premier League ace.