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Raheem Sterling has his supporters. In part it’s owed to the general lack of hope for England going into this World Cup, while the rest is made up from the continued shameless hyping of young players.

What isn’t being taken into account as we near England’s first game against Italy is tactics – and if there are a few mutterings of such a concept, they’re being kept quiet and well away from the majority opinion.

Raheem Sterling deserves to be at this World Cup following the excellent half-season he had with Liverpool. He’s earned the right to be part of Roy Hodgson’s squad, but let’s not mistake a merited place for entitlement into a starting XI.

The 19-year-old has been picked for his form with Liverpool; we don’t know what he’ll be like at a major international tournament – the biggest in fact, due to its setting. What would be a positive is Sterling going out and justifying his place in the team, justifying all those who are demanding his inclusion in the XI to face Italy.

Sterling is an exciting player. Forget what he can do against opposition players, he’s the type of player who lifts supporters. He’s quickly become a symbol of hope for a nation who don’t really have much to lean on in the build up to this tournament. Wayne Rooney? Most are now disillusioned and unconvinced.

But what if Sterling comes up short? What if he falls flat and becomes yet another built-up England player to disappoint on the big stage? I’m not hoping for any of that, which is why I don’t see the point in all the commotion. Isn’t it enough that Hodgson has picked Sterling in a youth-heavy squad? If he makes it onto the pitch in Manaus, either starting or as a sub, it will be because the coach has been suitably convinced himself that Sterling should be involved.

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So let’s do away with the hype and exclamations of youthful exuberance. Let Sterling’s performances do the talking. It’s easy to forget that this is a player who doesn’t have a full season of high-level consistency under his belt. He did well this past season from Christmas up until the end of the campaign, and also for brief spells under Kenny Dalglish. There’s been nothing sustained over a period of 38 games yet.

For the player himself, this is an unbelievable opportunity to prove that he belongs, that he wasn’t just riding the feel-good wave at Anfield last season. I don’t doubt his talents. I am, however, sceptical and a little wary of the responsibility being forced Sterling’s way. Youth and naivety will do a lot for the nerves, but the clamour for his inclusion won’t be lost on the 19-year-old, and with it the responsibility becomes real and the weight that much heavier. This tournament will be good preparation for the next for the younger members of the squad, but is it wise to lay so much at the feet of young players?

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For now, Sterling is an option for England and Hodgson. He’s an option because his skills and talent haven’t been refined to the point where he’s an established star. He’s an option, unlike the big names in the Spain team, or the way Brazil are leaning on Neymar for inspiration. Sterling is an option because England don’t have a defined way of playing; despite his reputation for the conservative, we’re not entirely sure how Hodgson will set his team up in Brazil. England aren’t a team who can dominate others, so shifting tactical focus game by game makes sense.

Above all, this is an exciting opportunity for a youngster to play at a World Cup in Brazil – and I think many have forgotten that. Fans should ride alongside Sterling in the event he enjoys a positive tournament, but the key should be in letting him find his feet in an unfamiliar international environment.

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Tuesday will see Kenny Jackett celebrate five years in charge of Millwall. How ironic that he will celebrate it away at the club he spent his playing career, Watford too.

Jackett joined Millwall with the club in a dire situation, in the dregs of League One and seemingly heading to League Two, and if they went down, they weren’t coming back for a long time.

Jacket’s first game was away to Altrincham in the F.A Cup and looking at the team we have now compared to that game is astonishing. The likes on Marcus Bignot, Ahmet Brkovic and Will Hoskins. Now we have Liam Trotter, Darius Henderson and James Henry.

The Lions stayed up by the skin of their teeth that season, it was now Jackett’s time, make the team his own.

He certainly did that!

The likes of David Forde and Jimmy Abdou were brought in, plus James Henry on loan. These players excelled, Millwall were big by name in the division, but not by finance, Forde and Abdou were major signings for the team and they were both free transfers, a masterstroke by Kenny. They may have lost in the Play-Off final that season, but Jackett was still in the building process.

Kenny pulled off some shrewd business yet again, Jack Smith, Liam Trotter and Darren Ward all brought in on frees, then came the pivotal signing, Steve Morison, a punt from non-league that came off in a big way!

Yet again the Lions were on a small budget, their rumored transfer budget for the summer of 2009 was 75K. Kenny was a miracle worker once again in the transfer market.

Many expected the Lions to struggle, but narrowly missing out on the Play-Offs was the spirited final finish, this was down to a great passion and togetherness, oh, and Steve Morison.

But then came Kenny’s biggest challenge.

Morison left for the gravy train of the Premier League and Norwich City, leaving ‘Wall with about 20 goals missing from their side. Jackett made some mistakes but they were rectified in January, the signings of Shane Lowry and Andy Keogh, plus the signing of Harry Kane on loan kept the Lions up, and Keogh only cost 200k from Premier League Wolves….

After a 6-0 defeat to Birmingham City last season, the Lions were applauded off the field. This was a turning point, the fans trusted Kenny, and we knew he could do it.

Jackett is the seventh-longest serving manager in English football, and no wonder. He’s played to the strengths of the club, built a strong powerful team, and look at the players, Darius Henderson, proven goalscorer, free. Liam Trotter, Premier League potential, free. Danny Shittu, a real ‘wall rock at the back, free.

Need I go on?

Kenny is the most underrated manager in the division, he got a team from the bottom six of League One to the outskirts of the Play-Offs to the Premier League, he’s never mentioned for jobs, he’s seen as unfashionable by other clubs, I don’t mind, an underrated club and manager get along very well, its hard to imagine KJ manage another club despite his previous success at helping turn Swansea into the attractive club they are today.

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One thing that has already stood out for me with Kenny is his professionalism. Millwall fans found out Jackett’s father died a couple days after the Play-Off final, when in real fact, he sadly passed away in April, he only told a few of his coaching staff but not the players, until after the final whistle at Wembley, for some reason this just always stuck out in my mind.

In a time of managers chopping and changing Kenny is a shining light in Championship football.

Lets raise a glass to five years to Kenny, here’s to many more!

IN KENNY WE TRUST.

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As reported by The Daily Record, Hibernian are one of the teams interested in bringing Newcastle United goalkeeper Freddie Woodman back to the Scottish Premiership next season.

What’s the story?

The 21-year-old goalkeeping prospect has already had two spells north of the border, featuring for both Kilmarnock and Aberdeen on loan over the past two seasons.

Now, after shining for England in the Toulon Tournament, he is set for another return to Scotland with a trio of ambitious teams looking to sign him up.

The Daily Record report that Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen are all interested in securing another loan for the player.

Rated at £450,000 by Transfermarkt, is he the kind of player that Neil Lennon should be looking at this summer?

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Would he be a good signing?

With Cammy Bell departing the club to join Partick Thistle, Hibs are definitely on the look-out for a goalkeeper that can compete with and provide back up to established number one Ofir Marciano.

There are even rumblings that Marciano himself could be on his way out, with The Scottish Sun reporting last month that Israeli side Maccabi Tel-Aviv are interested in signing him in the transfer window.

Hibs need to ensure they aren’t caught out in the goalkeeping areas, leaving them with a lack of depth early in the summer.

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Woodman would fit the bill having impressed for both Killie and Aberdeen on his previous trips over the border, helping keep 7 cleans sheets in 23 appearances between the two clubs.

He may not have the experience that usually comes with the position, but he’s clearly an excellent prospect who can give the Easter Road side the depth they need.

In an interview with ESPN, Christian Pulisic has revealed that he would like to play in the Premier League one day, fuelling rumours of a potential move to Manchester United.

The 19-year-old, who is valued at £40.5million by Transfermarkt, stated;

“Of course, the Premier League is an unbelievable league. You never know in football what can happen”.

Pulisic is an American international and has been one of the most revered stars in the Bundesliga for the last 18 months.

The 19-year-old will miss out on the 2018 World Cup, after the USA failed to qualify and will be a significant loss to the tournament.

However, fans of English football could be seeing more of him sooner rather than later, if his latest quotes are to be taken seriously.

Upon hearing the comments from Pulisic, Manchester United fans took to Twitter desperate to see the young star play at Old Trafford in the future…

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Piers Morgan set the bait and Chelsea fans were all too ready to bite. The controversial Twitter user’s post on Eden Hazard prior to kick off last night drew an angry tirade of criticism from a number of supporters.

While many users focused on the inclusion of Fernando Torres, Morgan decided to concentrate his attention upon the midfielder who has only recently been named the PFA Young Player of the Year. Despite having tweeted a tongue-in-cheek criticism of the Belgian before, Morgan’s latest comments on Hazard still managed to generate the desired response.

Overrated or not, Hazard was ultimately powerless to prevent Chelsea from exiting the Champions League at the semi final stage last night.

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Sunderland centre forward Stephane Sessegnon has been backed to recover his form for the visit of Newcastle United at the Stadium of Light this weekend.

The Benin International has had an underwhelming start to the season and the team are keen to get the player firing on all cylinders again.

Scotland International forward Steven Fletcher has been deadly up front and if Sessegnon can also muscle in on the goal trail, the Black Cats could have a potent partnership.

It is a worry for the side with the striker still yet to record a goal in his 8 appearances this season, and he did not even manage to register a shot against Manchester City last time out.

However, midfielder Jack Colback is confident last season’s top goalscorer will turn it round.

The Sunderland ace told the Northern Echo “Sess was magnificent last year” and that he believed Sessegnon carried the team a little bit last season.

This is why he is confident that if the player gets more of the ball then he will re-deliver his flamboyancy he expressed in his opening season for the Black Cats.

Colback is aware that it is crucial to ensure that their attacking players, like Sessegnon, Mclean, Fletcher and Adam Johnson get on the ball.

With the side slipping to their first defeat last time out, the importance of their next fixture is not lost on the side.

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The last meeting ended 1-1 at St James’s park, but Sunderland will be looking to record similar heroics to their 2-1 victory over their rivals in October 2008.

According to The Sun on Sunday (June 10th, page 60), Wolverhampton Wanderers are being linked with a move for Leeds United goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

What’s the story?

Peacock-Farrell emerged as Leeds’ no.1 last season and made 11 appearances for the Whites at the back end of the campaign.

The Sun reports that the 21-year-old, who is valued at £90,000 on Transfermarkt, would be signed in addition to Wolves’ longstanding target Rui Patricio.

The Northern Ireland ‘keeper made his debut for his country recently, playing in the second half of a 0-0 draw against Panama.

A good signing for Wolves?

Peacock-Farrell became a fan-favourite at Leeds after taking the no.1 jersey from Felix Wiedwald.

It is clear the youngster has talent but with potential competition in Rui Patricio and the Championship Goalkeeper of the Year in John Ruddy, Peacock-Farrell would struggle for minutes for some time.

It is possible Wolves would want to send the ‘keeper back on loan, which would be sensible as he is clearly of a standard to play in the Championship, and it would be a shame for him to keep a Molineux bench warm.

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It is good to see that Wolves are looking to the future, but with such competition for places, fans will be hoping Peacock-Farrell continues to learn his trade on loan.

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In his press conference on Thursday afternoon, Jose Mourinho finally had his say on reports linking Cristiano Ronaldo with a dramatic return to Manchester United.

What’s the Story?

If Jose Mourinho’s latest comments are anything to go by, it seems that the dream return of Cristiano Ronaldo to Old Trafford may remain a dream for United fans.

After a number of reports had suggested that the Portuguese star could make a romantic return to his old club, Mourinho swiftly moved to quash the rumours in his press conference ahead of United’s F.A. Cup tie with Yeovil;

“I should be the last one to add some fuel to the fire. Madrid is on fire, the results are not good and it is a club where I worked three years. I care about the club and I don’t want to add fire. To put some water on the fire I would say Cristiano is the kind of player every manager wants, every club wants. But only one manager can have and only one club can have – Zidane and Real Madrid, that’s my feeling”.

How good has Ronaldo been this season?

Like most Galactico’s, the 2017/18 season has been one to forget for Ronaldo thus far.

Incredibly, Real Madrid are 19 points behind Barcelona already, have been knocked out of the Copa del Rey by lowly Leganes and have a tricky Champions League tie against free-spending Paris Saint Germain.

While Ronaldo, who is valued at £108million by Transfermarkt, has been struggling with injuries, he is still yet to live up to expectation and is reportedly ready to leave the Bernabeu. However, it looks as if he won’t be heading back to Manchester for the time being.

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Aaron Ramsey cemented his pace in Arsenal folklore last weekend by scoring the deciding goal against Hull City in the FA Cup final, capping off a breakthrough season for the Wales international. But having finished their Premier League campaign just seven points behind eventual winners Manchester City, with the 16-goal midfielder missing almost half of the season through injury, both Ramsey and the Emirates support will have a lingering feeling of ‘what if’ when reminiscing on the 2013/14 campaign in the many years to come.

Netting the winning goal at Wembley will be a more than acceptable consolation prize for the Wales international. On a personal level, Ramsey’s stylish send-off to the campaign typified his rise from Emirates boo-boy to club talisman in the space of a single season. And for Arsenal, that low-swerving, near-post  strike in the 109th minute ended the club’s growingly burdensome nine year trophy drought. It’s arguable that no goal has been more important for the Gunners during the Arsene Wenger era.

But in the back of his mind, the 23 year-old will always wonder what could have been this season. Arsenal spent more days at the top of the Premier League table, 128, than any other side, and significantly more than champions Manchester City, with a miserly 15. That pomp march in pole position was dynamically charged by the midfielder, who started the season with 13 goals, seven assists and seven Man of the Match awards in his first 25 appearances.

In fact, there was a point before the turn of the year where Ramsey had scored more goals, provided more assists and made more tackles than any Premier League midfielder, which accordingly, must have put him pretty high up in the European rankings too. Back in November, he had made more touches (1,115), than any other top flight player and in December, he and Yaya Toure were the only Premier Leaguers to have made over 1,000 accurate passes.

For an Arsenal side infamous for its limited firepower  and lack of commitment off the ball, the Wales international’s inspiring displays and contributions at both ends of the pitch were vital to the Gunners cause. Most tellingly, he claimed four consecutive Player of the Month awards at the Emirates from August to November, in addition to the Premier League’s award in September.

Of course, the cut-off point came on Boxing Day, poignantly enough on Ramsey’s 23rd birthday, when he limped off against West Ham with a thigh injury. He would spend the next four months of the season on the sidelines.

The injury couldn’t have come at a worse time – Arsenal were in cruise control for the first half of their Premier League campaign, but late January to late March welcomed a string of unenviable fixtures in the most congested part of the season, including ties with Southampton, Liverpool twice (once in the league and once in the FA Cup), Manchester United, Everton twice, Tottenham, Chelsea, Stoke City, Manchester City and a double-legger against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

In that time period, the North Londoners claimed just five wins from 15 in all competitions, resulting in only eleven points from a possible 33 in the Premier League. Perhaps most tellingly of all, during Ramsey’s four-month absence, Arsenal’s win percentage dropped from 68% with him in the side to 55% without him.

It would be wrong to suggest that if Ramsey hadn’t missed a quarter of the calander year through a thigh complaint that Arsenal would be Premier League champions right now and not Manchester City.

Theo Walcott, who was ruled out for six months and subsequently the World Cup with an ACL injury in January, was arguably a bigger loss. The Gunners lacked his pace, penetration and firepower in the second half of the season, and without it, for all their quality in the middle of the park, Arsenal’s midfield became incredibly one-dimensional.

Likewise, Arsenal’s fatal flaw this season has been their poor results against divisional rivals. The Gunners have taken just five points off Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City this season, resulting in an aggregate score of 18-5.

Considering Ramsey featured in a 6-3 defeat to the Citizens back in December, even recording an assist and statistically finishing as Arsenal’s best performer of the afternoon, it’s logical to assume that in spite of his prominent form, even he wouldn’t have been able to stop the North London outfit’s regular capitulations against those closest to them in the table. Against Chelsea for example, the match was over after 20 minutes when Jose Mourinho’s side found themselves 3-0 up with a one-man advantage. It’s hard to envisage how the Welshman could have made a notable difference.

Furthermore, considering the impact Ramsey could have had in the second half of the season is in many ways a moot exercise. Not only because effective time travel is yet to be mastered by humankind, but because it takes away from the fact that squad depth is Arsene Wenger’s responsibility. A more pressing question the Emirates faithful should be asking is where Arsenal would have finished if the Welshman hadn’t undergone a major breakthrough in form from August to December.

That being said, what the Gunners lacked most towards the business end of the season was a natural leader. Maybe not in strength of voice, but in terms of his energy and dynamism, his application of a never-say-die-attitude, best illustrated by his combative tackling and numerous sublime, almost unimaginable finishes, Ramsey was that driving force for four months of Arsenal’s campaign.  In that regard, one can only ponder where the Welshman’s performances could have taken the Gunners – we’ve seen a paralleled effect with Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard at Liverpool this season, with their cavalier, all-or-nothing displays inspiring similar showings in those around them.

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For that reason alone, Ramsey and Arsenal fans will always wonder how differently 2013/14 could have panned out for them, as if, in some parallel universe, the Gunners clinched the crown inspired by the 23 year-old’s breakthrough season.

But the winning goal against Hull City at Wembley does offer some bitter-sweet redemption. His performance in the FA Cup final showed the character and courage Arsenal have lacked in defining moments since their last trophy in 2005. Most importantly, it expelled a macabre shadow that had been looming over the club for nine years and was on the verge of engulfing Arsene Wenger.

Considering Ramsey’s wholesale criticism from the year previous, it’s been a stunning transformation.

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It’s mid-July in the summer transfer window of 2011. England international Stewart Downing has just come off the back of a superb Barclays Premier League season, in which he played all 38 games for Aston Villa, notching up seven goals and nine assists in the process. A model of form and consistency, a £20million transfer to Liverpool beckoned in a move that seemed overpriced, but perhaps sure to pay dividends.

What a difference a year makes. Over twelve months on, the fate and fortunes of both player and club have taken several tumultuous bumps along the way. A term of bludgeoning underachievement and extraordinary mediocrity has seen Brendan Rodgers ushered in to start a new era. But while the club look to be turning the page, it is Downing that seems to be stuck in the last chapter.

But despite the woes that the ex-Middlesbrough man is enduring and the seemingly endless amount of negative press that he receives, there’s still the capacity to breathe new life into his faltering Anfield dream. It’s time for Downing to go back to basics and rediscover the kind of form that saw him build his reputation at Villa Park.

As the book was closed on the short-lived second coming of Kenny Dalglish in Merseyside, there seemed to be several defining elements that have come to serve as some kind of motif. The image of Dalglish standing with a brooding Andy Carroll after divulging £35million particularly sticks out, as does the now unsavory incident with the Luis Suarez t-shirts of support. But perhaps the one with the most longetivity, has been the enduring image of Downing himself.

Nobody should ever read too much into statistics, but with Downing, the temptations have always seemed a little too much to resist. His figures for the Premier League season 2011-12 read: played 36, scored zero, assisted zero. Even though Downing notched up a couple of goals in the FA Cup, was denied by the post and bar on more than one occasion and still grafted hard for his side, the stats tell a very damning story indeed. For some, the abysmal end product from such an overinflated acquisition represents a fitting tribute to all that’s been wrong on Anfield over the last two years.

And it’s been a hard stigma to shake. As last season rumbled on, it felt as if his lack of attributable contribution to the team became a sinister stick to hit him with and as such, both his game and his confidence seemed to go to pieces. Liverpool fans could atone for his difficult period of form, but what did become hard to accept, was his inability to even harness the bread and butter of his game. Despite anything else, supporters expected Downing to produce his trademark consistent delivery, even if other parts of his game weren’t all there. At times, he struggled even to produce that.

But as the Fenway Sports Group called time on Dalglish’s reign as manager, you could have mistaken Downing for thinking that a fresh direction of management could bring him a change of fortunes. Yet the appointment of Brendan Rodgers has looked ominous for his prospects.

The Ulsterman’s preferred style of play in his 4-3-3 set-up doesn’t particularly cater for a traditional winger in the mould of a Downing. They must have more of a cutting edge to their game – a higher level of craft, a real sense of tactical awareness and an unremitting work rate. So far this term, Rodgers has preferred the duo of Fabio Borini and the excellent Raheem Sterling as his widemen and as the side have began to forge their own identity, Downing has been left in the cold.

Worse more, after a couple of frustrating appearences against West Brom in the Capital One Cup and Young Boys in the Europa League, Downing has come in for a degree of critique from his new manager.

Speaking last week, Rodgers warned his winger that he must work harder if he wants to remain a Liverpool player:

“The big challenge for him now is that commitment to the cause to fight, because he has the qualities. He has a wonderful left foot but what is important is that it is more than talent.

“Talent alone is not enough. You have to work hard, you have to fight for the shirt. We have seen that in a number of the young players and if you don’t do that then longer-term you won’t be here. It is as simple as that really.”

Rodgers comments represent perhaps the first public wake-up call to his faltering winger. The ex-Swansea man isn’t afraid to give younger players who he feels are talented enough and hungry enough, the opportunity to play under his stewardship. The message was loud and clear and it’s now or never for Downing if he wants to give it a go.

But there is still a chance to turn his fortunes around and Rodgers seemingly offered an olive branch to Downing in his concession that he’d be willing to give him a chance at left-back. And if he does, it’s one that the ex-Boro man has to seize with both hands.

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Because the basics of the game, the talents on which his success have been built around, can still be an asset to this team. That trademark swinging delivery from the left and his cultured left foot can do damage from anywhere on the pitch and a switch to full-back wouldn’t change it. He is disciplined enough to do it, as Rodgers pointed to during his stint there in Middlesbrough’s 2006 Uefa cup run. A renewed exhibition of his talents could see him persuade Rodgers to even reinstate him higher up the pitch.

But he has to make his move now. Liverpool are metamorphosing at rate of knots now under Rodgers and he won’t have any qualms about leaving Downing behind if he has to. Life has been tough for him in his first season and the expectation has been something he’s never previously experienced. But if he gets his chance, it’s time to go back to basics and step up to the plate. If not, he could be staring at a January exit.

Does Downing have a future at Anfield? Follow @samuel_antrobus on Twitter and let me know if Rodgers is right to contemplate a move to full-back for the ex-Middlesbrough man.