Pep Guardiola’s tutelage has been the key factor in Raheem Sterling’s improvement for Manchester City, according to Wayne Rooney.
Derby County forward Rooney detailed the impact Guardiola has had on Sterling’s game during an interview with Jonathan Northcroft of the Sunday Times (h/t Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News):
“Raheem’s a player who played on instinct, a lot of ability, and you’re only seeing the best of him now. He has worked on it himself but it’s because of Pep Guardiola. Guardiola has got him in a mindset to know the game better and you see a massive difference. It’s knowing the right time to do things and Guardiola is the best at teaching that, in my opinion.”
Rooney saw the early years of Sterling’s career at the top level firsthand when the pair were team-mates for the England national team. Former Manchester United, Everton and D.C. United attacker Rooney retired from the Three Lions in 2017, just about the time Sterling was learning more from Guardiola. Continue reading