Jamie Carragher has hit out at former manager Roy Hodgson, as the row over Raheem Sterling continues, reports the Daily Star.
Sterling was left out of the England side that faced Estonia on Sunday, with Hodgson revealing the 19-year-old had been ‘complaining of feeling tired.’
But Carragher – who played under Hodgson for six months during his ill-fated spell as Liverpool boss – believes the England boss should have kept the conversation private.
Carragher said: “We can debate whether Raheem Sterling should say that to the manager – for me, as a player, I’d never give the manager an opportunity to leave me out.
“I just think, whether he is tired or if he didn’t feel right before the game, keep that between yourselves.
“Just come out after the game and say ‘I played Lallana, he came on and did well in the last game, I think Raheem needs a little bit of a rest’ and talk about it then.
“Rather than now, where there’s going to be a debate about Raheem Sterling and is he right at that age to be asking things like that? “
Sterling came off the bench and won the 73rd-minute free-kick that Wayne Rooney scored to secure a 1-0 win.
Carragher added: “I’ve mentioned it myself, that we’ve got to be careful with Raheem Sterling burning out.
“So it’s not the worst thing in the world, I just think the Englishman on the street doesn’t understand someone saying they don’t want to play.
“If he keeps playing and playing he may pick up injuries – maybe he’s being clever and looking after himself in terms of his well-being in the future, and it’s important he doesn’t suffer burnout.
“But I just think Roy Hodgson could have been a bit more careful with what he said before the game and after the game, and we wouldn’t be having these discussions now.”
Remember when you were playing Carra and all them ex players used to get on your nerves commenting on every little issue , don’t become one of them . Your better than that . Leave it to Gray , Savage , Collymore etc.