Raheem Sterling's Fitness Plan Under Brendan Rodgers Belittled by Roy Hodgson

Roy Hodgson has suggested Brendan Rodgers needs to take more responsibility when dealing with Raheem Sterling's fitness.

The 19-year-old forward dropped to the bench for England's 2016 European Championship qualifier with Estonia after complaining about fatigue. Having played 1,106 minutes across 14 appearances already this season—compared to 335 minutes at the same stage last year, per John Cross of the Mirror—the developing talent was honest and admitted he didn't feel in the right shape to start.

His honesty is undoubtedly brave, but Hodgson's willingness to publicly address the situation has created unneeded media attention. The England manager suggested Sterling is being made to feel tired by Liverpool, who insist on two-day recovery periods for their speedier talents, reported by Cross:

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Raheem might say it is something that is becoming ingrained in him and that he felt the need to talk about being tired more than he would normally do. Am I the only one with the responsibility? Or does it have to be shared between club and country? I think it does.

I don’t think there is a lot of medical evidence to support the ‘two-day recovery’ so if you want to, you might want to research that one. Certainly, the Germans don’t do it. That is for certain.

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Hodgson appears to be suggesting Rodgers must start to look at his own use of Sterling. The youngster regularly plays in the Premier League on the weekend, followed by a cup competition in midweek. Although this is a normal schedule for any top-class star, his explosive game and developing body needs to recuperate at his young age, or else he risks long-term injuries later in his career.

Rodgers initially appeared set on rotating Sterling, but since leaving him out during the defeat to Aston Villa, he looks frightened to deploy his side without the starlet.

He played 120 minutes against Middlesbrough in the Capital One Cup, a trophy which should be at the bottom of Liverpool's priorities this season. He started at home against Ludogorets and away to Basel, matches the Reds should have been able to get something from without his consistent presence.

Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

In fact, the last time Sterling was substituted came on Aug. 31, with Liverpool 3-0 up against Tottenham. Since the Villa defeat on Sept. 13, he has played every minute of club football across six games, three of which the Reds have won. Room for improvement suggests Sterling isn't always pivotal to the result and should be afforded more time to gather his breath.

Former Liverpool captain Jamie Carragher believes Hodgson didn't need to address the situation in public and could have underlined Sterling's absence from the Estonia game as a tactical decision.

Carragher wrote in his Daily Mail column:

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I can see where Hodgson was coming from but an issue has been created that both men could have done without. Had Hodgson explained he wanted to use Sterling for an impact – which he had, by winning the decisive free-kick against Estonia – there would be no quarrel.

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Some areas of the media have questioned how Sterling can be tired. With regard to sitting out due to fatigue, former England striker Alan Shearer didn't help the situation by writing, "I genuinely have never heard something like that in my career," per his column in The Sun, reported via Elliot Bretland of the Daily Mail.

"If I had, as either captain of Newcastle or England, I'd have gone straight up to the player and said 'are you sure?' and that's putting it mildly," noted Shearer.

This standing does little to help a player who should be commended for admitting his limits. The last thing England and Liverpool want is an injury-ridden Sterling. The nation often places too much pressure on young players to perform and are ultimately left disappointed when they fail to reach their potential.

Michael Owen is a classic example of an individual who did too much in the early part of his career without considering the long-term effects, a decision which blighted his spells with Real Madrid, Newcastle, Manchester United and most famously, England. Sterling's honesty should be supported, as noted by former United defender Rio Ferdinand:

Ex-Three Lions hero Gary Lineker also believes Sterling should be allowed to rest:

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The lack of understanding to a footballer (a teenage footballer) being tired is a price players pay for the price they're paid. Nothing more

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) October 13, 2014"

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“@joshhunter94: @Bobbler11 @GaryLineker should be an honour to play for your country not a burden”< It is. The burden is to let down country

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) October 13, 2014"

All eyes will now focus on how Rodgers deals with the player. Liverpool play away at Queens Park Rangers on Sunday, before welcoming Real Madrid to Anfield the following Wednesday. Two home ties against Hull and Swansea follow before the end of the month, the latter of which is in the Capital One Cup. If Rodgers can't find Sterling plenty of time to save his legs during that run, he never will.

It's testimony to the player's form that his fitness is being discussed so intensely. Plenty of other youngsters could work through this situation with no debate whatsoever, but Sterling has already become important to both club and country.

Hodgson's almost robotic willingness to discuss matters which could have been kept private have exasperated the situation, there's no doubt about it, but perhaps the England manager is trying to make a point to Rodgers. The Northern Irishman will now be held responsible if Sterling doesn't get a rest at club level, as Hodgson's comments back him into a corner ahead of the busy winter schedule.