How Manchester City Can Get the Best out of Raheem Sterling in 2016/17

Pep Guardiola doesn’t officially take charge of Manchester City until July 1—but his work has already begun.

Having handed sporting director Txiki Begiristain a list of players he wants to reshape the squad for next season and landing Ilkay Gundogan for a cut-price, £20 million fee, he has set about improving the confidence of one the players he will inherit. It was perhaps his most significant intervention thus far.

Raheem Sterling has suffered sustained abuse from all angles since his move from Liverpool last summer, and toward the end of the last season, it was clear he had been affected. His displays for City were nondescript; he simply couldn’t impose himself in games, and he was effectively taken out of the side, playing just one full game in the final 10 weeks of the campaign.

And his form for England this summer has done little to alleviate fears his crisis of confidence is limiting his ability to perform at the highest level. A bright display against Australia in a Euro 2016 warm-up match aside, he’s been poor, losing his place in the side for England’s final Group B game. He's unlikely to start their last-16 encounter with Iceland on Monday.

But Guardiola has taken steps to improve Sterling’s self-belief by calling the winger and offering him a personal message of support. According to Daniel Taylor and Dominic Fifield of the Guardian, the Catalan told Sterling, 21, ahead of the game with Slovakia that he sees him as an important player for City going into the new season.

“As long as you work for me, I’ll fight for you,” he said. “Keep your head up, don’t worry, I know you’re a good player and you are a big part of my plans.”

And it isn’t the only show of support the 21-year-old has received in recent days. Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry told BBC Radio 5 live he struggled when he was Sterling’s age and insisted the £49 million signing has plenty of developing yet to do, urging people to give him time to flourish:

"

Raheem Sterling has a great future but he is not the finished article—people are treating him like he is the finished article.

I was not the same player when I was 27 as I was when I was 20.

I wasn’t that type of player when I was 20. I struggled. I struggled with life and I struggled with everything and it’s a normal thing.

I think it’s a bit unfair in a way as he didn’t say ‘buy me for that type of money’,” said Henry.

He’s a good player, let’s see.

"

England team-mate Daniel Sturridge offered further support, telling BBC Radio 5 live Sterling has all the qualities needed to be one of the world’s best players: "He's one of the most talented young players in the world and I think people don't realise he's 21 years-old. Someday he will become one of the best players in the world because he has all the tools for that."

Clearly, Sterling is a talented player. His searing pace and dribbling ability, when used properly, can be devastating. At his fearless best during his Liverpool days, he was unplayable, capable of single-handedly turning games in the Merseysiders' favour.

Even last season, his debut campaign with City, he impressed at times. He seemed to save his best displays for the Champions League, delivering world-class performances against Sevilla, Borussia Monchengladbach and Dynamo Kiev. On the biggest stage, he showcased his talent in vivid detail.

Eleven goals and 10 assists is better than any haul he managed during his Liverpool days. That, despite his profligate finishing, is a decent tally for a youngster played principally in wide areas.

So how, then, does Guardiola maximise his obvious talent?

Restoring his confidence is his first and most important task. The phone call he made is just the beginning of the process. Guardiola needs to use every training session and pre-season game Sterling is involved in to make him feel like a vital part of City’s future. Guardiola sanctioned the move for Sterling last summer, and he clearly sees him as a player who can offer City quality for years to come.

But he must also improve his decision-making. Sterling too often gets caught in two minds and struggles to be decisive.

Guardiola’s handling of Kingsley Coman, though, offers significant hope he can improve in that area. Coman joined Bayern Munich last summer on a two-year loan deal and struggled initially to make the kind of impact many felt he was capable of. But by the season’s end, the 20-year-old had made serious improvements, and he put that down to Guardiola’s influence.

Coman told L’Equipe (h/t Mark Rodden of ESPN FC):

"

At the start [Guardiola] said 'I'm not going to teach you how to dribble—you know how to do to that.

So we work tactically. We wingers have to spread out as much as possible... the coach makes sure that we're put in the best conditions for a one-on-one.

The idea is that once the team gets the ball back they find us quickly so as to favour one-on-ones and to avoid situations where it's one against three or one against two.

The coach is someone that—if you lose the ball after a one-on-one, he won't be angry with you.

He'll always encourage you to continue by saying to you 'if you don't get by once, twice, three times, you'll get by the next time.'

"

Coman finished the season with four goals and six assists and in the Bundesliga and a further two goals and five assists in the Champions League. He’s seen as one of the best wide prospects in the European game, and Guardiola’s handling of him appears to have been key to his improvement and development.

Guardiola will make Sterling another of his projects. He’s likely to play him on the left of a 4-3-3. He will develop his movement and get him to better understand the movement of those around him. Gradually, he’ll restore the England man's belief in his own ability.

If he can do those things, City have in their midst a potential star.

And if disbelieving City fans need some context to make them feel somewhat more confident Sterling can take the steps needed to become a better player, they need look no further than Kevin De Bruyne. At 22, the Belgian was let go by Chelsea after starting just five games for the club.

Young players develop quickly if given the right environment. Guardiola is the man to offer Sterling the platform he needs to kick on and become the player many know he could be.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and follows the club from a Manchester base. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @RobPollard_.