Chelsea and Sterling: Cruelty in football? Onuoha analyzes

Nedum Onuoha, a former footballer with a distinguished career in the Premier League, has expressed his opinion on the treatment received by some players who are no longer in their clubs’ plans. The former player, who played for teams such as Manchester City, Sunderland, and Queens Park Rangers, before ending his career in the MLS with Real Salt Lake, is currently a sports commentator.

“A Ruthless Deal”

Onuoha calls the act of separating first-team footballers, forcing them to train at different times and often alone, “ruthless.” The former defender wonders why a player should train alone if the club wants to dispense with their services, especially when there are no disciplinary problems involved. This summer, five Manchester United players, including Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho, underwent this treatment. Recently, Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi from Chelsea have also found themselves in this situation. Faced with the stance of Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca, who showed no sympathy for the situation of Sterling and Disasi, Onuoha recalled his own experience at Manchester City under the direction of Roberto Mancini.

When you hear someone like Sterling is training at 8 p.m., people will say, “Well, I would train at eight o’clock for this amount of money and so on.”

Nedum Onuoha

The former player recounts how the loss of contact with the team and daily routine feels, something that, in his opinion, only generates resentment.

Onuoha emphasizes that the clubs have the power and control the narrative, making it difficult for players to have a voice in these situations. He concludes that it is a “ruthless” tactic that generates a horrible experience for footballers. The former player shared his own experience at Manchester City, where, along with other teammates, he was removed from the first team without clear explanations. This included training at unusual times and the inability to access the facilities until the first team finished their sessions. For Onuoha, this situation is a reminder of how football is a business and of the few options players have when a club decides to release them. In his case, the situation at City ended with his transfer to Queens Park Rangers, but he makes it clear that clubs can make life impossible for players if they do not leave on the desired terms. Onuoha advocates for a better solution for all parties involved.