Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge: Chelsea didn't believe in me, I had to find a club that did
Striker has hit 21 goals in 24 starts and won the England No.9 shirt since January move ended frustrating four years in London
Matthew Peters
Daniel Sturridge has taken a
stinging sideswipe at Chelsea, by insisting he's been transformed by
leaving them for a club prepared to believe in him.
The talented goal-poacher has been catapulted into the England No.9 jersey by a stunning scoring streak of 21 in just 24 starts since the Anfield giants bought him from the Londoners in January.
That is in stark contrast to the nightmare he suffered at Stamford Bridge, where he was almost permanently consigned to the bench.
And the 24-year-old has argued it is no coincidence that he is now working under a manager who has faith in him.
Sturridge said: “Brendan Rodgers knows what I need. I needed to be believed in, to play as a centre-forward at a club, and I didn’t get that at Chelsea.
“He gave me the opportunity to do that here. It’s great to be part of his philosophy. He gets the most out of his players, and makes us want to win for him.
“He’s just very good at man-management as well as the tactics and team stuff.”
Chelsea’s forward line has been desperately disappointing since Sturridge left at the turn of the year for what now looks a bargain £12million.
But after being given just 31 Premier League starts in four years at the Bridge, he passionately believes he simply wasn’t offered a fair chance to show he could offer what they needed, and he told Sport magazine:
“When I went to Bolton (on loan from Chelsea in 2011), I was able to show what I can do because I was playing as a centre-forward. At Chelsea, I never got the chance to do that; but I’ve got that opportunity here.”
Sturridge was ignored by a succession of Chelsea managers until his last one, Rafa Benitez, sanctioned his sale to Liverpool.
The player believes Rodgers, once part of the Blues' back-room staff, has played an important role in his resurrection:
“Brendan was a big part of me coming here because I knew about him from when I was at Chelsea.
“He had tried to get me on loan when he was at Swansea, so I knew he rated me. He knows how I work.”
The talented goal-poacher has been catapulted into the England No.9 jersey by a stunning scoring streak of 21 in just 24 starts since the Anfield giants bought him from the Londoners in January.
That is in stark contrast to the nightmare he suffered at Stamford Bridge, where he was almost permanently consigned to the bench.
And the 24-year-old has argued it is no coincidence that he is now working under a manager who has faith in him.
Sturridge said: “Brendan Rodgers knows what I need. I needed to be believed in, to play as a centre-forward at a club, and I didn’t get that at Chelsea.
“He gave me the opportunity to do that here. It’s great to be part of his philosophy. He gets the most out of his players, and makes us want to win for him.
“He’s just very good at man-management as well as the tactics and team stuff.”
Chelsea’s forward line has been desperately disappointing since Sturridge left at the turn of the year for what now looks a bargain £12million.
But after being given just 31 Premier League starts in four years at the Bridge, he passionately believes he simply wasn’t offered a fair chance to show he could offer what they needed, and he told Sport magazine:
“When I went to Bolton (on loan from Chelsea in 2011), I was able to show what I can do because I was playing as a centre-forward. At Chelsea, I never got the chance to do that; but I’ve got that opportunity here.”
Sturridge was ignored by a succession of Chelsea managers until his last one, Rafa Benitez, sanctioned his sale to Liverpool.
The player believes Rodgers, once part of the Blues' back-room staff, has played an important role in his resurrection:
“Brendan was a big part of me coming here because I knew about him from when I was at Chelsea.
“He had tried to get me on loan when he was at Swansea, so I knew he rated me. He knows how I work.”
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