Former Liverpool star Raheem Sterling: I never refused to play for England

Raheem Sterling says he refused to play for England almost a year ago

RAHEEM STERLING insists he did not say he was too tired to play for England.

 

The Manchester City midfielder was named in Roy Hodgson's latest England selection on Thursday for their upcoming Euro 2016 qualifiers against Estonia and Lithuania.

Almost a year ago, Sterling had been selected for England's visit to Estonia and reportedly told Roy Hodgson that he was "too tired" to play for his country.

 

Reports then emerged of the youngster out partying until 3am just 24 hours after Hodgson had left him on the bench in England's 1-0 win in Tallinn.

Amid suggestions Sterling had refused to play for his country, Brendan Rodgers defended his then Liverpool midfielder.

 

He said: "This is a boy that felt a bit tired but he didn't say he didn't want to play. He's a human being, not a machine."

But Sterling has now given his account of what happened and insists he never refused to play for England.

“That was so crazy I don’t think that could happen again, for anyone,” Sterling told the Guardian when talking about suggestions he refused to play.

 

Roy Hodgson has included Sterling in his latest squad for their upcoming Euro 2016 qualifiers

“The manager asked me a question and, being the person I am, I answered honestly. He asked me how I was feeling and I said I was OK but ‘my legs do feel a bit tired’. 

"I never once said: ‘I don’t want to play’ or anything like that. He just asked me a general question and I was honest. I didn’t lie and say: ‘Oh yes, I feel 100%,’ but at the same time I never said I didn’t want to play. 

"Obviously, the manager changed his mind about me playing and probably based it on that conversation but I was just being honest.”