Dutch media hammer Raheem Sterling as ex-Chelsea star is told to join veterans team

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Raheem Sterling has come under fire after being taken off early against Ajax

Dutch media have slammed Raheem Sterling following his latest display for Feyenoord, claiming he cannot make an impact in the Eredivisie. The former England winger joined Dutch giants Feyenoord in February until the end of the season.

After a difficult 18 months where he was deemed surplus to requirements at Chelsea, loaned to Arsenal and frozen out upon his return to west London, the 31-year-old left the Blues by mutual consent last month.

Sterling agreed a settlement package with Chelsea over the final 18 months of his contract that finally allowed him to end his Stamford Bridge nightmare, opting to join Robin van Persie’s side as a free agent after mulling over his options.

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But the former Liverpool and Manchester City talisman has looked far from his best since arriving in the Netherlands, having notably been off the pace due to his nine months away from the pitch. That was clear to see again as he started the game at home against bitter rivals Ajax on Sunday.

Sterling was substituted off at the 55-minute mark with his side 1-0 down, after which they went on to equalise and seal a draw. And the winger’s poor display was heavily criticised by the Dutch media.

DPG Media hit out at his perceived lack of pace, which they claimed makes him unable to impact games. They wrote: "In modern football, no speed means no danger. The arrival of Sterling, announced with great fanfare gave the Legioen hope but the Englishman cannot make the difference for Feyenoord."

AD, meanwhile, criticised one of his actions in front of goal, writing: "The tension was palpable and visible on the pitch as well, in the clumsy way Raheem Sterling kicked a ball over the goal."

Voetbal International gave Sterling a measly match rating of 5/10, while De Telegraaf were extremely critical of his performance in De Klassieker. One article described Sterling’s performance as a "total failure".

The same article claimed Sterling offered "nothing" offensively or defensively, which allowed Ajax to play out comfortably. It mockingly noted that "it seemed like he was enjoying the sun more than being focused on the match".

It then suggested that if Sterling cannot make an impact or do anything right in a high-stakes match like this, he would be "better off playing for a veterans' team."

Sterling has clearly failed to hit the ground running at his new club, echoing his poor displays for Arsenal last season. His first game in nine months saw him have a poor cameo against Telstar as his fitness was clearly not up to the standards required.

After three disappointing matches, he hoped to have turned a corner by notching an assist in his last game against Excelsior, where some of the media backpedalled on their early disapproval. Van Persie had been forced to come out and defend the Premier League legend from criticism after his very first game for the club.