Raheem Sterling grew up in the shadow of the Wembley arch and has a tattoo of his younger self staring up at England's national stadium on his arm.
Two years ago, as Manchester City completed an unprecedented domestic treble, he left his mark all over one of football's most famous stages.
He scored twice in a 6-0 FA Cup final demolition of Watford, having netted a maiden England hat-trick against the Czech Republic.
Then there was the 2019 EFL Cup final, where Sterling strode up to nonchalantly place the decisive penalty kick into the top corner to sink Chelsea in a shoot-out.
Pep Guardiola had been too nervous to watch. Asking Sterling what happened afterwards, the forward cheekily replied: "Top bins".
Heading into Sunday's final, where City were forced to bide their time before securing a 1-0 victory over Totenham and a record-equalling fourth-straight triumph in this competition, the 26-year-old's form has not been so much top bins as a smouldering dumpster fire.
Sterling was without a goal in nine City appearances since netting decisively at Arsenal back in February. After tallies of 25 goals in 2018-19, when he was named FWA Footballer of the Year, and 31 last term, he returned to Wembley stuck on an increasingly unlucky 13.
At times, it has felt like the famed work rate that made him such a Guardiola favourite was smothering attempts to regain top gear. The harder Sterling tried, the worse he looked.
A combination of Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez's dazzling form, the aforementioned drought and a reported row with Guardiola that both men denied has seen Sterling out in the cold when it comes to City's biggest games. His first action in the Champions League quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund came after 88 minutes of the second leg.
Gareth Southgate has also viewed the ex-Liverpool man as a go-to starter, but his experiences under Guardiola show such statuses are never set in stone and England are very well-stocked when it comes to livewire wide attackers.
Faced with a tentative Tottenham, Sterling tore into his work on Sunday like a man with a point to prove. An early hesitation saw him mugged by Serge Aurier inside the box but he skinned the former Paris Saint-Germain full-back and drilled in a cross with just too much heat for Foden to convert.
There was a clash of heads with Toby Alderweireld when he nodded a Mahrez cross wide, but Sterling bounced back up and was soon haring past a befuddled Sergio Reguilon. The end product was not there, as has so often and maddeningly been the case recently, but Guardiola extravagantly showed his approval from the sidelines.
Eric Dier, another England international with doubters to placate, made a stunning last-ditch block from a Sterling shot that was destined for the bottom corner. A combination of Alderweireld and the post denied Foden even more improbably and Spurs emerged from a first-half shellacking with the deadlock still intact.
City's fluency waned during the second half and Sterling lifting a speculative 20-yarder way over spoke of a team straining for the breakthrough, no longer so swaggeringly sure of their superiority. His five attempts were more than any other player in blue.
Ilkay Gundogan, one of Guardiola's most reliable finishers this season, released Sterling and volleyed his return delivery wide.
Then, just when frustration and anxiety were reaching dangerous levels for a team in a cup final with both centre-backs and a defensive midfielder on yellow cards – an impressively haphazard subplot City managed to weave into their general dominance – the Sterling trait that has done so much to highlight his struggles became a virtue. He just kept going and going.
Aurier put in an overall display to belie his reputation for an uneasy relationship with basic discipline, but City's left winger coaxed a foul out of his marker in the 81st minute. Kevin De Bruyne curled in the free-kick and defender Aymeric Laporte popped up with a towering close-range header, sealing the deal with a most un-Guardiola goal.
Sterling was standing in the six-yard box and clenched both fists before turning away from the mob engulfing Laporte to congratulate De Bruyne, a man on top of his game.
The same cannot be said for Sterling right now, but this felt like a step in the right direction.
'In eight years we never lived like this' – Guardiola shocked by City drop-off
Pep Guardiola admits he has been surprised by Manchester City's alarming dip in form, saying: "In eight years we never lived like this".
Guardiola is in the midst of the longest losing run of his managerial career, with City suffering a fifth straight defeat in all competitions on Saturday as they were thrashed 4-0 by Tottenham.
They have also lost three Premier League games in a row and could end the weekend eight points adrift of leaders Liverpool, who visit bottom club Southampton on Sunday.
It is their worst run in the competition since they lost three straight between February and March 2016, when they finished fourth under Manuel Pellegrini.
"In eight years we never lived this. I knew sooner or later we would drop," Guardiola said after Saturday's game.
"I never expected to lose three Premier League games in a row but we have been incredibly consistent again and again and again.
"Now we cannot deny the reality that sometimes happens in football and life is here."
City's drop-off has coincided with star midfielder Rodri – who won the Ballon d'Or last month – being sidelined by an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Guardiola's side did not lose any of the 34 Premier League matches in which Rodri appeared last season, winning 27 and drawing seven, though they lost three of four when the Spaniard was absent.
Each of City's last six league defeats have come when Rodri has not featured, but former Manchester United defender Gary Neville believes their poor run cannot be totally blamed on his injury.
"We've seen City lose the odd game here, but we've very rarely seen them outplayed in every department, but that's what we're watching," pundit Neville told Sky Sports.
"They look well short. As short as I've seen them since Pep's first season. I've not seen them as bad as this, how they've been in the last few weeks.
"He will have wanted that international break to come, thinking it would be a reset moment. But now here, it further entrenches the opinion this is a City side currently in decline.
"This is more than just Rodri, far more."
Caribbean Premier Showcase offers scholarship opportunities for Jamaican athletes
Coaches from over 35 colleges and universities in the United States are scheduled to scout for players and offer scholarship opportunities, through the Caribbean Premier Showcase (CPS), that will be held over three days at three locations across the island come January 2025.
The Caribbean Premier Showcase was founded two years go with the goal of connecting soccer players with college coaches in expanding opportunities for Jamaican athletes. The showcase began under another name and started only at St. Elizabeth Technical High School for all male soccer players in Jamaica.
That same year the Caribbean Premier Showcase team was invited to the islands of Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago to bring the same opportunities for their high school soccer athletes. Shortly after these stagings the showcases were rebranded to Caribbean Premier Showcase (CPS) reflecting the organizations commitment to the Caribbean.
Rajay Maragh, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner at CPS, said the major objective is mainly bringing players and coaches together to create opportunities for recruitment. Players he said get to see show their skills live, interact with coaches, gather information and processes all with the intention of securing a scholarship to study and play overseas.
“The process is heavily based on the coaches whereas the showcase is not limited to anyone local school or conference but rather each athlete is given the same access, playing time and information to showcase their talent. Once completed coaches will reach out after, gather additional data and also create a player profile of they wish to proceed,” Maragh said.
“There is also the academic check with takes place after, each school have their own admission processes and requirements which crates the second stage of follow up to make sure the student is eligible for recruitment,” he added.
All the members of the CPS team received academic and sports scholarship at some point to attend and or player soccer overseas. Maragh said they understood the value, the complexity and the opportunities showcase like CPS can create and felt the need to pass it on, as it is important for the continuity and development of the region.
Colleges confirmed so far include Iowa Western College CC, Wright State University NCAA DI, Eastern Kentucky University NCAA DI, Pearl River CC, Tougaloo College CC, NYU, UCON NCAA DI, Comberland University NAIA, Lincoln University NCAA DII, Concordia NCAA DII, Missouri Valley NAIA, New College Florida NAIA, Baker University NAIA, Johnson County CC, Lindenwood University NCAA DI, Missouri State University, Keiser University NAIA, Hampton University (Womens Soccer) NCAA DI, Maine Maritime University (Women Soccer) NCAA DIII, Ruben Gap (High School), Broward College CC, Hill College CC, Ranger College CC, Allen CC, Southeastern CC, NIU (NCAA DI), Fairleigh Dickinson University NCAA DI, Daytona Beach CC, North Eastern Community College CC, Daemen College CC, Central Community College CC.
Professional coaches include Atlanta United, Houston Dynamo and CSF Spartanii Sportul (Moldovan Super League).
The Caribbean Premier Showcase will be held on January 8, 2025 at the St. Elizabeth Technical High School; on January 9, 2025 at the Horace Burrell Facility in Kingston and on January 11, 2025 in association with the Inter Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA), All DaCosta Cup versus All Manning Cup teams.
Maragh said their team while focused on the Caribbean have been invited to help with other showcases; this past May in Athlone, Ireland and next year in Portugal, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago and Bermuda.
The application process is now open and athletes can register online at carribeanpremiershowcase.com:
https://www.caribbeanpremiershowcase.com/event-page
Persons interested in being apart of the project can email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Jaiswal, Kohli tons put India on the verge of win against Australia
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli bagged magnificent centuries to put India in a commanding position on day three of their first Test match against Australia in Perth.
India declared in a dominant position of 487-6 after Jaiswal (161) built on their 172-0 at stumps on day two and former captain Kohli (100 not out) added quick runs with his first century in 16 months coming up during the final hour.
The tourists then wreaked havoc with the ball in five overs before stumps as captain Jasprit Bumrah dismissed debutant Nathan McSweeney (zero) and Marnus Labuschagne (three) before nightwatchman Cummins (two) fell to Mohammed Siraj with the score at 12, as the hosts trail by 521 runs with seven wickets in hand.
Earlier in the Test, India had scored 150 batting first before bundling out Australia for 104 in the first innings.
Jaiswal resumed his innings at 90 on the third day and brought up his century in the first hour before KL Rahul departed for 77 after an opening-wicket partnership of 201.
The centurion fell as India's third wicket at 313-3 as Australia picked up three wickets in the space of eight runs, but Kohli reached his ton with help from Washington Sundar (29) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (38 not out) as India asserted their dominance.
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