After Raheem Sterling turned down a £100,000-a-week Liverpool contract extension in favor of a move to Manchester City, signing a deal with the Citizens worth £180,000-a-week, Liverpool supporters were quick to claim that money had been the main motivation behind the move.
The loss of the 2014 European Golden Boy winner was difficult for Liverpool fans to swallow. Coming off the backend of an incredibly disappointing 2014/15 Premier League season for the club, the loss of Sterling only compounded the misery for those on Merseyside.
History, legacy and prestige seemed to be collapsing at the feet of New Age oil riches, players choosing instant gratification over the virtues of loyalty. Sterling personified the attributes of treachery and deceitfulness with his move, displaying all the qualities of a snake.
For over eight months now, starting with his July 14 transfer, Instagram users have been adamant in reminding Sterling of his transmogrification into a serpent. Using the snake emoji without remorse, Liverpool fans have been diligently creating a conga line of snakes with their comments on each and every photo Sterling posts on the popular social media site.
Photo: @br_uk | Twitter
Pictures of Sterling playing or training with City; millions of sneaky forked-tongued snakes. Pictures of his mother, sister or daughter; elongated, legless, carnivorous reptiles as far as the eye can see.
Like any 21-year-old, Sterling is a frequenter of social media and has taken notice. Speaking with SkySports, Sterling said, “The main [comment] on my Instagram is the snake sign - that’s the biggest one so far - and someone that loves money, hungry for money.”
Photo: @br_uk | Twitter
Sterling has long claimed that his move to Manchester City was only fueled by a desire to improve as a player and to win more trophies. With his new club defeating the former in the League Cup final and enjoying a 7-point lead in the Premier League standings, it’s difficult to argue that Sterling made the wrong choice.
However, Sterling’s personal form hasn’t significantly improved since the transfer.
Photo: @SkySportsNewsHQ | Twitter
With Jurgen Klopp taking over at Liverpool and Philippe Coutinho putting in some phenomenal displays on the left side of the Reds attack in conjunction with the superb form of Roberto Firmino, don’t expect the snake den that is Raheem Sterling’s Instagram page to change anytime soon.
