Raheem Sterling says this season at Chelsea has been “one of the lowest points” of his career and the club’s next manager must have “the final say on everything”.
Sterling signed for the Blues in a deal worth £47.5m from Manchester City last summer but the move has not yet been a success with Chelsea sat in the bottom half of the Premier League and on a six-game losing streak in all competitions.
The 28-year-old has scored only four goals and produced just two assists in 24 league appearances amid a torrid season that has seen him struggle for form and fitness.
- Gary Neville: Todd Boehly, you’ve created Chelsea mess, stop meddling
- ‘This is a long-term project’ | Todd Boehly committed to Chelsea’s improvement
- Premier League table | Chelsea fixtures | Results
- Get Sky Sports | Download the Sky Sports App
“Personally, this is one of the lowest points in my career,” Sterling exclusively told Sky Sports. “This might sound a bit weird, but it is also a great learning curve.
“It’s been pretty smooth sailing winning, winning and winning but sometimes in life stuff gets thrown at you and it is a challenge that I’m looking forward to, hitting it head on and not trying to hide from it.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
“It will only make me stronger and also the group stronger. These challenges, not in just football but life as well, it’s crucial to how we deal with things and how we kick on after.”
Frank Lampard is the fourth manager of Chelsea’s season as new ownership searches for a second boss of their reign. Sterling reckons the next person in the dugout must have full control.
“I’m not one to tell the club what to do but from what I can gauge from where I was previously, organisation is the most important thing. Having a manager that has the final say on everything and it being his way with everyone having to follow that,” he said.
“Successful teams always have a manager that comes in, brings his blueprint and everyone follows. If there are people that don’t follow, then they are not part of the team and that is how brutal it needs to be at a high level.
“It’s a fine line between winning, coming second and being in the position we are now. It’s about everyone being on the same page from my experience.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
A hindering factor in Chelsea’s season has been their bloated squad which has made training sessions difficult and even forced the dressing room to be expanded.
The issue will likely mean an exodus of players this summer and Sterling is adamant it must be sorted.
“There’s new ownership, the new manager that came at the start of the season, new players and some players that were meant to leave that didn’t at the time, it’s been an overload of players,” said Sterling.
“It’s hard for any manager to deal with. He hasn’t got the right amount and we have to try and do training sessions that involve everyone because people need to be fit as well.
“It’s difficult but every manager that’s been here has dealt with it as professionally as they can, and they have never been disrespectful to any player here.
“It’s been a challenge and something that we do definitely need to get sorted because if a manager is here, he wants players who are invested in what the club wants to achieve and what he wants to achieve.
“It’s quite difficult to do that with mixed emotions in the squad. It’s definitely something as a club we need to get organised.”