Manchester United assistant manager Ryan Giggs sympathises with Raheem Sterling as the England winger's tiredness becomes the subject of a club-versus-country row.
The 19-year-old, who has been in electric form for Liverpool and the Three Lions in 2014, was withdrawn from the starting XI to face Estonia on Sunday after complaining of fatigue to manager Roy Hodgson.
The England boss has since questioned Liverpool's approach towards player recovery, a view for which he has been branded by fitness coach Raymond Verheijen a "dinosaur", but Giggs feels that Sterling may have made the right call in being cautious.
"It's tough when you're a young player," Giggs told Sky Sports News. "He's an explosive player, he's a player who is exciting, a player you would pay and go and watch.
"Unfortunately, he's at Liverpool, who are our biggest rivals, but he's a talented player and you have got to be careful when you're a young player. It's a short career and you have to look towards the future.
"Speaking from my own experience, I wanted to train every day, I wanted to play every day and I'm sure he's no different."
Sterling came off the bench in the second half as England won 1-0 in Tallinn.
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The England boss has since questioned Liverpool's approach towards player recovery, a view for which he has been branded by fitness coach Raymond Verheijen a "dinosaur", but Giggs feels that Sterling may have made the right call in being cautious.
"It's tough when you're a young player," Giggs told Sky Sports News. "He's an explosive player, he's a player who is exciting, a player you would pay and go and watch.
"Unfortunately, he's at Liverpool, who are our biggest rivals, but he's a talented player and you have got to be careful when you're a young player. It's a short career and you have to look towards the future.
"Speaking from my own experience, I wanted to train every day, I wanted to play every day and I'm sure he's no different."
Sterling came off the bench in the second half as England won 1-0 in Tallinn.
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