Football
ESPN staff 8y

Man City's John Stones, Raheem Sterling have potential - Allardyce

England manager Sam Allardyce sees young Manchester City duo John Stones and Raheem Sterling as cause to be optimistic for the national team's future, but expects them to make strides quickly.

Stones, 22, moved to Manchester City for a reported fee of around £47.5 million earlier this month, while 21-year-old Sterling joined from Liverpool for a similar amount of money the previous summer.

Both players are seen as bright young prospects but whose natural talents need to be refined by top-class coaching and Champions League experience, something Allardyce hopes will come for the pair under new City manager Pep Guardiola.

"Potential is something that's going to be great in the future," Allardyce said of Stones. "I want it right now -- and I think he's got a great chance of becoming that right now.

"With all due respect to Everton, working with Manchester City is the level he has to get to because you don't realise [Guardiola] does focus quite a lot on defending."

Speaking about Sterling, Allardyce added: "There's always that time in football where people say that when you have the dip, it's: 'How well do you overcome it?'

"And when you do overcome it, you then end up being a much better player and generally your career lasts a lot longer after getting through that period.

"So if he's through that period and his talent begins to blossom again... because he's not at the peak of his career yet. He's 21.

"He's a terrific talent, like many of the players in England. We've just got to enhance the talent, play as a team and win."

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