England’s match-winning Euro 2020 forward made a big impression off and on the pitch as a youngster at QPR
Raheem Sterling was only starting out but Queens Park Rangers, who had signed him in 2005 just before his 11th birthday, knew what they had. According to Joe Gallen, the head of youth development at the time, it was something special. And so he would go out of his way to ensure that the young Sterling was as happy and comfortable as possible.
Gallen, now the assistant manager at Leyton Orient, enjoyed chatting to Sterling in his office at the training ground in Harlington, sometimes just the two of them, other times with the protege’s mother, Nadine. He would ask Sterling how school was going, how his family were; there would be football tips, words of encouragement. One day, though, Sterling had something to get off his chest.
