All the headlines this week should have been about the international games and the success of the home nations and how it is now back to normal with the run-in for the league programme.

But lo and behold it was one individual in the spotlight, certainly not a veteran, or a superstar with what he’s achieved, but a 20-year-old who has scored six goals in the league this season and has reportedly turned down a £100,000-a-week offer from Liverpool to extend his contract.

Raheem Sterling of course said it’s not about money, he wants to win medals.

Giving the impression he’s not into material things there were pictures of him turning up at Liverpool in his top of the range white Mercedes. He also apparently has a top of the range four-door white Range Rover.

It reminded me of the news that came out a few weeks ago at Sunderland of all places where the player was showing off on social media his new car which cost £250,000. He put out pictures of it on the drive in front of what, believe me having lived up there, was literally a mansion.

In the background on the same drive was his other car, which is a Bentley. I don’t think he has even scored the six goals Sterling has.

I have always said that the amount of money coming into the game now is unbelievable and being devil’s advocate why shouldn’t the players get their share? Without them there wouldn’t be a game.

But I do think some of the salaries have got a bit out of hand and also the young players who undoubtedly are good are not being properly advised by the agents who, believe me, will be hanging around them, certainly whilst they are making the money.

The fact that the Liverpool player has said he is looking for opportunities to win medals and that he originally came from Queens Park Rangers has apparently led to clubs like Chelsea to show an interest, which of course is right up the agent’s street.

Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager, was of course put on the spot at his weekly press conference when all he would want to talk about was the fixture this weekend, one of the biggest of the season, away to Arsenal with both clubs battling to get into the top four. I can only imagine how he felt when most of the questions were about the 20-year-old.

He would count to ten and not say what he would like to say and come out with the fact that there are still two-and-a-half years left on his current contract, and the owners will stand by his decision, which would be the player will not be moving anywhere this summer.

However, I think it will be a case of wait and see.

The fact that managers have not necessarily got the say and decision making ability that we did not demand but had by nature in the past, has shown yet again at Leeds United, which is a club I have great memories of when they were up there with the best in Europe.

Regularly these days the wrong sort of story comes out with another one this week where the assistant manager was given a phone call to tell him he was suspended until the end of the season when his contract is up anyway.

The manager wasn’t even informed of the reason and is now having to consider his own situation.

The phone call apparently was made by a person with the title director of football, so I can only imagine the atmosphere within the club as they get ready for their Bank Holiday games.

International games are a bit more interesting I suppose with the fact that the European Championships has been extended to 24 teams, which has given all our four home nations a better chance of qualifying.

To be fair they are coming up with the right results and as an added interest for Saints supporters there were 19 current players involved at every level down to youth teams.

Even though it was against England it was great to see Pelle score such an excellent headed goal for Italy which will undoubtedly restore that bit of confidence which he appears to have lost in recent league games.

On the England side we had Clyne and, albeit for only a couple of minutes at the end, our other full back Bertrand, which incidentally brings to mind another point compared to the old days.

Even though only on for two minutes Ryan will get an England cap – remember David Beckham finished with 115. Compared to the likes of Bobby Charlton, whose caps were always a result of 90 minutes on the pitch, they were a bit different, but still that’s the way the game is with so many substitutes now.

We also had the captain of Northern Ireland, Steven Davis, and of course Gareth Bale, who we will always view as one of ours, being the hero for Wales, who could well qualify for the first time in decades.

The manager of Scotland, Gordon Strachan, used to manage Saints and it was good to see him include the Bournemouth player, Matt Ritchie, for his first cap and that might be a sign that his club could join us in the Premier League next season. Let’s hope so.