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Author Topic: Micah Richards - Released  (Read 455800 times)

Offline Villa in Denmark

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Re: Micah Richards signed
« Reply #345 on: June 17, 2015, 11:58:26 PM »
Are there really concerns about his injury history from people who have any reason to be concerned? - http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/micah-richards/verletzungen/spieler/32617 - that's hardly an unending list of serious injuries, a couple of hamstring injuries will mean that was something they'll have looked at in the medical but otherwise there's very little to worry about in that record.  Being behind the guy who was the best right back in the league for a season and a half and then failing to settle at a foreign club seems to have created a myth that he's been injured a lot more than he has.  What is true is that he's picked up injuries at the worst possible times for him.
The main reason that it seems that a lot of Liverpool fans don't want to sign Benteke is that he is 'injury-prone'. i.e he has had an injury that they have heard about, so assume it's a frequent thing.

I wonder if Richards could be similar.

Almost certainly.

Nathan Baker, Joe Cole & Ron Vlaar I would describe as injury prone.
You could argue that van Persie and Diego Costa are as well.

Someone who's had one serious knee injury and 2 unrelated hamstring tweaks in the last 4 years? 

Offline paul_e

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Re: Micah Richards signed
« Reply #346 on: June 18, 2015, 12:09:58 AM »
Are there really concerns about his injury history from people who have any reason to be concerned? - http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/micah-richards/verletzungen/spieler/32617 - that's hardly an unending list of serious injuries, a couple of hamstring injuries will mean that was something they'll have looked at in the medical but otherwise there's very little to worry about in that record.  Being behind the guy who was the best right back in the league for a season and a half and then failing to settle at a foreign club seems to have created a myth that he's been injured a lot more than he has.  What is true is that he's picked up injuries at the worst possible times for him.
The main reason that it seems that a lot of Liverpool fans don't want to sign Benteke is that he is 'injury-prone'. i.e he has had an injury that they have heard about, so assume it's a frequent thing.

I wonder if Richards could be similar.

Almost certainly.

Nathan Baker, Joe Cole & Ron Vlaar I would describe as injury prone.
You could argue that van Persie and Diego Costa are as well.

Someone who's had one serious knee injury and 2 unrelated hamstring tweaks in the last 4 years? 

Vlaar's record is one that rings alarm bells - http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ron-vlaar/verletzungen/spieler/30697 - all those calf injuries in 3 seasons is a huge worry, there's clearly an underlying problem and, wherever he goes next, I'd be amazed if anyone offers him anything more than a 2 year deal, it's just too big a risk.

Baker is an odd one, on paper his record isn't that bad but it's the number of games that he limps off with a dislocated beard or some shit that are the problem.  He also gets his injuries at the worst possible time for the club, which is infuriating.

Offline The Left Side

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Re: Micah Richards signed
« Reply #347 on: June 18, 2015, 03:36:16 AM »
Welcome Micah

Offline Matt Collins

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Re: Micah Richards signed
« Reply #348 on: June 18, 2015, 11:00:21 AM »
TS: "He is a player who can play in a number of positions. He can play right-back, centre-half and also in a three man defence so his versatility is another real positive.

Perhaps he is considering three at the back after all. I hope not.

Online Dave

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Re: Micah Richards signed
« Reply #349 on: June 18, 2015, 11:02:48 AM »
Not the best-written article in the world, but worth posting nonetheless.

Quote
Micah Richards turns 27 next week, another example of football's innate ability to play tricks on the mind. Where did that fresh-faced defender go? How is he possibly less than five years younger than James Collins? What have we all been doing with our lives?

Richards is still England's youngest ever defender, beating Rio Ferdinand to that honour when called up by Steve McClaren in 2006. Quick, strong and skilful, he started six competitive international matches before turning 20. This was Gary Neville for a new generation, England's answer at right-back. A gem had been unearthed in Manchester, via Oldham.

How quickly exciting potential becomes wasted opportunity. Richards has transformed from tomorrow's answer to yesterday's man. Following his release by Manchester City, the defender has joined Aston Villa on a four-year deal. While his old side compete for the title, Richards seeks regular football at the club who have finished 16th, 15th, 15th and 17th in the last four Premier League seasons.

An England international defender in the prime of his career joining one English club from another should be big news, as the aforementioned Ferdinand can testify. Richards, however, will slip out of a side door at the Etihad, his departure met with neither anguish nor celebration. There is nothing as demeaning as being ignored.

Richards' decline is symbolised by the inevitability of his departure from City. This is a club whose only homegrown options for next season are a first-choice goalkeeper, a 29-year-old French left-back and a 37-year-old goalkeeper whose last Premier League start was in 2007. City were keen to let Richards leave on loan last season, yet Dedryck Boyata made two Premier League appearances.

There was talk of interest from Juventus and Internazionale in Richards last summer, but a move to Fiorentina only served to continue the alarming decline. He started only seven Serie A Matches, criticised by coach Vicenzo Montella in January for his lack of fitness.

"His fitness levels weren't up to scratch," Montella said. "He is more of a full-back in a four-man defence and when he arrived, in my view, his fitness levels weren't up to scratch to sustain that role." Very few in Florence will have mourned his retreat back to the Premier League.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Richards attempted to improve his PR by claiming disbelief at his lack of minutes in Italy. "I don't know whether it's because I've been on loan and I haven't made a commitment to stay," he said. "No disrespect to the players here, I feel I should have been playing." The article described Richards as a 'football obsessive' and 'renaissance man'. One doth protest too much?

Once renowned for his pace and endeavour to surge forward, disagreements with the views of various managers has become the new hallmark of Richards' career. When Roberto Mancini was City boss, he famously reminded his defender to "remember to pick up his brain".

"He has good quality but sometimes Micah thinks he can play at only 50%," Mancini said. "If Micah plays to 100%, he can become one of the top full-backs in Europe. But he needs to improve. His body is on the pitch, but his mind is left at home sometimes." And that's coming from one of his fans.

Manuel Pellegrini took a harder line, starving Richards of first-team football. Again Richards claims to have been harshly treated, but the council for the defence can simply exclaim 'Pablo Zabaleta' in a loud voice before resting its case. Richards must now hope to pip Alan Hutton for Villa's right-back spot. It's an easier gig.

With 16 league starts since April 2012, the time has surely come for Richards to embark on a period of introspection. Being castigated and ignored by one coach could be considered an anomaly, but three or four suggests that the problem lies at Richards' feet (or should that be mind?). There have been consistent insinuations about his attitude.

A young, English defender. An academy graduate with multiple Premier League winner's medals. An Englishman who was prepared to go abroad. These are characteristics which generate a great deal of goodwill for Richards. A car doesn't start with only goodwill in the tank.

Football is littered with the wretched dimmed light of bright young things, but few Englishmen shone brighter than Micah Richards at the age of 19. Villa Park might not be the end of the line, but it could represent the last chance saloon for a player in dramatic decline when still in his prime.

Offline OCD

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Re: Micah Richards signed
« Reply #350 on: June 18, 2015, 11:03:40 AM »
TS: "He is a player who can play in a number of positions. He can play right-back, centre-half and also in a three man defence so his versatility is another real positive.

Perhaps he is considering three at the back after all. I hope not.

He also said right back and centre back. So he probably wants a back 4 most of the time but to have the option of switching to a back 3 when the situation requires.

Offline Matt Collins

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Re: Micah Richards signed
« Reply #351 on: June 18, 2015, 01:01:06 PM »
Yeah maybe. It's a bit odd to reference though. I mean how many centre backs can't play in a back three?

Also a bit odd that there's nothing from micah himself?

Offline PeterWithesShin

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Re: Micah Richards signed
« Reply #352 on: June 18, 2015, 01:23:48 PM »
Quote
Tim Sherwood has spoken of his delight at the capture of Micah Richards.

And the Villa manager insists the club have landed a player who is coming into his "peak years".

Richards has already won the Premier League and FA Cup, played in the Champions League and represented England at senior level.

Despite this impressive football CV, Sherwood thinks there's still plenty for Richards to achieve as he welcomed him to the claret and blues.

Sherwood also believes his "winning mentality" will be invaluable at Bodymoor Heath.

He said: "I'm really pleased to get Micah on board and I'm sure he will prove to be an excellent signing for the football club.

"Micah is a winner. He helped Manchester City win their first Premier League title in 44 years, has won the FA Cup and has played in the Champions League.

"So we are signing a player who is used to winning football matches. I want players with that winning mentality here.

"And we are also signing a player at his peak.

"At 26, we are getting him when he should be producing the best football of his career."

Sherwood also hailed the versatility of Richards - and spelled out his belief that the defender can get back into the Three Lions shirt if he can perform in B6.

He added: "Micah has played international football for England in the past and if he performs as well as I know he can for Aston Villa then there is no reason why he can't get back to that level again.

"Tom Cleverley's form at the end of the season for us got him back in the England squad so Micah knows he will get a platform here to push for that.

"He is a player who can play in a number of positions. He can play right-back, centre-half and also in a three man defence so his versatility is another real positive.

"When I spoke with Micah it was clear how determined he is to get his career back on track and I've every confidence he will recapture the form and quality he displayed before he moved over to Italy.

"He had a lot of choices but I'm delighted he chose Aston Villa."

Offline eamonn

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Re: Micah Richards signed
« Reply #353 on: June 18, 2015, 01:24:34 PM »
Was it badly-written? It were alright, I thought.

Offline OCD

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Re: Micah Richards signed
« Reply #354 on: June 18, 2015, 01:38:42 PM »
Yeah maybe. It's a bit odd to reference though. I mean how many centre backs can't play in a back three?

Also a bit odd that there's nothing from micah himself?

You're probably being a bit over-analytical there. It's a natural way of answering a question, you don't dissect what you're about to say before you say it.

Offline Matt Collins

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Re: Micah Richards signed
« Reply #355 on: June 19, 2015, 08:20:28 AM »
Possibly. Interesting that almost everything i read from people who've watched him a lot says he is vastly better at right back. To the extent that he's not a very good centre back. Happy to see him play there though he isn't going to replicate bacuna's crossing. But that leaves a centre back and left back position to fill (if vlaar goes) before we even get into replacing cleverley or nzogbia. So I'd be surprised if sherwood would have prioritised a right back signing

Online Clampy

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Re: Micah Richards signed
« Reply #356 on: June 19, 2015, 09:52:52 AM »
Yeah maybe. It's a bit odd to reference though. I mean how many centre backs can't play in a back three?

Also a bit odd that there's nothing from micah himself?

Maybe he's on holiday, who knows.

Offline Tom_Mc9?

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Re: Micah Richards signed
« Reply #357 on: June 19, 2015, 09:59:37 AM »
Or still traumatised.

Offline Gregorys Boy

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Re: Micah Richards signed
« Reply #358 on: June 25, 2015, 10:31:40 AM »
If he stays fit then I think its a good signing.  He will add much needed experience to the side and can be a threat going forward as well as strong defending.  I think this is a gamble worth taking considering its a free transfer too.

Offline Dr Butler

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Re: Micah Richards signed
« Reply #359 on: July 03, 2015, 04:37:29 PM »
he's here :) some pictures from the official site...

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~4839069,00.html

do us proud Micah

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