Micah Richards Critique

[Shadz69]

I suspect given that it was only a few weeks before the tournament, Hodgson took players that he had some familiarity with, that's the only explanation I can think of for Johnson, Downing and Henderson...

No idea why Capello didn't like him though

I think you are right to reference Capello,think he had a bit to do with it.

 

[stony]

If it was one England manager then you could just put it down to personal opinion, but for two managers in a row to pick inferior players, is strange to say the least. Unless they know something we don't.
I've heard all sorts of theories bandied about over the last few months
"The manager thinks he's a Billy big bollocks"
"He can't retain instructions and is too thick"
"It's for non footballing reasons"

Now we know Micah better than any set of fans and the Billy big bollocks claim is utter tosh. He's a down to earth lad who just loves football.
The accusation that he can't retain instructions seems like bollocks too. He wouldn't have lasted two minutes under Mancini if that was the case.
Non footballing reasons ? Well that covers a wide area and I'm not even sure what it means.
Personalty clash ? You'd think successive England managers would be professional enough to put anything like that to one side.
Drugs ? Not even a sniff(if you'll pardon the pun) of Micah being a bad boy. So we can rule that out.
There is one we've missed out. He actually isn't as good as we think and we are vastly overrating him as a player. The only reason he's not picked is that the players picked above him are better than him.
That last one isn't my personal opinion, I'm just throwing it out there because I honestly can't think of a genuine reason that Micah is not first or even second choice right back for England.

 

[Ronnie the Rep]

If it was one England manager then you could just put it down to personal opinion, but for two managers in a row to pick inferior players, is strange to say the least. Unless they know something we don't.
I've heard all sorts of theories bandied about over the last few months
"The manager thinks he's a Billy big bollocks"
"He can't retain instructions and is too thick"
"It's for non footballing reasons"

Now we know Micah better than any set of fans and the Billy big bollocks claim is utter tosh. He's a down to earth lad who just loves football.
The accusation that he can't retain instructions seems like bollocks too. He wouldn't have lasted two minutes under Mancini if that was the case.
Non footballing reasons ? Well that covers a wide area and I'm not even sure what it means.
Personalty clash ? You'd think successive England managers would be professional enough to put anything like that to one side.
Drugs ? Not even a sniff(if you'll pardon the pun) of Micah being a bad boy. So we can rule that out.
There is one we've missed out. He actually isn't as good as we think and we are vastly overrating him as a player. The only reason he's not picked is that the players picked above him are better than him.
That last one isn't my personal opinion, I'm just throwing it out there because I honestly can't think of a genuine reason that Micah is not first or even second choice right back for England.

Good post mate. One other point, Mancini seemed to prefer Zab at certain stages as well.

 

[BlueTG]

If it was one England manager then you could just put it down to personal opinion, but for two managers in a row to pick inferior players, is strange to say the least. Unless they know something we don't.
I've heard all sorts of theories bandied about over the last few months
"The manager thinks he's a Billy big bollocks"
"He can't retain instructions and is too thick"
"It's for non footballing reasons"

Now we know Micah better than any set of fans and the Billy big bollocks claim is utter tosh. He's a down to earth lad who just loves football.
The accusation that he can't retain instructions seems like bollocks too. He wouldn't have lasted two minutes under Mancini if that was the case.
Non footballing reasons ? Well that covers a wide area and I'm not even sure what it means.
Personalty clash ? You'd think successive England managers would be professional enough to put anything like that to one side.
Drugs ? Not even a sniff(if you'll pardon the pun) of Micah being a bad boy. So we can rule that out.
There is one we've missed out. He actually isn't as good as we think and we are vastly overrating him as a player. The only reason he's not picked is that the players picked above him are better than him.
That last one isn't my personal opinion, I'm just throwing it out there because I honestly can't think of a genuine reason that Micah is not first or even second choice right back for England.

Good post mate. One other point, Mancini seemed to prefer Zab at certain stages as well.

Thought that was because Richards picked up an injury and because Zab was playing so well Mancini didnt change it for the last few games.

 

[Geo-Ali-David mcfc]

Richards problem is still his first touch, the only advantage Johnson has
Is he is comfortable with the ball. This is the reason why zaba always plays in
The big games. Micah has come on massively and I do believe he is a better player
Than Johnson but it can't be a coincidence that Capello, Mancini ,
Hodgson all over look him......

 

[Nervous Nedum]

If it was one England manager then you could just put it down to personal opinion, but for two managers in a row to pick inferior players, is strange to say the least. Unless they know something we don't.
I've heard all sorts of theories bandied about over the last few months
"The manager thinks he's a Billy big bollocks"
"He can't retain instructions and is too thick"
"It's for non footballing reasons"

Now we know Micah better than any set of fans and the Billy big bollocks claim is utter tosh. He's a down to earth lad who just loves football.
The accusation that he can't retain instructions seems like bollocks too. He wouldn't have lasted two minutes under Mancini if that was the case.
Non footballing reasons ? Well that covers a wide area and I'm not even sure what it means.
Personalty clash ? You'd think successive England managers would be professional enough to put anything like that to one side.
Drugs ? Not even a sniff(if you'll pardon the pun) of Micah being a bad boy. So we can rule that out.
There is one we've missed out. He actually isn't as good as we think and we are vastly overrating him as a player. The only reason he's not picked is that the players picked above him are better than him.
That last one isn't my personal opinion, I'm just throwing it out there because I honestly can't think of a genuine reason that Micah is not first or even second choice right back for England.

Good post mate. One other point, Mancini seemed to prefer Zab at certain stages as well.

Thought that was because Richards picked up an injury and because Zab was playing so well Mancini didnt change it for the last few games.

Maybe the injury he picked up was playing on Hodgsons mind?

IMO, he should be there. A fantastic right-back, who has as everybody has mentioned improved so much in the past few seasons. Lets just hope this spurs him on to have a belter of a season for us.

 

[moomba]

I can understand him missing out in the early days under Capello, he just wasn't playing well enough. But he has come on in leaps and bounds under Mancini and a lot of people don't seem to have realised he is a different player now.

Better defender by far than Johnson or Walker, and just as good going forward. Roy cocked up, simple as that.<br /><br />-- Thu Jun 21, 2012 2:31 pm --<br /><br />I think the press have a lot to do with it as well.

I remember one match where Micah called off Lescott on a corner, and his man beat him to a header to score a goal. It was picked up straight away by the press, and he got a lot of stick about it. Walker on the other hand has made a dozen bad errors leading to goals against Spurs (I think there was two or three against the rags late in the season), but it never seems to get picked up on.

And people rely on the media, soundbytes and highlights to form opinions of players.

 

[teddykgb]

Richards problem is still his first touch, the only advantage Johnson has
Is he is comfortable with the ball. This is the reason why zaba always plays in
The big games. Micah has come on massively and I do believe he is a better player
Than Johnson but it can't be a coincidence that Capello, Mancini ,
Hodgson all over look him......

I agree with this, I think it's his touch that finds him out of favor with some managers. His first touch in particular is often very heavy and when he goes forward he shows a ton of ball to the man he is taking on then usually tries to muscle through him, often resulting in a foul on him.

That said, I think it's the mark of a short sighted manager to ding him for this. It's probably true that Micah isn't the most technically proficient footballer with the ball at his feet. He's certainly not a prototype for Mancini, but he's really strong aerially and he can turn into a marauder going forward. He seems more adept than most RB at turning the corner and getting behind the last defender to fire in a dangerous cross...he's useful if a bit unconventional and he absolutely deserves to be starting over Johnson who would probably win more dribbling competitions and could probably play midfield better but happens to generally contribute nothing or next to nothing

 

[Fat Chance]

He's improved greatly but he still likes a little ragamuffin cameo when the opposition have got on with taking a dubious throw-in..leaving him in no mans land.

It was mentioned somewhere that his knees 'jump out' (i've not a clue), likened to going over on your ankle(s) and this was the reason for his past sudden actions when screaming out in pain (unchallenged free running) as if shot.....only to recover a couple of mins later. Anyone know more i'd be intrested to hear it and i'd be the first to apologise for accusing him of fannying injury when it suits.

The thing that was on his side was his age, you can make a defender....if they'll listen.

 

[Geo-Ali-David mcfc]

Richards problem is still his first touch, the only advantage Johnson has
Is he is comfortable with the ball. This is the reason why zaba always plays in
The big games. Micah has come on massively and I do believe he is a better player
Than Johnson but it can't be a coincidence that Capello, Mancini ,
Hodgson all over look him......

I agree with this, I think it's his touch that finds him out of favor with some managers. His first touch in particular is often very heavy and when he goes forward he shows a ton of ball to the man he is taking on then usually tries to muscle through him, often resulting in a foul on him.

That said, I think it's the mark of a short sighted manager to ding him for this. It's probably true that Micah isn't the most technically proficient footballer with the ball at his feet. He's certainly not a prototype for Mancini, but he's really strong aerially and he can turn into a marauder going forward. He seems more adept than most RB at turning the corner and getting behind the last defender to fire in a dangerous cross...he's useful if a bit unconventional and he absolutely deserves to be starting over Johnson who would probably win more dribbling competitions and could probably play midfield better but happens to generally contribute nothing or next to nothing[/

I think if Micah can improve in this area, the england right back spot is surely his for the next
10 years. Has glen Johnson even crossed a single ball ?
Although Richards touch is questionable surely that I'd offset my
The amount of assists he gets?? He must have been the highest for
Assists from right back ??