Micah Richards the pundit

[stan bowles]

I'd rather watch Micah laughing than Camelgob, the ginger dwarf, Owen or Shearer looking like someone just died offstage.

Yes obviously I agree with you. Micah can still improve as a pundit though - think he can retain his natural positivity and get more insight and knowledge across.

 

[stan bowles]

Disagree with that. Micah is entertainment, he's very good at it. he isn't somebody with vast tactical knowledge so why should he try and be something he isn't, all you'll get is a less entertaining Micah with kids level analysis that adds no real insight like you get from 95% of pundits already. I don't want to see him try to explain a very simple tactical tweak and drag it out for 5 minutes I want to see him ripping into his fellow pundits, winding them up and basking in the glory of our immense team.

I've seen him speak deadly seriously - fluently and with insight - a couple of times on different subjects (racism and the decline of his career after he left City). He wasn't playing the class clown on either occasion and showed he has got more than one angle to him.

 

[KPXBLN]

Gary Lineker was, to say the least, 'wooden' for many years and still can be. That said, he does an ok job now despite his lack of charisma. If Micah is afforded a similar amount of grace and works to develop more sophisticated views, opinions & comments, he too can emerge as a serious pundit. At the moment I feel it's fair to say he's a tad lightweight and, as someone has mentioned, is 'spoon-fed' questions which he repeats and give's often facile answers reflecting current media click - bait headlines, e.g. there's an article on BBC today talking about, among other things, us winning the quadruple and champions league etc. In short, he needs to take punditry more seriously if he's to increase his credibility.
BTW, I absolutely love Micah and wish him nothing but success and happiness.

This is fair in my opinion. Beyond any individual player though, I think the really big problem is that the producers / casting people or whoever it is that book the pundits for these programmes are so lacking in imagination and go for a tired, quite formulaic approach. You've got your moody old pro who is mainly negative, maybe some clever 'continental' guy or perhaps young English (ex-)manager, your happy go lucky cheerleader (Micah is fitting into the latter camp at the moment), and so on. The whole thing is much more about the performance, giving us the viewer the illusion we're privy to a conversation between "legends" of the game, than it is about explaining what's happening on the pitch in tactical/analytical terms. So while I personally don't think Micah's especially good I think he is also hamstrung by the format and the expectations it places on him.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Fully agree, but my point was more aimed at the City-quota rather than their actual ability (Kompany and Zabaleta are also both fairly bland)
The Millennials* have only ever known City as a top Premier League outfit forever challenging for the major honours. This demographic will be become more influential over the next decade as they start to become homeowners and Digital TV subscribers.
For the same reason I fully expect Souness to soon disappear, as subscribers won't remember him as a player.

*Millennials are in their late 30s/early 40s.

Millennials are people who were 16-20ish at the turn of the millennium. They were at school/college/uni during our lowest years, getting grief off Rags without having the experience and maturity to let it slide.

Millennials didn’t see City win a trophy until they were in their late 20s/early 30s.

 

[horlock_was_super]

I think he’s alright. Yes I admit I have always liked the lad, he’s good hearted that’s how I see him and after everything that’s happened this last year he’s a bloody tonic. I watched the Ian Cheeseman vlogs with Nedum at lunchtime today - bloody hell - what a wonderful young man he is. I have only heard him speak here and there before after today I want him front and centre at City Square when we’re back!

 

[Ribchester]

The man is clearly a mercenary after a pay day. Few chuckles here and there, make Keane smile, and promote the rags and recommend them for POTY.

had his number since he celebrated his birthday with his rag mates straight after the Michael Owen show at OT, where he not only handed them the game but then went on the lash with the twats

whereas most fans went home stayed in and felt like shit for days, I couldn’t wouldn’t speak to a rag for at least 5 days post that game let alone go for a drink with them

 

[KPXBLN]

The man is clearly a mercenary after a pay day. Few chuckles here and there, make Keane smile, and promote the rags and recommend them for POTY.

had his number since he celebrated his birthday with his rag mates straight after the Michael Owen show at OT, where he not only handed them the game but then went on the lash with the twats

whereas most fans went home stayed in and felt like shit for days, I couldn’t wouldn’t speak to a rag for at least 5 days post that game let alone go for a drink with them

Bit harsh

 

[mat]

He's made a good impression on Sky.

So much so he's in the trailer for their new F1 season he's interviewing Lewis Hamilton.

 

[Metalartin]

Him and Nedum would be a great combo for studio pundit segments of televised City games. It's not always good when the pundits are too alike, saying the same things.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

The man is clearly a mercenary after a pay day. Few chuckles here and there, make Keane smile, and promote the rags and recommend them for POTY.

had his number since he celebrated his birthday with his rag mates straight after the Michael Owen show at OT, where he not only handed them the game but then went on the lash with the twats

whereas most fans went home stayed in and felt like shit for days, I couldn’t wouldn’t speak to a rag for at least 5 days post that game let alone go for a drink with them

With hindsight, I am quite well disposed towards that game, given our subsequent track record at old trafford. That goal seemed at the time to underline united’s enduring dominance over us, whereas it was, in fact, its early death rattle. They thought it was going to last forever and yet five years later, when we brutalised them 3-0 in Moyes’ single season, they were terrified of us, especially Yaya. We absolutely brutalised and toyed with them that evening.

We have dominated them in their own back yard several times since the Owen goal, which actually turned out to be a turning point that ended in that banner coming down and us finishing above them for eight seasons on the spin.

It felt awful at the time though!