“Before you know it I’m 10 drinks down!”
Micah Richards, in the safety of retirement, has now explained how an alcohol-fuelled night in a hotel room got him in hot water during his Man City days.
The former England international came through the City academy, and was one of the very few who survived the mass exodus whenever the big money takeover occurred and a plethora of superstars were brought in.
The flying right back played an integral part in winning the FA Cup and their first ever Premier League trophy, but soon after, injuries began to derail his career.
By the time Manuel Pellegrini took charge of the club, Richards was on the bench or on the physio table for more frequently than he was on the pitch, and it’s because of this, he made a poor decision on one away trip.
“I’d just got back in the squad with (Manuel) Pellegrini and you pretty much know if you’re going to be left out,’ Richards explained on The Rest is Football podcast.
“You’re sort of travelling if anyone gets injured. So I remember travelling somewhere, can’t remember where we were travelling to. I know I’m not playing, just come back from injury, just got back into it.
“So we get back to the hotel, and normally they take out all your alcohol of the fridge. Because I was probably a late shout for the squad, I’ve got all the alcohol in my fridge.
“So I’m thinking ‘I’ve just come back from injury, I’m not going to be playing, I’ll have one’. One turns to two, two turns to three, before you know it I’m 10 drinks down!
“I get a call in the morning, someone’s injured. I’ve never been so nervous in my life!”
Micah Richards on the thing about Premier League physios that ‘no one knows about’
At this point Richards reveals that footballers have a close relationship with the club doctors, and can divulge information to them that you maybe wouldn’t have expected.
“So, and people don’t really know this, you have a relationship with the doctor, the physios and then a different relationship with the manager. So, the doctor and physio always try to protect you if they can.
“The manager has a conversation ‘are you playing or not playing?’ So I was just like to the manager ‘I’m not ready boss, my hamstring’s not right’ or this, that and the other, but really I’ve told the doc and the physio ‘I’ve been steaming last night, you’re going to have to make up an excuse, I can’t be in the squad, I just can’t do it’.
“And luckily the other sub went onto the bench and ended up going on and I didn’t have to appear, but that’s another true story.”
Related links:
- Richard Dunne on the’bullshit’ he was told during Man City’s big money takeover
- Micah Richards on the one player that even Roy Keane was afraid of
- Micah Richards tells cracking Stephen Ireland story from their Man City days
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