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| |  Posted 13/02/2008 13:03:35 | |
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| B for Badger (13/02/2008)
"always have a general knowledge quiz the night before the game, which is run by Les Chapman our kit-man." Good ol' Chappers.  Now that's going to be a fun quiz. We should crash the hotel one weekend-anyone know which one it is?
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up, charm, top, down, strange, bottom |
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| | | Posted 13/02/2008 13:06:03 | |
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| | Les Chapman seems to be liked by everyone and is obviously good to have around the team. Sounds like the kind of bloke you wouldn't mind having a night out and a few beers with. I bet he has some tales he could tell! |
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| | | Posted 25/02/2008 18:38:04 | |
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Last Updated: Friday, 22 February 2008, 12:36 GMT
E-mail this to a friend Printable version
Micah Richards column
Micah Richards
By Micah Richards
Manchester City and England defender
The Premier League's proposal to play a round of matches abroad is an interesting one. It is something that I have talked about with my team-mates at Manchester City quite a lot.
I can understand why supporters here are against it and, as a player, I have mixed feelings.
I don't think playing just one game would matter but it depends where it would be - there are loads of issues that need to be resolved before it could happen.
Joleon Lescott and Micah Richards
I spoke to Joleon Lescott about our game with Everton this week and I have been texting Andy Johnson about it too - there was a bit of banter flying around
I had experience of playing in Thailand with City in the Premier League Asia Trophy in the summer of 2005 - we played Everton and Bolton out there. The atmosphere was great and the games were a sell-out - our fans out there clearly enjoyed themselves.
But the only thing with playing in places like that is that you are not used to the weather being that hot.
We had water-breaks all the way through those matches and it was a bit much for a 90-minute game, especially if it would be a one-off and you would not get the chance to properly acclimatise.
Travelling a long way, followed by playing in hot conditions, followed by a long flight back, is not going to do players any favours in what is a busy enough schedule anyhow.
So it would depend on what time of year it happens too. People already mention player fatigue, especially for those who are in the Champions League and coming back from internationals, and tiredness is a problem.
On that subject, City's players were given some time off last week because we did not have a game until we play Everton on Monday.
Sven-Goran Eriksson said after our win over Manchester United that everybody was happy. He told us to go away and enjoy ourselves, then be ready to come back to work.
Most of City's squad went away for a break. Richard Dunne and Michael Ball went to Dubai and a lot of our foreign players went home.
I went to Tenerife for five days with Joe Hart and some other friends.
I had not been before - Harty just said he was going and asked me whether I fancied it.
606: DEBATE
Your chance to quiz Micah
We did not do any training or anything like that - it was just about having a rest and relaxing. I spent a lot of time on the beach which was just what the doctor ordered!
I saw Steve McClaren out there with his kids and bumped into Ron Atkinson as well.
I had a good chat with Steve - we were mainly talking about our win at United really. He told me he thought I had a cracking game - I told him there was more to come!
While I was away I didn't watch any football - I just switched off to be honest.
We never usually get a chance to get away during the season and I definitely feel refreshed and re-energised after coming back. I have got a bit of a cold but that is only because of coming back from the sun to the freezing weather here!
Training on Wednesday was a bit of a shock to the system - to go from temperatures of 26 or 27 degrees, or whatever it was in Tenerife, to minus five in Manchester was not particularly nice!
But we did a bit of extra work and are all looking and feeling that bit sharper.
Our game against Everton on Monday is another big one and we cannot let our standards slip after our win at Old Trafford, especially if we want to qualify for Europe.
I know a few of the Everton boys quite well and I spoke to Joleon Lescott about the game earlier this week. I have been texting Andy Johnson about it too.
Of course, there was a bit of banter flying around - and it can get quite cheeky! But I tried not say too much about the actual game because if either of them scored then I would never hear the end of it.
I want to know what he said...
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| | | Posted 25/02/2008 18:40:55 | |
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| Benny (25/02/2008)
and bumped into Ron Atkinson as well.
I want to know what he said...
"Watch where you're going n....."? Silly old Ron the racist.
you know, you know, if a feller named Monroe never fathered bluegrass
he would still be unrecognised as the grand wizard of speed metal 
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| | | Posted 25/02/2008 18:41:41 | |
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| B for Badger (25/02/2008)
Benny (25/02/2008)
and bumped into Ron Atkinson as well.
I want to know what he said...
"Watch where you're going n....."? Silly old Ron the racist.
Lollage.
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up, charm, top, down, strange, bottom |
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| | | Posted 28/02/2008 17:07:10 | |
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| | | | By Micah Richards
Manchester City and England defender |
 I was shocked by what happened to Arsenal striker Eduardo on Saturday - it was a horrific leg break. I was watching the game on TV but I was out of the room when it happened. I wanted to see it so much for myself that I stayed up to watch it again on Match of the Day. Birmingham defender Martin Taylor has had a lot of stick about his challenge but it was just like any other tackle that I would make dozens of during a game. Eduardo just dinked it past him and then Taylor caught him.  | Taylor went for the ball, got the man and it is heartbreaking for Eduardo. I feel for him and I hope he gets back as soon as possible |
It was not nasty at all, so for Taylor to get death threats is a disgrace. It is nine years since he had a red card which shows you he is not a dirty player. I have seen worse tackles in plenty of games with people diving in and I think everyone understands that now. At first with something like that you think the worst but when you see it you realise it was not that bad. I have been there myself. When I was playing for Manchester City's academy, I went up for a header and won the ball but fell on the goalkeeper's leg, breaking it. I could not look at it because it made me feel sick. It was a complete accident but that is how it happens sometimes. When Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said after the game that he wanted Taylor banned for life it was clearly in the heat of the moment. He was just protecting his player like any manager would. I can understand why he was frustrated though because Arsenal play the best football in the division and sometimes people are out to tackle them hard and foul them. But that was not the case here. Taylor went for the ball, got the man and it is heartbreaking for Eduardo. I feel for him and I hope he gets back as soon as possible. After my knee operation this week I will have to spend some time out myself. I know from past experience that it is frustrating and quite depressing. Nine months is a long time and it will be easy for Eduardo to feel sorry for himself. It will affect Taylor too because crowds will get on his back now every time he makes a tackle, especially when Birmingham are away from home. He is not going to go in as hard as he would like because of that but he will get over that with time. Even I was cautious in our game against Everton on Monday. When you see things like that it makes you more aware of the damage a bad tackle can do, but maybe that is just the sort of player I am. Of course, when you are marking somebody it is easy to get carried away with a little feud. Lots of strikers and defenders have arguments and you might remember I had a real battle with Fulham striker Clint Dempsey earlier this season. Sometimes you do get carried away and want to go in a bit stronger on someone but you have to keep a steady head because you never know what might happen. You saw what happens when players get frustrated on Monday when Martin Petrov was sent off at the end of our 2-0 defeat. You cannot raise your foot like that but I feel sorry for him because I saw it and he did not do a lot. Of course people are going to ask how we played so well to beat Manchester United then followed it up by playing so badly against Everton. It is annoying that we are so inconsistent and I can understand why City fans get so frustrated with us because we get their hopes so high sometimes, then bring them crashing back down to earth. We need to cut that out if we want to play in Europe next season. We need to get our act together, there are no excuses. |
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Feliz Año Neuvo |
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| | | Posted 26/04/2008 08:15:31 | |
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| | Manchester City fans showed their support for our manager Sven-Goran Eriksson with their singing during our win over Portsmouth at the weekend. The players are 100% behind him too. But I think it is crazy that his job is even being talked about as being in danger - he has been good for everyone at City. We finished 14th last season and were only four points above the relegation zone. Compare that with Sven's results at the beginning of the season. And even though we have fallen away, we have been in the top 10 in the Premier League all year, which is a decent performance. Yes, he had a bit of money to spend but we are talking around £40m, not over £100m like Chelsea have spent in one go in the past, and we have done well with that. | 606: DEBATE |
Sven had to put a team together with that money and at the start of the season all we were aiming for was to finish in the top half. Fair enough, we feel we could have done better with the start we had but for a first season together we have to be happy - next year we can aim higher but that was never going to happen overnight. I have really enjoyed working with Sven too. Not just his tactics, and his results but as a person too. He is a genuinely nice guy. Players are not afraid to approach him and if you have got any problems you can always speak to him and let him know what is on your mind. I know he has come out and said he thinks he has made mistakes this year, particularly over-training us around Christmas but he is being very harsh on himself.  Richards has enjoyed working under Eriksson (centre) this season |
We are building towards becoming a top-six team and if we manage to qualify for Europe, we are going to have games coming thick and fast. This season we were only in the FA Cup and Carling Cup on top of the league so I don't think that was an issue. I am pleased that City have won some silverware this season though - we beat Chelsea 4-2 on aggregate in the Youth Cup final - it was about time we won something! I was at Eastlands for the second leg last week and it was a great game. I was buzzing for the lads but it reminded me of how devastated I was when we lost to Liverpool in the 2006 final - it is a great cup to win and nice to put on your CV as a young player. I am desperate to get back into action myself before the end of the season by the way. My recovery from my knee operation is coming along nicely - I could have played against Pompey but the physios do not want to take any risks whatsoever. I am not too sure whether I will fit to face Fulham on Saturday either. At the moment I am in full training but I have been having days of treatment here and there too. If it's going to benefit me in the long run I'd rather sit out these last few games and then be fresh for next season. I have not given up all hope yet but I want to make sure it is right. England have got games coming up too, against the USA and Trinidad & Tobago and I know if I am not playing for City I am not going to get picked. But if I have to wait until next season for that then I will if it means I am 100%. Finally, you wanted to know if I have swapped my shirt with many players this season, and yes, I try to every game. I put the best ones up in my house and keep the rest as souvenirs - I try to get the best player from every team. This season I have swapped with Rio Ferdinand, Michael Essien and Steven Gerrard. My favourite of all time though is Thierry Henry's from last year. That one is on the wall, and the others soon will be.
Keeper of the heretic's fork of doom. |
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