Richards fears for City kids

FLORENCE. — Micah Richards insists he was not given a fair crack of the whip under Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini.
And the defender, speaking for the first time since ending his 12-year spell at the Etihad Stadium following his loan move to Fiorentina, has also revealed his fears over the futures of the club’s academy talent.
The defender was officially unveiled as a Fiorentina player in Florence yesterday following his deadline day switch to the Serie A club.

After playing an integral role in City’s historic title win in 2012, Richards has been a peripheral figure at the club, particularly after the sacking of Roberto Mancini and arrival of Manuel Pellegrini.

And while Richards admits City will always be close to his heart, he admits his lack of playing time under Pellegrini rankles with him.
“Leaving City was always going to be sad after 12 years, it was hard for me to leave because I know nothing else but Manchester City,” said Richards

“But I don’t have any bad feelings towards the club, they put me on the map and gave me a chance when I was 17.
“But I do have bad feelings towards the playing time.

“I feel as though I could have been given more chances to play because I felt like I had improved and that I could do it at that level having shown that I could already.”
Richards came through the youth ranks at City, making his debut for the club as a 17-year-old.

But the influx of expensive foreign talent thanks to the huge investment from their Middle Eastern owners, has seen the progression of young academy players into the first team become a rarity.

Dedryck Boyata — a Belgian — is the only ‘club-trained’ player in City’s Champions League squad.
And Richards has expressed his concerns over whether City’s current youngsters will ever emulate his achievement of making it into the first team.
“Its going to be hard for them to come through, if you look at their squad now there’s 22 international players.

“You’re going to have to be extra special to get through there.
“Hopefully the new facilities there will help to bring young players through. “It would be nice to see more coming through, but the standard’s pretty high now.
“The manager has always said if you’re good enough, you’ll get a chance. I hope he sticks to his word.” — Mailonline.