When United pulled clear of City I wanted to cry... Richards reveals torment

Posted Wednesday, April 11, 2012 by Dailymail

He is, however, also well qualified to assess City's problems and offer an opinion on how his club can - one day - close that gap between them and neighbours United.

When United pulled clear of City I wanted to cry... Richards reveals torment

As we spoke last week - unbeknown to us - Richards's teammate Mario Balotelli was involved in a car crash just a few hundred yards away. On that occasion, it wasn't Balotelli's fault but, given the discord and unwanted headlines that have formed a backdrop to City's season, it appears appropriate to ask one pertinent question: Why always City?

Richards pauses. He wants to choose his words carefully. He loves his club, but clearly feels some things need to change if City are going to fulfil their remarkable potential.

'Look, the team spirit is as good as ever at City,' he said. 'I should know. I have been in that dressing room for years. 'But I know where you are coming from. If I pick up a paper four times in a week, then three of those times I will see a story about City that we could do without. When you are trying to focus on one thing - winning the league - then this is hard. We don't need it.

'There are certain things around our club that wouldn't happen at other clubs. Well, they might but if they did then nobody would know. If something happens with us, it's in the paper every day and that can make it seem like it's a constant battle. Things happen at every club. But at City we don't help ourselves. We are the only club who have a training ground that allows the paparazzi to take pictures of training over the fence. Why is that?

'Everyone has done a fantastic job so far. To be even competing with United is great but at our club certain things always seem to happen. Do these things cause us to lose a game? No, but they certainly don't help us to win any.'

It is impossible to argue with Richards's assessment. Only last Friday - a day after our interview -
Mancini told a media briefing he had been complaining for two years about how easy it is for photographers to point their lenses at his training sessions.

Richards is not the only senior City player to share Mancini's concerns. Few would be brave enough to say it, though. To borrow one of Mancini's favourite words, it is clear Richards feels the club need a tweak in 'mentality'.

'We have to learn from these experiences,' he stressed. 'Someone will take the title from United eventually and it has to be us. If you look at this season you will see Man City are by far the best team to watch. But Man United grind it out. They have done for many years.

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