Micah Richards opens up on consuming drawback after nightmare harm minimize his enjoying profession quick as former Man City star shares heartfelt second with Thierry Henry reside on air
Micah Richards has opened up about battling depression and turning to alcohol after injuries forced him into early retirement from playing.
The popular pundit, who hung up his boots aged 31 in 2019, suffered persistent knee issues towards the end while he was at Aston Villa.
During a heartfelt segment on CBS’ Wednesday night Champions League broadcast, Thierry Henry spoke about how much he admired the Englishman for the way he dealt with a difficult conclusion to his career.
Richards, 37, said: ‘I was definitely depressed. But I didn’t address it.
‘I was drinking a lot to sort of mask it. I had a good friend, actually. He’s called Madge.
‘And he sort of put my life into perspective in terms of, like, are you happy? Have you got your family around you? It’s not all the other stuff that come around.
Micah Richards spoke about how tough it was dealing with injuries at the end of his career
‘It was just a facade. It was all the bells and whistles that come with being a professional footballer.
‘But it made me look at life differently in terms of there’s more to life than cars and houses. And it’s about relationships and the people around you.
He added: ‘I definitely looked at things a little bit differently. But then in the end, I’m a positive person.
‘Everyone always says to me, you can’t always be like that. I’m always like this other than when I’m tired.
‘I like to see the good in people. I always try to uplift people. And that’s just the way I’ve been all my life.
‘So as bad as my injury was at the time, and yes, I was depressed, 100 per cent agree with that. But I tried to look at it in a positive [way] instead of a negative.’
By the end of Richards’ career, he had to drain fluid from his knee every three days and was plagued with physical issues from his teenage years.
At Villa, he could run and jump but not twist his right knee after years of damage that had started with an operation at 19 to shave cartilage down.
He tore his meniscus in 2012-13 and suffered knock-on injuries as a result of the knee after that, including to his hamstring.
He says his naturally positive disposition ultimately helped him through the darker times.
Richards, pictured in 2015 against Chelsea for Aston Villa, had pain in his knee over his career
He added: ‘I definitely looked at things a little bit differently. But then in the end, I’m a positive person.
‘Everyone always says to me, you can’t always be like that. I’m always like this other than when I’m tired.
‘I like to see the good in people. I always try to uplift people. And that’s just the way I’ve been all my life.
‘So as bad as my injury was at the time, and yes, I was depressed, 100 per cent agree with that. But I tried to look at it in a positive [way] instead of a negative.’
Richards’ comments were prompted by Henry speaking at length about his admiration for his CBS punditry colleague.
The Arsenal legend said: ‘I wanted to say something to you, because yesterday I couldn’t do it because it was Kasper [Schmeichel’s] moment. On Tuesday you made me realise something and actually relate.
‘I wanted to do that face to face. So at the end of my career, as you know, I played ten years with extreme pain in my Achilles on both sides.
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The defender is taken off on a stretcher after suffering a knee injury in 2012
‘But I could finish my career on my terms and you couldn’t do that. So I have the utmost respect for you for dealing with that.
‘I don’t know how you dealt with that mentally. And yet you’re always sitting here, happy, lifting the spirit of everybody and making everyone happy.
‘I just wanted to tell you that because we don’t take you for granted. I wanted you to know that, because sometimes you might think that you’re not being seen and we see you.
‘And I have to say that now you are in my hero bracket. And for a very long time. You are my favourite on this show.’
