Micah Richards: I was a fool to appear in phone sex video
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SEX SHAME England star Micah Richards issues an emotional plea to Fabio Capello: Please don't let my sordid video wreck my international future.
New England boss Capello axed the Manchester City defender from his first squad earlier this month after we exposed a seedy mobile phone film of Richards and a pal ‘roasting' a brunette in a hotel toilet.
But the £50,000-a-week teenager insists he is now a changed man and has learned from his mistake after our story gave him "a wake-up call."
In an exclusive interview with the News of the World, Richards also reveals how:
- Girls TARGET rich Premier League stars and beg for sex.
- He has TURNED DOWN dozens of girls who throw themselves at him.
- He has now SNUBBED the glitzy Manchester nightlife.
- He is INSPIRED by fellow England team-mates John Terry and Rio Ferdinand.
"Yeah, I was foolish to be in the video and I was devastated when it appeared in the News of the World," explained Richards. "Until that point everything was going smoothly with my career, both for Manchester City and England. "It was a real wake-up call to the fact I might have been doing things I really shouldn't have been. It made me look at things differently, to think about the way I behave and what is going on around me. I would not want the England manager to judge me from one story in the paper. I would not want him to think that is what I am really like. "I just want my football to do the talking and to be clean off the field."
Richards, 19, had become a regular in the England XI under former boss Steve McClaren. But the Leeds-born defender was replaced by Manchester United's Wes Brown for the 2-1 win over Switzerland, Capello's first game in charge.
Capello has already warned all England players what he expects of them, insisting: "A place in the national squad has to be deserved and it will be based on behaviour, play on the field and attitude." And Richards now wants to prove to Capello that he IS worthy of his place.
"There are going to be things that I have to deal with but I just want to let Capello see me play," added Richards. "My behaviour has changed 100 per cent since that video appeared. I think I am a stronger person now. "My football has improved and things like this are not going to knock me down. I've made my mistake and learned from what happened. I won't do this again. "I've got little sisters and a little brother and I don't want them reading this kind of stuff.
"Since the video I haven't even been out in Manchester because I'm scared of another girl trying to set me up. "When people see me walk through the doors of a club or a bar they just see pound signs and they think to themselves I want a bit of that.
"Girls just throw themselves at you. It's unbelievable what they get up to to get your attention — the clothes they wear, the way they talk. "They can just be walking past you and they will grab your hand or even grab you between the legs."
Micah is the latest in the long line of footballers exposed for "roasting". The craze, which involves two or more players having sex with one girl, has appalled many football fans. But Richards insists it is often girls who beg for the threesome. "I'm not saying what I did was right but 99.99 per cent of lads from all walks of life would say yes," he added.
"What people don't realise is that you could be offered 50 for every one you accept. Since then loads of lads have said to me it could have been them who got caught — but then they say they weren't daft enough to film it! It is very hard because you don't know if these girls want you or your money.
"People might think I am flash and big-headed because of the way I appear but when they actually meet me they see I am a down-to-earth guy. "Because I like to dress in designer clothes they think I am flash. But when I was growing up in Chapeltown in Leeds I had nothing. Now I'm going to buy the things I want and I don't care what people say."
Despite Richards' sex shame, his City boss Sven Goran Eriksson — himself no stranger to lurid headlines — was relaxed about the scandal. Richards declared: "Sven is just so chilled out. What people don't realise is that the incident happened over a year ago. "But when the video came out I was feeling down so I went to talk to him about it. He was fine. Sven has had to deal with similar situations in the past."
Cheat
Richards also insists fellow-defenders Rio Ferdinand and John Terry are his role models. Ironically both of them have suffered from sex scandals themselves. Manchester United defender Ferdinand was exposed for being a serial love cheat who had a five-year affair with air hostess Lauren Alcorn.
He was also accused of being the organiser of United's sordid Christmas party which ended in rape allegations. And Chelsea captain Terry cheated on beautician fiancee Toni Poole.
However, Richards said: "I look at Rio and John as my role models but they are not perfect. "There have been times before when they have been caught out and that is a good thing for me. It shows there is a way forward.
"People look at John Terry as a leader and as the captain of the country. Stories about his love life are forgotten."