kieran richardson aka 'kiers'

was easily the best player on show yesterday at the emirates.

completely fathered the midfield and was at the hub of all of sunderlands moves.

We should sign him

Originally Posted by wiganste

We should sign him

we have too many central midfielders at the club but at a stab id say he is a better player than both fletcher and park.

Originally Posted by marlo

we have too many central midfielders at the club but at a stab id say he is a better player than both fletcher and park.

Agreed.

I'd put Anderson in that bracket too.

He's a better player because he left United. He needed shaking up.

Originally Posted by marlo

we have too many central midfielders at the club but at a stab id say he is a better player than both fletcher and park.

a shit stab?

He's found his level really.....Fair play to him, he was never going to make it at a top club like United, but I'm glad we taught him the skills to win awards in the Championship one day....

Do you know him? You seem very familiar with the 'Kiers' and what not, don't recall you saying owt about it though.

Originally Posted by armchair

He's a better player because he left United. He needed shaking up.

look at the dedication he puts in.

Kieran Richardson subjected himself to a Rocky-style training regime to reignite his Sunderland and England dreams.

The midfielder has relaunched his career this season, catching Fabio Capello's eye and attracting an £8million bid from rivals Newcastle last month.

But it took a dressing-down from former boss Roy Keane who served up some tough love by telling Richardson his career would go into a terminal slump unless he pushed himself the extra mile.

Richardson dragged tyres to gain strength, did repetition runs up the stairs at his apartment block, jogged around town with his hoodie on and pushed himself so hard he was regularly sick.

He said: "I did double sessions throughout the summer. I went to the gymand swam a mile every morning. It was tiring, I swear. I'd feel sick. Then late at night we'd go to Ladywell Park in London and do lots of different things; running, hill work, weights, sprinting with a tyre round your waist.

"It was like a scene from Rocky. I was even sick sometimes, throwing up in front of loads of people, but sometimes you've got to go through the pain to get to a certain level.

"I was 84kg, came back at 72, 73 and now I'm about 74. It's a lot of weight to be carrying. You lose a lot of speed, and pace is my game."

Richardson came close to an England squad recall for the friendly against Spain last week. Despite having played for Manchester United and West Brom, aswell as boasting eight England caps, heonly feels he has started to come of age as a player this season.

Catching the eye today against Arsenal, the team he trained with as a boy and watched with his season-ticket-holder dad, would be the perfect stage to reinforce those dreams - and pay back Keane.

"Last season I did my back in, I had hamstring problems, it was really one to forget. Just before the end of the season me and Roy Keane had a meeting. He said if things carried on the way they were, I would end up never producing the goods, that my career would just go into a slump.

"So I went away for the summer and didn't have much of a holiday, training with my friend Neil Simpson, who is the fittest man I know, a 400m runner. We put a lot of work in.

"What Roy said I already knew within myself, and my family told me as well. But when you're eye-to-eye with Roy, he's staring you in the face, you have to stand up and listen. I thought to myself: 'yeah, he's right, I've got to buck up my ideas', and I've done that. He wanted me to come back a better player, a different player, because he bought me to the club."

Advertisement - article continues below »


Richardson texted Keane when he departed and got a reply telling him to keep his head down and keep doing the business and "good things will happen."

Keane was convinced Richardson could play for any club in the land - and get back in the international fold.

"The last squad there was a chance of me going but it didn't happen. Hopefully next time I can get in there and bring something to the squad. That is the cream of the crop. I want to be there again. I think (Capello) is aware of me. People have said that."

Sunderland has given him a new lease of life. "I'd like to show that at the Emirates. Ian Wright was my hero as a kid and I love watching Arsenal play. But we believe we can get a result."

Richardson paints a positive picture of a career on the up again.

"Every young player will have a little slump in their career, a few knock backs. When that happens it makes you stronger as a player. I feel a lot more confident now, much stronger, more determined and hopefully I won't look back from that. I feel I can be influential."

Richardson now wants to fulfil his potential by helping the "football mad city" to a top half finish at least. He added: "We want to get into Europe and we think we've got the squad of players to do that. The lads have got confidence and we believe in each other.

"There's no point coming to Sunderland if you're coming up for a pay day.

"Then we don't really want you here.

You've got to want to play for Sunderland, to go out there and deliver the goods.

"I came here and saw the ambition at the club, it was fantastic. I was leaving Manchester United and I was leaving a big club. But it felt like I was joining another big club so I didn't have any worries."

united experts on here were always telling me keane hated richardson and they didnt get along as i used to constantly claim.

Originally Posted by marlo

was easily the best player on show yesterday at the emirates.

completely fathered the midfield and was at the hub of all of sunderlands moves.

Wasnt difficult seeing as arsenal were dogshit.

'Better than Fletcher and Park'

May end up replacing Anderson at this rate.

Originally Posted by magic_cantona

'Better than Fletcher and Park'

its not ever debatable with park but fletcher its quite hard but richardson has more ability than fletcher and more about his game then basic passing and running around.

looked brilliant at the emirates yesterday.

Originally Posted by marlo

looked brilliant at the emirates yesterday.

the food was lovely as well.

The Real reason for the thread................You never fail...

Originally Posted by marlo

united experts on here were always telling me keane hated richardson and they didnt get along as i used to constantly claim.

Surprising that the footage never leaked from mutv and that he was one of Roy's first signings and still the rumours persisted.

Originally Posted by armchair

Surprising that the footage never leaked from mutv and that he was one of Roy's first signings and still the rumours persisted.

some ever said keane is singing him because he is united through and through and doesnt care about sunderland. ffs

Originally Posted by marlo

look at the dedication he puts in.

:

Do you think these plays just go for a daily 5 miler to earn their 30k a week?


He's finally doing now what he should have been doing years ago.


And he's not as good as Fletcher

Park will probably be starting for Manchester United in the San Siro in a big European tie on Tuesday.

Richardson will be preparing for his next relegation battle match up in Sunderland.

Originally Posted by MUFC One Love

Park will probably be starting for Manchester United in the San Siro in a big European tie on Tuesday.

Richardson will be preparing for his next relegation battle match up in Sunderland.

And then Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool or Madrid will come calling for him next season.