ASTON VILLA CAPTAIN Micah Richards has some sympathy for Jack Grealish.
Richards, who joined Villa this summer following a loan spell at Fiorentina, has been handed the captain’s armband by Villa Park boss Tim Sherwood.
Like Grealish, Richards made his big breakthrough at the age of just 17, when he made his debut at the back for Manchester City.
Grealish has attracted some negative press in recent months. In April, Sherwood warned the Irish U21 international after he was reported to have taken nitrous oxide — or ‘hippy crack’, as the youngsters call it.
The English-born midfielder was also pictured looking a little worse for wear earlier this summer while on holiday in Tenerife.
However, Richards was sympathetic instead of critical when he was asked about Grealish in an interview with The Mirror.
“It’s hard for youngsters coming through,” said Richards. “I think Jack’s a very talented boy. When you are going literally from earning — what? — 80 quid a week at 17 and you then sign a contract for big money… What’s he on, thousands of pounds? You think you are the man, don’t you?
“I was going outside restaurants, parking on yellow lines and stuff. And I’m thinking now, ‘What was I doing? There was a car park just there!’
“You’ve got a different mindset when you are young… giddy. You know what I mean. When you are first pulling a bird, you get giddy with it. When you are young, you are enjoying your life.”
There’s your advice, Jack. Don’t go outside restaurants, park illegally or get giddy when you’re ‘pulling a bird’.
Be sure to eat all your greens too. That one’s on the house, courtesy of us.
