Ex-Man City player makes bold prediction about Micah Richards

Former Man City goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon admits he HATED Sam Allardyce at Sunderland & makes bold prediction for ex-teammate, Micah Richards.

• "Honestly, I was not a fan of Sam Allardyce. But, I think now I can say that's just because I didn't understand his culture. Until I worked with him. I didn't understand his way of playing football; long balls, sitting deep, all of these kind of things."
• "It's easy for me to look back like this now, but in those moments, I hated him so much, but now I've grown in maturity, and I understand you're put in a certain position when you take over a club as a manager; you're working hard behind the scenes."
• "I would say I was amazed when he got the England job, to be honest! That's just a completely different style of football for the national team, and having worked with him at Sunderland, I was surprised he got that job. But I'm sure I wasn't the only one who felt that way."
• [On Micah Richards] "I see him on my TV and I just think back to him at Man City, in the dressing room, and it's exactly the same; always smiling, full of life, trying to make people laugh. And this job, on TV, suits him so well, you know? That combination, with Roy [Keane] and Jamie Carragher... it's fantastic."
• "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he's not the next movie star in this country in the next few years, just because that's the kind of guy he is."
  

Honestly, I was not a fan of Sam Allardyce. But, I think now I can say that's just because I didn't understand his culture. Until I worked with him, I never had the chance to work with a British coach, or a British manager. I didn't understand his way of playing football; long balls, sitting deep, all of these kind of things. 

But even the schedule wasn't for me. You know, a day off during the week; that kind of thing wasn't for me. Luckily, for me, I didn't work with him for that long! If you can understand the culture, as soon as possible, then it's quite easy to work with that kind of manager. But if you're a player, coming from abroad, and you start working straight away with someone like him, you're just going to find it difficult. You'll find it strange. It's a different way of playing football, and not really something I understood. There's not much else I can say about him, to be honest.

It wasn't the best experience for me, really. I remember I wanted to leave Sunderland in the winter transfer window, just after he joined, because we just couldn't strike a relationship, really. In the end, I can't really look back and say I blame him, because in those situations, for me, finding a solution is down to the player. You have to find a solution to your problem, because he's the boss, he's got much more responsibility, and is dealing with things that are much bigger than you.

It's easy for me to look back like this now, but in those moments, I hated him so much, but now I've grown in maturity, and I understand you're put in a certain position when you take over a club as a manager; you're working hard behind the scenes. It's much easier to understand now that I'm older but, like I said, at the time, I couldn't talk with him. 

I would say I was amazed when he got the England job, to be honest! That's just a completely different style of football for the national team, and having worked with him at Sunderland, I was surprised he got that job. But I'm sure I wasn't the only one who felt that way. 

I'm not sure whether you'd say Micah [Richards] is a professional pundit in the sense of talking about things tactically, but he's a complete entertainer. I see him on my TV and I just think back to him at Man City, in the dressing room, and it's exactly the same; always smiling, full of life, trying to make people laugh. And this job, on TV, suits him so well, you know? That combination, with Roy [Keane] and Jamie Carragher... it's fantastic. 

There are many different things you can do after football, but for him, this life is perfect. It's something I can see him doing for a long, long time, because he really loves the camera. There are lots of introverts out there, and lots of ex-players who are maybe a little shy, but that's not the case for him at all. 

Even though he didn't win the Champions League, or the World Cup, like some of his colleagues, or he'll be speaking to guests who have bags of trophies... it doesn't feel like he's out of place at all! 

I'm so happy for him, because he finds the joy of football. I remember after he left Man City, while he still had a good career, he didn't go on to bigger or better things. You know, he struggled at Fiorentina, he didn't play too much, and then he went to Aston Villa but it didn't work in the best way. But he still loves the game, and I'm so glad he's on TV now. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he's not the next movie star in this country in the next few years, just because that's the kind of guy he is. 

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