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13:44 GMT, Wednesday, 16 April 2008 14:44 UK

Micah Richards column

Micah Richards

This is the second season I have made the shortlist for the Professional Footballers' Association young player of the year award.

It is a great honour to be nominated by my fellow players.

Before I was injured I thought I was having a good season and I got off to a good start with the August player of the month award.

But, to be honest, I don't think I am going to win it this time.

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo, Liverpool's Fernando Torres and Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas all definitely come in ahead of me.

I voted for Ronaldo for the main award.

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard is the best player I have ever seen and the best player I have played with.

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But United look like they are going to win the Premier League and Ronaldo has been an inspiration for them.

For a player to score 38 goals when he does not even play up front is just amazing.

Gerrard would be second but, this season, Ronaldo has been such an influence that he had to get my vote.

For the young player award I voted for Cesc because at the beginning of the season he was on fire.

But I almost went for Aston Villa's Ashley Young in the end because he has had an outstanding few months. After Fabregas, he has the most assists in the top flight this season.

We voted for the awards at the end of January, our PFA representative at City is Nedum Onuoha and he helps to organise things.

People came down to the training ground from the PFA and gave us a list for the individual awards and for players to go in the team of the year. You cannot pick players from your own team for either.

There will not be a second vote using the shortlist, the votes we made then are the ones that will be counted up - so I guess it is in favour of players who did well at the start of the season.

Micah Richards tackles Ronaldo during the Manchester derby in February

The awards dinner is at the Grosvenor Hotel in London on 27 April and I will be going to that like last year. Even when you do not win anything it is nice to be down there with the other players.

You are eligible for the young player award until you turn 24, though, so hopefully before then I will get one under my belt as, at 19, I still have a few more years to go. I will keep trying anyway!

I have had a good week because I returned to full training on Monday, even though I am still some way off match fitness following my knee surgery.

I was like a little kid that morning, getting ready. It felt like I had not played for ages and it was a good feeling to get back out there.

Some of you asked questions about whether I suffer from blisters. I don't at the moment but I have done.

I have got broad feet and my current boots are ideal for me but the pair I had before then were too slim for my feet and used to give me blisters.

What companies tend to do now though is to take a mould of your foot before making your boot. That way it does not matter how wide your foot is.

You also wanted to know about Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson's tactics in training.

We do not just play 4-5-1 all the time and try plenty of different formations.

But I just think he picks the formation that suits us the most. We have got Elano, Stephen Ireland and Nery Castillo, who can all play in the hole behind the main striker, and he plays the way that gets the best out of them.

Finally, I am pleased for Valeri Bojinov who is close to being fit after his long lay-off and I know you wanted to know more about him.

He is an all-round striker - he can hold the ball up well, he is strong and he has a good touch - but the thing that stands out is his finishing.

When he gets into the box he always looks to shoot and his finishing is top drawer.

Micah Richards was talking to Chris Bevan



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Related to this story:

Ronaldo tops PFA nominations list (11 Apr 08 |  Premier League )
Ronaldo secures PFA awards double (22 Apr 07 |  Football )
Richards faces six-week lay-off (28 Feb 08 |  Man City )
Man City rocked by Bojinov injury (20 Aug 07 |  Man City )
Bojinov seals switch to Man City (03 Aug 07 |  Man City )
Micah Richards column (10 Apr 08 |  Football )
Micah Richards column (04 Apr 08 |  Football )
Micah Richards column (29 Mar 08 |  Football )
Micah Richards column (19 Mar 08 |  Football )
Micah Richards column (12 Mar 08 |  Football )

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