Powerful full back turned down Hodgson’s request to be on his Euro 2012 standby list in favour of playing in the Olympics.
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Manchester City defender Micah Richards says that he will not “beg” to be picked by England head coach Roy Hodgson after once again being overlooked for selection for the Three Lions’ crucial upcoming Fifa World Cup qualifying double header, according to reports in the Guardian.
The occasional England international has never been called up by Hodgson since the former Fulham and Liverpool manager took over from previous England boss Fabio Capello in May 2012.
In fact, the only time that Richards has appeared for his country of late was when Stuart Pearce was placed in temporary charge of the national team following Capello’s resignation, and he selected the attacking right back to play in a friendly against Netherlands at Wembley last year.
However, despite Hodgson being unable to call on the services of first-choice right-sided full back Glen Johnson for both Friday’s qualifier against Montenegro, as well as next Tuesday’s encounter with Poland, after the Liverpool defender suffered a knee injury playing against Manchester United last month, Richards’s name was once again absent when the 23-man squad was announced last week.
And now the 25-year-old, who has won 13 England caps since making his debut in 2006, says: “It was one of those where Stuart Pearce asked me to go to the Olympics and not go on standby [for Euro 2012]. If I went on standby I might not have made the Olympics and that was one of the highlights of my career.
“I’m not going to beg for him to pick me, I’m not some sort of charity case. If he needs me I will be there because everyone wants to play for their country.
“I always take it as it comes. I have not been involved for two years. Stuart Pearce gave me a game when he got it, I want to play for my country and I would be happy if I did.”