City old boys still have plenty to offer

I WAS delighted to catch up with Joey Barton and Shaun Wright-Phillips when we travelled to Loftus Road to take on QPR, who we beat 3-2 after a tough encounter.

They are both good lads and I think they will do very well for Neil Warnock’s side. Joey and Shaun were a threat throughout the game and they will help the London club survive in the Barclays Premier League.

I spoke to them before the match and they seem to be enjoying themselves. I did not get a chance to see them afterwards, but Joey phoned me when we were on the coach home and he wished me all the best.

The match itself was highly entertaining with some cracking goals, particularly from David Silva and Yaya Toure.

Edin Dzeko continued his fine start to the campaign with another well-taken strike.

In the past we have had a tendency to slip up against teams we would be expected to beat, but these days I believe there is a different mentality in the squad.

The players go into every fixture believing they can win and I think it showed at QPR, where we had to come from 1-0 down and go for it again when they pegged us back to 2-2.

I believe Joey has since been on Twitter stating his surprise at Micah Richards being overlooked entirely by England boss Fabio Capello for the squad to face Spain and Sweden in friendly matches.

As I have said before Micah is playing brilliantly this term and captained the side at the weekend.

I thought his recent form, including a man-of-the-match performance in the 6-1 win at United, would have made him an automatic choice, but the Italian has left him out.

Micah is still young and is 100-per-cent certain to get his chance for the Three Lions in the future.

He has come out and said he is disappointed but will continue to work hard at club level in the hope of catching Capello’s eye, and that is all he can do.

Former City striker Danny Sturridge is included in the England squad, and I think he is a good choice. Danny is lethal in the box and a natural goalscorer.

MANY people’s first choice to replace Capello next summer, Harry Redknapp, is currently sidelined due to heart surgery.

I am a big fan of Harry. The life of a Premier League manager is extremely stressful, one win and you are the best, a solitary defeat and your job is on the line.

He is a brilliant character and a super manager. I wish him a speedy recovery.