McClaren ready to promote Richards

Bad language has dragged football into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons this week, but that will not stop Steve McClaren including in his latest England squad a young player who swore in his first major television interview.

When Micah Richards was asked by Garth Crooks how he felt after scoring the equaliser for Manchester City in an FA Cup fifth-round tie at Aston Villa last season, the teenager gave a rather too candid response. "F*****g brilliant," replied the hugely gifted full-back, to the embarrassment of his club and the BBC.

Presumably Richards will privately give a similar verdict when he discovers he has been promoted from the Under 21 squad for next week's friendly international against Holland in Amsterdam.

Powerful, quick and athletic, Richards has also made a name for himself with his fine performances on the pitch.

Not only has he excelled for City, inviting interest from Chelsea and Tottenham, but the 18-year-old also played a key role in England's qualification for next summer's Under 21 European Championship, starring in the play-off win against Germany.

During that tie, Richards was at the centre of a race row which yesterday prompted UEFA to ban Germany striker Aaron Hunt for "gross unsporting conduct" over comments he made to the defender and his England team-mate Anton Ferdinand.

Some will also remember Richards for his tantrum at Reading earlier this season.

His reaction to being taken off by Stuart Pearce was to impetuously shrug off his manager's handshake before throwing his shirt towards the touchline and sulking on the bench. "I will have to educate him," said a less than impressed Pearce afterwards.

The City manager, himself a former England full back, nevertheless remains a great admirer of Richards and it will come as no surprise to him that his player has emerged as understudy to Gary Neville.

While McClaren said he intended to look at a number of Under 21 players in the wake of last month's 2-0 European Championship qualifying defeat in Croatia, Richards is likely to be the only surprise.

A delay in announcing the Under 21 squad yesterday suggested that Wigan's Leighton Baines and Arsenal's Theo Walcott could be invited to join the main party. But McClaren is expected to resist the temptation and instead welcome back more senior players.

Andy Johnson missed last month's matches because of injury but the Everton striker will return tomorrow and is likely to start against the Dutch.

Joe Cole should be back after missing the start of the season with injury in what would amount to his first appearance under the McClaren regime, while Steven Gerrard and Aaron Lennon will also return.

Richards, though, remains the talking point. He was signed by City from Oldham when he just 14 but he was also eligible to play for St Kitts and Nevis on the international stage.

Their loss, it seems, will be England's gain.