MICAH RICHARDS: Aguero is the man I would meet to save my life

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If Sergio Aguero had been the face of an advertising campaign, would people be more respectful and appreciative of his talents?

I often wonder if we recognize which player we’ve seen over the past 10 seasons. Aguero has influenced English football as much as Thierry Henry.

He may not be as easy on the eyes as Henry, but he’s a better finisher than the Arsenal legend.

Micah Richards believes Sergio Aguero didn’t get enough recognition for his stay in England

Richards believes Aguero is a tougher finisher than legendary Arsenal striker Thierry Henry

However, Henry will always command affection. He was the man with “Va va voom!” – he’s charismatic and played soccer with a boast.

He gave insightful interviews and was an expert before reaching out to management. If you didn’t support Arsenal, you must have still liked Henry.

Most people, on the other hand, wouldn’t know much about Sergio. I think the fact that he’s a quiet man has kept him from being recognized as one of the greats of the modern age, a striker that Manchester City can never really replace.

Without Sergio, I wouldn’t have a Premier League medal. He scored 23 league goals in 2011/12 and was directly responsible for scoring nine out of 89 total, but that simple stat doesn’t do him justice. Better to call him a moment-in-time gamer.

The amazing thing is, I was wondering what all the fuss was about him when he first got into training.

In those first few sessions, I looked at him after his arrival from Atletico Madrid, worth £ 35million, and thought, “Is he that special?”

Robinho initially made a bigger first impression on Richards than Aguero during training exercises

Aguero scored twice and prepared again on his debut against Swansea City after being substituted on

He never did anything other than second gear. His graduation was good but nothing to make you think: “Wow!” His reputation was huge, but I struggled to enjoy what he could do for us after a few days in Carrington.

It wasn’t like Robinho, who had come to us from Real Madrid three years earlier. He was amazing from the first minute and looked like a superstar every inch.

If he had joined at the same time as Sergio, if the team had become more solid, we would have a very different opinion of Robinho.

Back to Sergio, and when he came on as a substitute against Swansea, I knew he was going to go down as the best striker I had ever played with in 30 minutes.

Revisited the highlights of that performance to freshen up and gave me goose bumps.

His first goal, a tap-in on the back post, came from one of the best crosses you’ll ever see (yes, I provided it), but he scored another from 30 yards, assisting David Silva with an overhead -Kick off the line after refusing to give up chasing a ball.

The win over the Swans convinced Richards City to sign a star striker in Aguero

Manchester City won their first Premier League after Aguero’s dramatic win against QPR

Then I said to him: “Sergio! Where does it come from? I didn’t see that in training! “

He looked back with a smile and said, “Exercise, calm down (keep calm)! The game is important! “

How right he was. Monday through Friday he did what he had to, but on the weekend a switch would be flipped as soon as he crossed the line.

He’s relentless at closing people, smart at getting people into play. Some would lead you to believe that he is just a poacher.

It is ridiculous to say. If I had to choose someone to score a goal to save my life, they would be every time.

His goal against the Queens Park Rangers to win the 2011-12 title is the best example of his work.

The goal is the most dramatic in Premier League history and owes much to the quality of Aguero

Aguero waves to the City fans after finishing the 2014/15 season as the league’s top scorer

Watch it and see him refine and take an extra touch before fooling Paddy Kenny and shooting at the nearby post.

After all he has achieved, he should by law have an ego. Most great strikers do, but with Sergio it can disarm how humble he is.

He goes to work, plays soccer, goes home. There’s no hint of arrogance about him, just a calm boy.

The only time I’ve actually seen his emotions come out was after a goal against QPR.

After that, he came out of his clam in the locker room, but most of the time you wouldn’t know he was there.

It’s the silence that makes me wonder if he’s being taken for granted. Some players have been very good at branding themselves and creating profiles, but none of that interested Sergio. He’s overlooked, but he’ll be missed when he’s gone.

His intention has always been to end his career in Argentina but I assume that Pep Guardiola has now signed a contract extension that Sergio will do the same.

Aguero has evolved under the current boss Pep Guardiola as City has moved up a level

Gabriel Jesus and Ferran Torres will have a tough job on par with Aguero’s scoring successes

For 12 months or two years, it’s a deal that I hope City will close.

City are set to sign another striker in the future and hopes for Gabriel Jesus and Ferran Torres are high but there is no one like Sergio.

There will never be one in Manchester City, and there weren’t many better ones in the Premier League.

It’s been an honor to see his talent firsthand.

Micah’s man of the week: Declan Rice

During the international break, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Mason Mount improved their reputations, but we can’t overlook any other midfielder.

I had always seen Declan Rice as a center-back in midfield but it seems that he has become an integral part of the English team.

Rice has the ability to retire and become one of the premier league’s best defenders – but he matures in the middle and impressed me alongside Mount versus Iceland.