Critics of the England defender has claimed he has been overweight and unfit this season after several errors.
“People are saying stuff about me looking slower or heavier or whatever but to be honest that’s rubbish,” Richards responded in the club’s official magazine.
Monitored
“If anything I have lost weight and have less body fat than I did last year. We are constantly monitored in both those areas.
“I am working as hard as ever and I don’t feel as if I have done anything drastically wrong this season for people to comment on.
“What I don’t do is let anything that is thrown at me get in the way of training or learning.”
