Richards enjoys going Dutch on his first date

Being thrown in against the Netherlands for a debut has hardly been the springboard to a long international career in recent years. Owen Hargreaves had a forgettable half at White Hart Lane in 2001 and took until last summer to recover; Darius Vassell and Wayne Bridge made encouraging starts but became bit-part players at best; Andrew Johnson was almost anonymous at Villa Park a couple of years back after being stuck out on the right wing for the final half an hour of a goalless draw. Johnson had made only one start before being recalled (out of position again) last night.

Then there was Michael Ricketts, who made his bow in this stadium in February 2002, and was taken off at half-timenever to appear again. Micah Richards would not have worried about any of that -the Manchester City full-back is a confident young man.

According to England's manager, Steve McClaren, he is also one of a new breed of footballer: "strong, quick, athletic and mobile". Richards' father, a big influence on his football, presumably had something to do with that, just as the Neville brothers, hitherto considered the leading English right-backs, hail from a family of considerable sporting achievement. Another contender for the position, Arsenal's Justin Hoyte, has two former international sprinters for parents.

It's in the genes. The gene genie has served Richards well and he had reason to be satisfied with his first 90 minutes. "He'll be effective in both boxes," McClaren had predicted; and Richards can look formidable when striding forward for set pieces. More importantly, England's youngest-ever defender - not 19 until next June - became progressively more confident about his defensive duties. Arjen Robben was forced to move deeper in search of telling possession and when he tried his luck with a dribble into the penalty area, found Richards his equal. Only in the last five minutes did Robben make a decisive intervention, with a long throw that neither Richards nor Rio Ferdinand behind him could clear.

But England's newest international should at least have a more promising future than the only other player with the initials MR to have played for them. McClaren's verdict - "It's as if he's been with us for years" - will rightly encourage him.