Carlos the sulk refuses to come off bench as City crash 2-0
There is something deliciously poetic about the way Manchester City’s love affair with the mercenary Argentine Carlos Tevez has turned into an embarrassing soap opera.
Roberto Mancini and the mega rich Arabs who have bankrolled City’s star-studded squad thought they were the kings of cool when they brazenly paraded their capture of the former United hero.
It was the start of a bright new era for the club that has toiled for so long in the shadows of the world’s most popular football institution. But anyone who has studied the career of Tevez the sulk will know by know that this is a footballer with no loyalty and no class when it comes to making sure he gets his own way.
For Tevez to refuse to come off the bench in City’s hour of need as they stumbled to a 2-0 defeat at Bayern Munich is the ultimate rejection for the club that has paid him millions and given him a platform to shine.
The Tevez camp may privately feel this is giving City what they deserve for the way they crushed his pre-season transfer to his former club Corinthians. It was clear at the time that the Eastlands club were flexing their muscles. But no professional player can be excused for refusing to play when he is sitting on the bench.
It is reported that Tevez did not offer any reason or explanation. And at the post-match press conference, when asked if he said ‘no, I’m not playing’, Mancini replied “yes”.
The City boss added: “If I have my way he will be out of the club.”And that statement begs the question: Why did City deliberately scupper the deal to sell Tevez to Corinthians back in the summer? Did Mancini genuinely believe he could persuade Tevez to fall back in love with Manchester – or is the manager just a coach who has a limited input into who goes and who stays?
Whichever way you look at it, the whole sorry saga has made City look like a laughing stock.
UPDATE: Tevez has denied that he refused to come off the bench – but does anyone believe him?
