Soapbox Corner - with PembrokeshireSport.co.uk

No way back for Tévez…
or is there?

After Carlos Tévez’s refusal to take to the field for Manchester City with 35 minutes left to play in Tuesday’s crucial Champions’ League match against Bayern Munich, City manager Mancini said , "Tévez is finished at the club." Every true-blue City fan would probably agree, as would any right-thinking sports follower. What Tévez did was an insult to his manager, to his team-mates, to The Club and to every fan who contributes to paying his astronomical wage; fans who would each give away their grannies for the chance to play for ten minutes for their beloved club.
For the pay that Tévez is pocketing, resting on past glories is not an option. Paid OR unpaid, any player must respect the decisions of the manager who has picked them for the squad - if not, then don't bother getting on the team-coach or changing into your kit.

To all who saw Tuesday’s exhibition of petulance, it was clear that the dummy was well and truly spat out by Carlos; but by Wednesday morning, Tévez was saying his failure to take to the pitch was all just an "unfortunate misunderstanding", partly caused by language difficulties; a problem which Tévez has had 5 years to solve while playing in England.
This dubious explanation was possibly given at the insistence of Tévez's ubiquitous representative Kia Joorabchian, in the hope of retaining some remnants of a credible reputation (and some residual transfer-value) for his wayward client, while side-stepping the chance of disciplinary and/or legal sanctions by The Club.

No top-ranking club, or manager of discernment, is going to want to sign their very own stroppy post-Maradona prima donna; no matter how talented a player they may be, the detrimental effect on team-discipline and morale is too high a price to pay.

If Tévez IS being dishonest in his explanation (hopefully the Club's investigation will bring the truth to light) then his deceitfulness will further diminish what remains of his reputation; lacking the spine to acknowledge and take responsibility for his actions.

Perhaps it was all just an unfortunate misunderstanding on Tuesday, and perhaps my earwax tastes like chicken tikka masala. Whatever the case, City fans will not be fooled, they will never forget, and they will be unlikely to forgive.

It has been clear for some time that Tévez is unhappy playing his football in the UK; he gives different reasons during interviews to his Argentinean compatriots back home; homesickness, unhappiness with the climate; missing his family etc.
My guess is that he would rather be shaking a set of maracas while performing in his brother’s samba band in Argentina. The chances are that he will have the opportunity for some more latin wrist-action sooner, rather than later.