In recent Manchester City history, the Carlos Tevez scandal has been one of the few down points of City’s relative success, provoking fans to seek instant retribution for such apparent indignant behaviour from the Argentine. Media attention has seen this scenario last a period of around 5 months, monitoring the ever changing situation between club and player since September of last year.
Now, with recent news surrounding Tevez’s recent grovelling apology followed by Mancini’s words of ‘he could play within 2-3 games’, will Mancini, the fans or even Tevez let bygones be bygones? Or is this just a ploy to play happy families again until club and player can finally part ways in the near future.
Cast your minds back just a short year, to the end of the 2010-11 season. Mancini was forming his wonder team, noting down his areas of weakness and constantly looking for ways to improve. Finishing third was a good start in the grand plan, Champions League football was on the agenda, and the future was bright for the sky blue shirts of City. Experienced professional Carlos Tevez appeared to be a big part of these plans, as Manchester City captain and all round example to the team, as he carried the team at times, finishing as the squads leading goal scorer.
However Mancini had resources to exploit, and with Edin Dzeko, signed in January, needing game time to find his shooting boots, and Mario Balotelli, egotistical and arrogant, yes, yet an incredibly talented prospect, and now competent within the English game, competition was now tougher having to fend off an out of favour Emmanuel Adebayor and an aging Roque Santa Cruz. Furthermore, with the signing of Sergio ‘Kun’ Aguero, and seemingly just one role to fill come the start of the season, the task of playing as a lone striker could only fall to one of these gifted and expensive footballers, leaving Tevez suddenly having to fight for his place again, something he was used to after his time at Manchester United, but not happy about.
This has nothing to do with a second chance. For all you naive gobshites out there who need to grow up, this is pure politics. Tevez feels no remorse and does not have any respect for City and visa versa, however, he needs to get match fit both mentally and physically if he is to move on in the summer. Nobody will buy him for any decent amount of money otherwise, which does not suit City or Tevez. So, yes, play him when we need to, but it has nothing to do with second chances. He has proven in the past that he is a professional on the pitch (absolute opposite off it) and will give 100% when playing.