Seems like the Daily Mail interview with Carlos Tevez openly questioning at Roberto Mancini's training methods at such an inopportune moment has set the club off in a tizzy.
In the interview, Tevez comes off as a passionate footballer totally committed to the game. You can see it in his tireless striving. But there is also an unsettled feeling. His controversial employment clause and continued relationship with Kia Joorabchian has seen three different Premiership clubs in five years.
With Tevez's glowing performance at City, many are wondering about Sir Alex's wisdom at keeping Dimitar Berbatov at his cost.
Andrew, from what I understand the inflated price that Tevez (actually his agent Kia Joorabchian) was demanding from Man Utd was because of his third party contract- the MSI entity that controlled his economic interests. He does remain a polarizing figure and if he continues to second guess his managers, could sour on City soon.
Tevez is a quality player, I don't think anybody would doubt that, but he was never going to be the star for United. At the time, it made sense to let him go because he really wasn't putting in the performances to warrant his price tag, which has now turned out to be 47 million pounds. Berbatov may not be worth 30, but Tevez certainly isn't worth 47, either.
I also don't know why people keep criticizing Ferguson for letting Tevez go when it was revealed that United agreed to meet his outrageous wage demands and price tag but he declined.
He was great with West Ham and he's great with City. With the exception of the World Cup in 2006 and the Olympics shortly before that, he's been garbage for Argentina with 8 goals in 51 caps, and a few red cards on top of that. Pretty bad return for a striker. It's also worth noting that Messi became Argentina's star after the 2006 World Cup, and then Tevez fell away completely for his country.
So, to be brutally honest, yes Tevez is a better player than Berbatov, but he is only good if he's a big fish in a small pond. And that's why United didn't need him and still don't.
As a final note, it's worth mentioning that he's hated by Corinthians fans in Brazil besides being hated by United fans. Boca fans are extremely neutral towards him because of his big mouth and his adultery. I wonder if West Ham fans would still love him so much had he been around long enough to alienate them by opening his mouth there, too. City fans love him now, but before he went on this goal scoring run, I remember them chanting for him to be sold in January.