Carlos Tevez faces the maximum allowable punishment under league rules plus docked two weeks of pay which amounts to £500,000. Pocket change for the league’s most well paid player. Stiffer penalties are being contemplated including banning Tevez from any further participation in the sport.
The more savoury outcome for Tevez will be a January transfer at a bargain basement price to a club who look on themselves as halfway houses for disturbed players. He might be welcomed at Newcastle.
The pendulum is now swinging the other way. This may end the years of untrammeled player rights. Bad economic times coupled with bad behaviour might result in a zero tolerance policy.