"It has come about because I could not stand my sporting situation at Manchester United any longer" "My first year was good in all senses. I played in the games and felt respected by the coach but in my second year some strange things happened that I still do not understand. "After the game at Old Trafford where Liverpool beat us [4-1, in March], Ferguson ignored me almost as if I was to blame for the defeat when really Liverpool dominated us all over the pitch. "After that the fans called for me to be in the team but he never took the advice on board because he always knows best. Carlos Tevez was a so-called 'darling' of Old Trafford.
The supporters and he had an immensely close relationship, apparently. When he laughed, they laughed with him. When he cried, they too shed tears - not least when it became apparent that he was no longer going to be sticking around Old Trafford.The fans railed at the club with chants, banners and heartfelt pleas. When he scored in two successive games - at home to Manchester City and away to Wigan, he had outlined his worth to Manchester United. Q.E.D.
Well, if the Argentine and his beloved band of gullible and foggy-eyed supporters thought it was going to be this simple, they really deserve each other. Firstly, throughout the entire transfer 'saga', Tevez (expertly advised by the lovely Kia Joorabchian) was nothing more than a priss, playing up to his love of the club's fans while at the same time lambasting Sir Alex Ferguson et al for not having ironed out the details of a long-term contract yet. Secondly, the fact that Tevez behaved like this on Argentine radio stations was akin to if David Beckham gave an exclusive to East End Radio post-'flying boot' incident.
The actual comments attributed to Tevez in recent days hint at a player who goes against the work-horse so beloved down Sir Matt Busby Way. He blames Dimitar Berbatov for his departure - the Bulagarian making it harder for him to start games. He blames Ferguson for signing Berbatov in the first place and for also losing faith in him. He blames everybody but himself. If a new signing arrives at a club, one must dig harder and work harder in an effort to win a starting place but Tevez never did that. When given opportunities in the starting lineup, the Argentine failed to shine (particularly away to Villa and at home to Spurs) and it was only as an impact substitute that he showed glimpses of boundless energy and an ability to change a game (at home to Spurs, away to Wigan).
When speaking to a work colleague recently about Tevez' behaviour, I came to the conclusion that it was a cultural thing. Take the role of Kia Joorabchian - upon moving to Brazil and taking over Corinthians, it's clear that the South American obsession with alpha males, 'cahones' and walking the walk while talking the talk infiltrated the Iranian's persona. Perhaps he's always been this way but something tells me that his time building an empire in Sao Paolo taught him that the only way a diminutive, Middle-Eastern university drop-out could succeed in South America was to become South American in every possible way - bolshy, confrontational and ruthless. These personality traits can be viewed as downright stereotypical but one can't hide from Tevez' bolshy, confrontational and ruthless approach to a potential contract with United.
Unfortunately for him, Fergie doesn't respond well to coercion and when forced into the corner, always responds with the biggest punch of the bout - for Tevez, read McGrath, Whiteside, Ince, van Nistelrooy, Beckham, Keane and Ronaldo.
The irony of the whole Tevez story is that his likely destination is going to be Manchester City or Chelsea - two places where the Argentine will flourish but his career will flounder.
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