REUTERS

By alienating Roberto Mancini, Carlos Tevez (pictured) lost his last chance at the Premier League.

Recalling the reasons for the conflict between Carlos Tevez and Manchester City has the same effect as one of those brain training exercises designed to ward off Alzheimer’s disease. Was it his wife, was it Roberto Mancini, was it Garry Cook? Maybe it was Roberto Mancini’s wife, or maybe Roberto Mancini’s cook. Maybe Mancini’s wife wouldn’t cook and that was why Tevez had to leave Manchester and move to Milan to be nearer Argentina; or something like that.

Getting all the mitigations in the right order is such a fantastic mental workout that even if you’ve got the body of Tutankhamun in later life, you’ll have the IQ of a Cambridge honours graduate.

Presenting an increasingly risible figure, Tevez’s adviser Kia Joorabchian now insists the whole affair is the fault of City manager Mancini, as if there would have been any question of this impasse if Tevez had not behaved like an insolent child during the match with Bayern Munich and at just about all times subsequently. Throughout, the Tevez camp has underestimated City’s resolve, their support for the manager and the utter revulsion of the public at this extreme demonstration of player power.

Flouncing off to Buenos Aires and the ensuing brinkmanship over the AC Milan loan deal was acutely misjudged and merely hardened City’s stance, while cementing the support of all neutrals. Everyone who cares for football recognises City are making an important stand. There have been too many excuses advanced for Tevez, too many indulgences and too many contradictions. He has exhausted the patience of his employers, and the understanding of fans, even those with no allegiance to City.

There is a total absence of desire to see Tevez in action in the Premier League again. Most neutrals have even stronger feelings about this than Mancini. When Tevez’s manager speaks of the rift, he seems genuinely sad; the rest couldn’t care if the player trains alone until the day his contract expires. By making Mancini the enemy, Tevez lost his one shot at redemption. His every turn since that night in Bavaria has been wrong. – Daily Mail