Carlos Tevez is reportedly paid £150,000 a week, yet, last month, the world of football once again heard how he misses his family and may decide to quit football.
When he first made such a statement back in 2009, I naively pitied the man and his struggles in earning a large pay-packet and having to deal with the stresses of media scrutiny and overpaid teammates.
“I’m so tired of so much football, I want to enjoy my family a bit,” Tevez said in November 2009.
“I do not want to play, and I say this seriously. In the football is all about the money, and that I do not like.”
I agreed with his assertions that the romance of football had disappeared over the past 20 years – not that I’d be an expert having only followed the sport during the money era – and during this era it is all about money.
I felt for the guy, with his two daughters and wife far away in Argentina.
Let him go home, I thought, let him retire after the World Cup like he was suggesting and leave him alone.
It would be a serious waste of talent, but the important thing was that he would be happy.
Fast-forward one more year and a stream of comments from August to September 2010 repeated the same grievances.
“There is only a little time remaining before I retire,” he said.
I still had a hood over my eyes; he was repeating himself and not following through with some heart-felt comments, but I still gave him my time.
I was still behind him and even defended him from other fans’ views on the matter.
Now we come to 2011. Tevez has just won the FA Cup with Manchester City amid rumours he has a fractured relationship with manager, Roberto Mancini, and the Manchester City board.
It is the end of the season and his future is in doubt after requesting a move in the January transfer window and numerous dressing room bust-ups with Mancini.
Now, in June, he once again complains about modern football and the difficulty of living away from his family.
He throws around comments, which neither confirm nor deny any speculation about his future at Manchester City or his future in football.
I’m sick of it now. My patience has gone. It is beyond a joke and he has to either shut his mouth up or move back home or go to Boca.
There is no doubt he could pick up a decent pay cheque at Boca Juniors and be close to his family and have enough to set himself up for life.
Yet, he is still here. And still complaining.
He also apparently sees himself as the most important player and the second-most important person at Man City.
“I deal direct with Sheikh Mansour – no one else,” he said recently.
Who the hell does he think he is?
“There is nothing to do in Manchester. The problem is I’m still speaking very poor English,” yet another comment from the Argentine.
Not only is he publicly insulting his club’s fan-base (though to be honest most Man City fans these days probably couldn’t understand a Manchester accent), he is also admitting to the fact that he does not care for learning another language despite working there.
Now it’s rich for an Australian to condemn the man for not perfecting a foreign language, but he’s been in the UK for five years. Surely, he should have a basic knowledge and ability to get by?
It is clear that despite all his reassurances, his time in Manchester is all about money. That is why he rejected Manchester United, and that is why he is still at Manchester City, picking up his astronomical wage.
However, maybe all his quotes have been misinterpreted by a journo who can’t speak Spanish.
Anyway I’ll leave you with one more quote, “No amount of money, no cars and the lifestyle can make up for the moment when I leave my two daughters at the airport,”
Well clearly it can Carlos, or you’d be in Argentina playing for Boca. Go home already.
Lee McDonald
Roar Guru
Well said Ben. Every City fan I've ever met was either born in Manchester or has very strong family links to the city. I can't say the same for Red Devils fans.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
Indeed, as long as (fill in blank) is playing well, I don't think it matters whether he can speak English or not.
Swampy
Guest
What a croc. As a city supporter this is the price we pay for being able to afford the princes of football. I couldn't care less what Tevez says off the field (in Spanish or English) because when he plays, he plays like he is playing for his supper. City is without question a better team when he plays. If he goes, he goes and he was great while he was at eastlands, but if he stays, even better because he gives his all regardless of what happens off the field. I'll take players of tevez's ilk over one of say ibrahimovic (or balotelli). Ask a united fan if they wanted Rooney to leave after his sulk? -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
dasilva
Guest
I have nothing against people getting homesick and wanting to go back home to family The problem is that you can't have ti both ways. either accept the generous pay packet of Manchester City but be away from family or go back to argentina to return to family. Both are reasonable acceptable solution What is disrespectful however is to stay in Manchester and then start complaining about it for two years. It's disrespectful to the people who are actually living in that city about complaining about how bored you are. I meet people and some are international students who start complaining about how boring Adelaide is and how there's nothing to do here etc constantly and it's just gets on the nerve to people who live in that place all their lifes. Either go back home or stick in Adelaide and study. you can't just do one and complain about missing out the benefits of another place. So yes I'm very sympathetic to people from Manchester upset at tevez. Either Tevez accept the cost of playing in Manchester or he doesn't. You can't have it both ways in wishing that you have the best of both worlds of playing in one of the best league in the world at the same time as staying in familiar surrounding. ______ Yes, it's difficult to learn a new language. That's why people who don't want to make the commitment to learn a new language don't migrate overseas. However once you make the committment to migrate overseas and work their for a lengthy periods. Part of that committment surely means learning that language. Really the fact that there are westerners who are working in other countries who can't speak their language doesn't excuse Tevez for not learning English. Hey, this is David Beckham doing his final press conference in Spanish. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4LJOVS6xxA If he can make the effort in doing that, surely Tevez can make the effort in speaking English.
ancy
Guest
you are right man......
Only one Joey Barton
Guest
I agree English-speaking people are the last who should have a go at Tevez for not learning the language, but if he has attributed that problem as one of the reasons for his unsettling why doesn't he make a bigger effort? I agree with Jackson in that South Americans (French too) tend to stick to their own when living in a foreign country and this can cause a problem if you're trying to give your best to a football club. Again I am not suggesting in any way that Australians are any better, due to the fact they'll talk to anyone who speaks English yet make no effort to learn their language. Our school system is a disgrace!
Only one Joey Barton
Guest
He can go home if Man City agree to let him out of his contract. He isn't a slave, despite the complexities of Joorabchian's ownership. It will be interesting to see if he actually goes back to Argentina if/when City release him...or if he decides to sign for another club such as AC or Madrid for one last pay cheque
Jackson
Guest
Yes, sadly its impossible to get a work visa. I taught English privately, just on a tourist visa... The one thing you can do, if you have two passports is stay in the country for 6 months on one passport, go to argentina, and come back and stay on the other one for another 6 months. I think it may be easier to work in Sao Paulo, but yeah it's pretty much impossible to work there. Once you've been to Rio though, you dont want to leave, for many reasons!!! It was great living in a country where newly arrived refugees, currently Chinese, is not headline news... In fact, I dont think it even registers... Got to love that Brazilian tolerance!
john alexander
Guest
Jackson, just wondering what you did for work in RIo? I've read that it's tough for foreigners to get work in Brazil.
Jackson
Guest
Actually, learning English for a Spanish speaker (and vica versa) should be relatively easy, as the languages are related. I actually think his homesickness is something which people from very patriotic/nationalistic cultures, like those in South America, feel. For example, I lived in Rio de Janeiro for 1 year, working. I missed my family and friends a little, but I certainly didn't miss Australia/our culture. I had a great time in Rio and did not make any efforts to meet other Australians living there. And I spoke a little Portuguese, as much as I could learn in a short time. Now, compare that attitude/approach with the approach that some Brazilian student friends of mine have. All the ones living in Sydney who I know, only have Brazilian friends, eat Brazilian food, go to Brazilian music nights, go to Brazilian parties.... And this is even if they speak English well!!! It's a totally different approach - they really don't feel happy if they are seperated from fellow countrymen
Ben Arfa's Home Is Marseille
Guest
"(though to be honest most Man City fans these days probably couldn’t understand a Manchester accent". Let's not jump the gun yet. Manchester United are still the ones whose stadium is filled with tourists and cameras. They are the ones that have been controlling the league for the best part of two decades with their financial muscle. Through the EPL and (near) UCL success it is the Red half who bandwagoners will still side with when they're purchasing the brand new shirt in Tokyo or New York. That bandwagon will inevitably shift if and when City start to win real trophies (sorry FA Cup), but for now, City is still for the Mancs.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
"...he is also admitting to the fact that he does not care for learning another language despite working there." I honestly don't think any native English-speaker has the right to chastise anyone for not trying to learn another language when they live outside their comfort zone. I've met English-speakers, who have lived in Dubai & other parts of the Mid East for 5 years and they would not know any Arabic beside the most basic phrases; same for English-speaking ex-pats, who live in Japan, Hong Kong, India and Singapore - only their kids will bother to learn the local language at school. And, lets not forget, English is one of the most difficult languages to learn - in recent years, I've noticed that people, who learn the language from childhood in Australia, have difficulty expressing themselves orally or in writing. PS: Having worked for a brief period in another country I can fully empathise with people, who get homesick when they are forced to live away from their family & friends.
tobyb
Roar Rookie
To be fair to him it must be quite hard to save up a few pounds a week to fly his family over? They could even live in Spain, where they would have no language issues, and Carlos could jump on an easyjet flight every few days to say hello to them... Maybe he's only playing to set himself up for retirement (owning racehorses no doubt)
Mick
Guest
He can't go home, his contract is owned by the 3rd party & he will do what they tell him