here's the text of Burt's latest venom
Manchester City's Carlos Tévez upset by insensitivity of manager Roberto Mancini
Carlos Tévez hopes to return to England on Thursday but is upset and disappointed with the way Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has handled his compassionate leave following the premature birth of his daughter, who is in intensive care.
By Jason Burt
Published: 7:00AM GMT 23 Feb 2010
Hard times: Carlos Tevez is in Argentina on compassionate leave after the premature birth of his daughter
The striker is understood to believe that Mancini has reacted insensitively to his plight and has told friends that this is symptomatic of the way the Italian has run the club since he succeeded Mark Hughes at the end of last year.
City hope that Tévez’s understandably emotional reaction was down to the fact that his daughter has been ill and unable to breathe unaided since her premature birth a week ago last Saturday.
The club will also argue that undue emphasis has been placed on Mancini’s words, in the wake of the goalless draw at home to Liverpool on Sunday, when he said he had “ordered” Tévez to return.
Mancini’s grasp of English is still imprecise and the club said he did not intend to indicate that Tévez had been insubordinate or that the manager was demanding his immediate return.
Nevertheless Tévez has taken exception, not only to Mancini’s words, but the claim that he has not kept City fully informed of developments following Katie’s birth.
Tévez, who has been at the hospital in Buenos Aires since his partner Vanesa gave birth, is hoping that Katie will come out of intensive care on Tuesday. If that happens he will fly back to England on Thursday and be available to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the lunchtime Premier League kick-off on Saturday.
Tévez’s adviser Kia Joorabchian on Monday night played down suggestions of a rift between the striker and Mancini, saying that his client was a “professional” who was “dedicated to City”.
However, Joorabchian refuted the manager’s claim that he did not know where Tévez was. “I think that is maybe not quite correct, because the club have been informed on a daily basis about the status of Carlos and his baby. I think Carlos is a person who has given 100 per cent to the team since he arrived, there is no question about that he’s in Buenos Aires.
“He was given leave because his baby was born prematurely, she’s in intensive care and I think the club understand that and they’ve allowed Carlos to go home to deal with his family matters.”
Joorabchian added that Tévez had been in direct contact with Mancini. “I think when your child is in intensive care it’s a very serious matter and people will understand that his head would not be here,” he said.
“But he hopes to be back for the Chelsea game, he’s hoping things will get better for both his daughter’s sake and because he wants to get back and play. The signs are very positive for his daughter.”
Tévez flew back to Argentina the weekend before last, as he prepared to face Stoke City in an FA Cup tie, after Vanesa prematurely gave birth. He missed the birth but remained in his homeland since, missing the Liverpool game and is set to miss Wednesday’s Cup replay against Stoke.
The last thing that Mancini needs at present, with his side struggling for form, with two wins from their last seven games, is the possibility of a disagreement with Tévez who has been City’s best performer this season.
