Carlos Tevez is just seeking to make the best of his remaining time
With his tail clamped firmly between his legs, the multimillionaire footballer who was treated "like a dog" is attempting to make the best of his remaining time at Manchester City.
Late on Tuesday evening, after several hours' discussion with the club's hierarchy, Carlos Tevez conceded to the unreserved apology demanded of him to reinstate pay cheques and offer a route back to competitive football.
This time no equivocation was permitted. Roberto Mancini, the manager accused of handling the striker like a canine when he refused to follow instructions to warm up in Munich some five months previously, left the meeting for others to handle. The outcome was a club-issued statement that placed all the blame on Tevez's head.
"I wish to apologise sincerely and unreservedly to everybody I have let down and to whom my actions over the last few months have caused offence," read Tevez's mea culpa. "My wish is to concentrate on playing football for Manchester City Football Club."
Alongside those words came confirmation that the Argentine had withdrawn his appeal to the Premier League against a gross misconduct fine that helped take the financial penalty for a list of misdemeanours to over £9 million (Dh51.8m). Having failed to force a January exit from the club, Tevez had accepted that City were not prepared to back down to someone they feel has wantonly damaged the club's reputation.
Both parties still intend to part ways when the opportunity next arrives. Kia Joorabchian, the adviser City hold jointly responsible for their troubles with Tevez, explored the possibility of moves to South America or Russia without finding a club willing to meet the asking price. Returning himself to fitness and playing competitive football should help deliver a summer buyer in Europe.
That will be no straightforward process. Tevez, who often has issues controlling his weight when off-duty, spent much of his unapproved holiday indulging himself. The 28 year old did little to keep himself fit.
City have placed him on an intensive "training programme designed to return him to optimum fitness", yet there is no guarantee of playing time. Instead, it will be left entirely to Mancini to choose if and when to restore Tevez to a senior squad that has started to struggle in recent months with just 11 goals scored in the last eight Premier League games.
If that lull continues and Mancini calculates his chances of taking the domestic title from Manchester United will be improved by utilising Tevez, the ultra-pragmatic aspect of his nature will make it happen. When the Italian needed the already unruly forward to push City to Champions League qualification and FA Cup victory last season, Tevez was kept onside with the captaincy in a move that City's hierarchy predicted would brook future problems.
If those remain unresolved, their costs severe for both player and club, City have at least forced Tevez to recognise authority. Now, they may even receive a few more goals from a man they rewarded so richly to hurt other football clubs, not their own.
