Let's see how the papers report this:
The Star
RIO FERDINAND: CARLOS TEVEZ IS THE ONE MANCHESTER UNITED FEAR
RIO Ferdinand says Carlos Tevez is a low-key trainer – but a high-octane performer on the pitch.
And Manchester United defender Ferdinand will be ready for a tough test at Manchester City on Saturday, providing he is fit for the derby.
Ferdinand, who struggled through the last 10 minutes at Blackburn on Sunday with a groin problem, said of former United team-mate Tevez: “Carlos is an interesting character.
“When he was at United he saved all his energy for the games. He didn’t really go over the top at training.
“He’d do his work in the gym – he was a professional in that sense – but everything he did was geared towards the match.”
Tevez has geared himself up so well since joining City last summer that he has already hit 28 goals and is on a hot streak of six in the last three matches.
Ferdinand knows United will have their hands full at Eastlands. “You could see him conserving his energy during the week and then laying it all on the line out on the pitch,” Ferdinand told United Magazine.
“That’s not the way I operate. I have to train at a high level every day, but it works for Carlos and he can be a real handful.
“He’s a top player and he’s doing very well at City.”
The Express
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.express.co.uk/football/view/168915/Ferdinand-Tevez-was-lazy-in-training" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.express.co.uk/football/view/ ... n-training</a>
FERDINAND: TEVEZ WAS LAZY IN TRAINING
Rio Ferdinand has accused Carlos Tevez of taking it easy in training during his time at Old Trafford.
Tevez left the Red Devils to join bitter rivals Manchester City in the summer, and is set to meet his former club in Saturday's derby clash at Eastlands.
Ferdinand was quoted in The Sun as saying: "Carlos in an interesting character. When he was at United, he saved all his energy for the games - he didn't really go over the top at training."
The Argentina international has scored 22 Premier League goals for Roberto Mancini's side, but England defender Ferdinand has mischievously suggested that the energy Tevez shows on a matchday is not necessarily reflected in his attitude to training.
Ferdinand continued: "He worked hard in the gym - he was a professional in that sense - but everything he did was geared towards the match at the weekend.
"You could see him conserving his energy during the week and then laying it all on the line out on the pitch.
"That's not the way I operate, I have to train at a high level every day. But it works for Carlos and he can be a real handful to defend against."
So according to what is reported in the Express they think it warrants a headline of 'Ferdinand says Tevez is lazy'.
He just didn't say that. It's the spin they put on it, end of. The Star is their sister paper within the Express group for goodness sake and their take on it is that it was a positive piece about Tevez.
For all the talk of stopping players inflaming the situation ahead of the derby the police ought to be considering having a word with the Express for writing this rubbish, instead of having a word with the clubs as they did before the Carling Cup ties. This piece is incitement pure and simple, based on a wholly gross interpretation of the facts. The newspaper knows what they are doing, know it's totally wrong and don't give a toss. They should be forced to withdraw and on this occasion I hope United threaten the Express accordingly - public apology or you don't send your boys down here for 'x' games.
And then there's The Sun, where the article apparently appeared in the first place:
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2929510/Rio-Tevez-was-lazy-trainer.html#ixzz0kxtwbrea" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... z0kxtwbrea</a>
Rio: Tevez was lazy trainer
By NEIL CUSTIS
RIO FERDINAND says Carlos Tevez was a lazy trainer so he could conserve all his energy for match days.
The former Manchester United striker, 26, will be going full throttle for bitter rivals City on Saturday.
And United defender Ferdinand has revealed why the little Argentine seems to have boundless energy in games.
He said: "Carlos is an interesting character. When he was at United, he saved all his energy for the games - he didn't really go over the top at training.
"He worked hard in the gym - he was a professional in that sense - but everything he did was geared towards the match at the weekend.
"You could see him conserving his energy during the week and then laying it all on the line out on the pitch.
"That's not the way I operate, I have to train at a high level every day. But it works for Carlos and he can be a real handful to defend against."
Terrible headline - but the piece is OK in itself - the Express article is far worse. But again I'd have Plod having a quick word with The Sun, again for incitement, for that is what the headline does and it will be the Police who will have to deal with the fall out of such irresponsible journalism.
