Manchester City v Stoke City:ROBERTO MANCINI'S frustration with Carlos Tevez broadened into a critique of Wayne Bridge's lifestyle yesterday as the Manchester City manager expressed his distaste for the way footballers can bank vast sums of money without kicking a ball.
Mancini’s falling-out with the Argentinian was “strange and frustrating”, he said. “With Carlos in the squad, we’re a better team. Carlos is a fantastic striker, so we were better, 100 per cent.”
But it was when the conversation turned to Bridge that Mancini was at his most outspoken. Bridge earns €108,000 a week at the club, but is no longer wanted.
“I don’t understand this,” Mancini said. “For every player, it should be important to play football. I don’t know why someone would want to stay at one club when they know they cannot play. Wayne has had two or three chances (to leave), maybe not in the Premier League but in the Championship. In the summer he had the chance to play for Celtic.”
Bridge turned them down, as well as rejecting offers from Turkey and Russia, and Mancini was asked what the former England player did on his average Saturday.
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Golf?”
Bridge has earned around €5.6 million since his last league game for the club, a year ago. His only appearance this season came in a League Cup tie against Birmingham City in September.
Arsenal are the latest club believed to show an interest in signing Bridge, on loan.
“When we are young and start to play football, we don’t play for money,” Mancini said. “We play because we like football. Every player should have this target in mind – play football. Wayne is a good guy, but it should be important for him to play.”
Manchester City are standing firm in their insistence that Tevez will not be made available for loan.
Officials from AC Milan are set to meet with representatives from City tomorrow to discuss a possible deal for the Argentinian striker.
Milan have proposed taking the 27-year-old on a free loan in January with a promise to buy him permanently in the summer.
Yet, City have long said they are only interested in selling the player and Mancini again underlined that stance yesterday.
“Milan know they can’t get him on loan, they know it very well. But if they want to buy Carlos, for us, that is okay.
“We hope that Carlos can find a good solution for him, and that he can come back and play football. But they can’t have him on loan. This is sure, 100 per cent. The best solution for us is to sell him.”
Tevez remains in Argentina ahead of a possible move when the transfer opens next month.
Paris Saint-Germain have also been heavily linked with the former West Ham and Manchester United forward but Milan would appear the front-runners, if they can find a deal to suit City.
City currently have a number of players out on loan, including high-earning strikers Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz, and Mancini does not believe that is ideal. “When Manchester City buy a player, they have to pay a lot of money. But when we want to sell them, they have to go on loan. This is not good.
“It is not good for the club and it is not correct for the other players. Manchester City paid Carlos a lot of money three years ago. It is correct that if one club, it could be Milan, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain – they pay Carlos for his value. This is correct.”
Another City player regularly in the headlines is striker Mario Balotelli, who last week was involved in a training-ground bust-up with team-mate Micah Richards.
That was the latest in a long line of misdemeanours involving the mercurial 21-year-old and, although his on-field performances have been consistent, Mancini hopes he will settle down in the new year. “Mario can improve every week and every month. He is young and when you are a young player, you improve always.
“I hope the new year can bring a different way for him and that he can understand if he wants to play well and have a good private life, he should have good behaviour always – not for one week yes and then change for two days.
“Every top player has a good private life and a good behaviour. They are the first in training every day. This is the way it needs to be for him.”
City, the Premier League leaders by two points, are back in action tonight as Stoke visit the Etihad Stadium.
The Potters were Mancini’s first opponents after he was appointed two years ago this week.
City won that game, but were given a torrid time by Tony Pulis’ men when the sides met three times in February 2010, being held to two draws and losing an FA Cup replay.
City redressed the balance with two victories over them last May, including the FA Cup final, but Stoke are now in fine form after four successive wins. “They are a very difficult team,” said Mancini. “It will be a tough game.”
Manchester City will secure top spot at Christmas for the first time since 1929 with victory.
GuardianService
