ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE:CARLOS TEVEZ has been stripped of the Manchester City captaincy, because of his perceived disloyalty over a summer in which he made it clear that he is at the club against his will and that he has grown to dislike Manchester intensely.
Tevez has been deemed fit to start his first match of the season when City host Wigan Athletic today but the Argentinian was told earlier this week that the defender Vincent Kompany will continue in the role he has filled for the last three games.
“The reasons are simple,” said City’s manager, Roberto Mancini. “Carlos wanted to leave for family reasons. I respected his opinion but Carlos is still here because we didn’t find a solution for him. He’s a fantastic player for us, someone who can score 20 goals a season, but I decided in the summer that Vinnie was the captain.”
Tevez, the manager said, had accepted the decision and Kompany’s promotion is understood to have gone down well in the changing room. Mancini put off telling Tevez and announcing his decision publicly until now, largely because he did not want to risk any more damage to his relationship with the striker.
Tevez recently spoke of a “love-hate language and a love-hate relationship” with Mancini. He did not seem prepared for his demotion, however, saying he expected to regain his starting place once he was fit “because I’m captain and the symbol of a big club”.
His chance is likely to come against Wigan because Edin Dzeko has played two recent games for Bosnia. Mancini said it was “probable” Tevez would start but there was also a warning that he is no longer an automatic first-team selection now Sergio Aguero has signed from Atletico Madrid and the Premier League’s player of the month, Dzeko, is starting to justify his €31 million price tag.
Mancini will pick his team mindful that Napoli visit City in the Champions League on Wednesday. His options are reduced in midfield because Nigel de Jong is still troubled by a foot injury and Gareth Barry returned from England duty on crutches, wearing a protective cast on the ankle that he twisted against Wales.
Mancini made it clear he would not rush the free-agent signing Owen Hargreaves into the team.
Kolo Toure, available after his six-month ban for taking a banned substance, will not be involved.
Guardian Service
