Sport

Former Manchester City star Carlos Tevez nearly hung up his boots after spat with ex-boss Roberto Mancini

By John McDougall

Carlos Tevez has opened his heart and revealed he nearly threw in the towel on his whole football career at former club Manchester City.

The 29-year-old recently left the Etihad Stadium for Juventus for an estimated £12million but had a troubled time in an albeit trophy-laden spell in England.

And after refusing to come off the bench in a Champions League tie against Bayern Munich in September 2011 and having disputes with ex-boss Roberto Mancini, the Argentine striker nearly hung up his boots.

“I always said I’d retire at 28 and I was close to retiring after the fight with Roberto. I was tired as well,” he told the Daily Mirror.

“I spent six years in England and nobody would have given a cent for me to stay six years in England.

“There’s a moment where you get tired, you get tired of football. I wanted to leave football, then Juventus arrived, one of the biggest teams in Europe.”

For refusing to play, Tevez was frozen out of first-team affairs by Mancini for nearly six months and even jetted back to Argentina.

The former West Ham United man won three Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a Champions League title during a six-year spell with both United and City.

And after winning every domestic title in England, Tevez believes his Premier League journey was a success, especially given he helped end City’s 34-year trophy drought.

“I won everything,” he explained.

“I won the Champions League with Manchester United, the Premier League with United, the FA Cup with City, who hadn’t won anything for a long time.” 

Image courtesy of mcfcofficial, via YouTube, with thanks. 

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