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'Carlos Tevez has been appalling but Roberto Mancini has dealt with him very well' - former Manchester City star Dietmar Hamann
The ex-midfielder has backed the Italian to lead City to the Premier League title despite having to get by without Tevez, but warns Manchester United will push their neighbours
27 Jan 2012 08:35:00
Getty Images
EXCLUSIVE
By Rob Stewart
Former Manchester City midfielder Dietmar Hamann has applauded Roberto Mancini’s tough stance on Carlos Tevez and backed the Italian to overcome his loss by leading his old club to their first ever Premier League title.
Hamann has been left baffled by the conduct of Tevez, whose bitter feud with his paymasters at the Etihad Stadium has cost him £9.3 million, but the German, who spent three years at City following a seven-year spell with Liverpool, believes his old club have dealt with the matter well.
“I think that Tevez’s behaviour has been appalling and I really don’t know what he is playing at,” Hamann told Goal.com.
“Roberto Mancini deserves a lot of credit and he has made a lot of good calls, particularly the way he has handled the whole Carlos Tevez saga because he has dealt with that really well and been backed by those above him as well which is crucial.”
“I don’t know the ins and outs but I am glad that City have stood their ground and I hope they continue to do so because you can’t have players getting huge amounts of money and then demanding what they want to do.
“It is something that nobody wants to see at a football club. They took a gamble on him by bringing him in from the other side of Manchester and this is what they are getting in return.”
Despite being deprived of their former skipper’s services, Hamann believes City will go on to win the Premier League title this season despite being pressed all the way by Manchester United.
“They are in the driving seat; they are the best team in the league at the moment and they are the most likely winners,” Hamann added.
“Six weeks ago it looked as though they were running away with the league as well as all the other English titles but things look a bit different now and I am sure that Manchester United will push them all the way.
“Mancini has a fantastic squad, they are three points ahead and when Yaya and Kolo Toure come from the Africa Cup of Nations I can see them kicking on again.”
Hamann, speaking ahead of the release of his Liverpool memoirs, continued: “What stands out for City is that they have got a very talented goalkeeper who is having a very good season and with Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure and David Silva they have a very strong spine there and also there is Sergio Aguero who can really be relied on.
“These players keep on producing the goods in the big games and that is why they are up there but they are missed when they are not around. Neither Kompany, Yaya Toure or David Silva played in the first leg [of the League Cup semi-final] against Liverpool and they produced one of their worst performances of the season so I think those players and Aguero will be key to their hopes of winning the title.
“You can never rule Man United out but with a three-point cushion and with United going to Eastlands in the second half of the season I think they will win their first Premier League title.”
The Didi Man: My Love Affair with Liverpool, by Dietmar Hamann (Headline) is released on February 2.
By Rob Stewart
Former Manchester City midfielder Dietmar Hamann has applauded Roberto Mancini’s tough stance on Carlos Tevez and backed the Italian to overcome his loss by leading his old club to their first ever Premier League title.
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Hamann has been left baffled by the conduct of Tevez, whose bitter feud with his paymasters at the Etihad Stadium has cost him £9.3 million, but the German, who spent three years at City following a seven-year spell with Liverpool, believes his old club have dealt with the matter well.
“I think that Tevez’s behaviour has been appalling and I really don’t know what he is playing at,” Hamann told Goal.com.
“Roberto Mancini deserves a lot of credit and he has made a lot of good calls, particularly the way he has handled the whole Carlos Tevez saga because he has dealt with that really well and been backed by those above him as well which is crucial.”
“I don’t know the ins and outs but I am glad that City have stood their ground and I hope they continue to do so because you can’t have players getting huge amounts of money and then demanding what they want to do.
Feuding duo | The relationship between Mancini and Tevez has broken down
“It is something that nobody wants to see at a football club. They took a gamble on him by bringing him in from the other side of Manchester and this is what they are getting in return.”
Despite being deprived of their former skipper’s services, Hamann believes City will go on to win the Premier League title this season despite being pressed all the way by Manchester United.
“They are in the driving seat; they are the best team in the league at the moment and they are the most likely winners,” Hamann added.
“Six weeks ago it looked as though they were running away with the league as well as all the other English titles but things look a bit different now and I am sure that Manchester United will push them all the way.
“Mancini has a fantastic squad, they are three points ahead and when Yaya and Kolo Toure come from the Africa Cup of Nations I can see them kicking on again.”
Hamann, speaking ahead of the release of his Liverpool memoirs, continued: “What stands out for City is that they have got a very talented goalkeeper who is having a very good season and with Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure and David Silva they have a very strong spine there and also there is Sergio Aguero who can really be relied on.
“These players keep on producing the goods in the big games and that is why they are up there but they are missed when they are not around. Neither Kompany, Yaya Toure or David Silva played in the first leg [of the League Cup semi-final] against Liverpool and they produced one of their worst performances of the season so I think those players and Aguero will be key to their hopes of winning the title.
“You can never rule Man United out but with a three-point cushion and with United going to Eastlands in the second half of the season I think they will win their first Premier League title.”
The Didi Man: My Love Affair with Liverpool, by Dietmar Hamann (Headline) is released on February 2.
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| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets! |
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| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
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| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
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