Paul Scholes claims Roberto Mancini has made a massive mistake by vowing to kick Carlos Tevez out of Manchester City.
Scholes - who retired in the summer after a glittering career with City's neighbours Manchester United - feels Mancini’s determination to now drive Tevez out of the Etihad Stadium could backfire, because the Argentinian is such a prolific striker.
“Is he is cutting his nose off to spite his face by not playing him?" asked Scholes. "I don’t know what’s gone on between them, but there’s no doubt that City are a better team with him in the team.
“How many goals did he score last season? It has to be between 20 or 30 goals [it was 24] and I think he was the top scorer in the Premier League over the last two seasons.”
Scholes, who knows Tevez from their years together at Old Trafford, committed a similar crime 10 years ago when he refused to turn out in a Carling Cup tie at Arsenal in a fit of pique and was fined by Sir Alex Ferguson.
“I did a similar thing, which I regretted straight away, a few years ago," he said. "It’s difficult because you’re in a state of mind where you feel you’re being messed about.
“I think Carlos felt that he was being messed about. In a way, Mancini is messing him about, but he’s well within his rights to do so because he’s the manager of the club and it’s up to him what he does.
Scholes, who was speaking at the launch of his autobiography, Scholes. My Story , claims the fall-out between Tevez and Mancini is good news for his old club.
“City are definitely a better team with him in it,” said the former England star. “Whether that happens again, I don’t know. But from a United point of view, I hope it doesn’t.
“Carlos is the type of player who, if he’s not playing, he’s not happy. It will be driving him mad sitting on the substitutes' bench when he sees [Mario] Balotelli coming on before him in games and he’s just getting 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there.
“He’s an old-fashioned pro who cannot accept not playing. A lot of players these days can accept not playing, being sat on the bench, picking up their money, but Carlos is not like that.
“He wants to be playing in every minute of every game and he will be furious inside because he wants to play.”
Scholes, 36, retired after a 20-year playing career with United and admits the reality of his situation is beginning to hit home as he takes his first steps into coaching.
“I’m starting to miss playing,” he said. “I was great for the first couple of months when I wasn’t around the club. But now I’ve started training with the reserves these last few weeks [and] it’s strange walking past the first-team pitch.
“I’ve started my coaching badges, but whether I finish them is another question!
"If I don’t feel coaching is the thing for me, I won’t pursue it. I don’t want to be average at it.”
Posted By David Anderson
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