Hacks Pursue An El Apache-Mancio Split

Cometh the International break, cometh the anti-City propaganda which appears to be going up a gear with The Blues in second place. But is there substance to the latest mischief?

Carlos Tevez, Roberto Mancini's Captain, adored throughout Manchester and perceived globally as City's warrior talisman on the back of a stunning 34 goals in 48 league and cup starts is widely reported this morning to have clashed angrily with the City manager in the Eastlands dressing room over tactics against Newcastle at half time.

For example, a Das Daily Mail hack says that the hardline Italian Mancini reacted angrily to a comment made in Spanish from the fiery Argentinian as he walked in. Meanwhile a Daily Torygraph hack says that Mancini became angry because Tevez began to address the team after Mancini had walked in. The latter case being mildly laughable as El Apache is not known for a great command of English and to this day conducts all his interviews via an interpreter.

A Grauniad hack meanwhile says that Tevez, with 5 league goals in 7 games is unhappy at the lack of goal scoring opportunities he is getting due to negative tactics.

Whatever the why's and wherefore's and the quotes from 'City sources' with regard to trouble at SportCity, City fans must again deal in the facts we know of right now.

1. Mancini appointed Tevez his Captain this season.

2. Mancio spoke recently of his concern for Tevez being over relied upon up front with Adebayor, Santa Cruz and Balotelli all out injured.

3. On Saturday, Tevez smashed a penalty into the back of the net and raced to the bench to acknowledge the aforementioned Crocky with the whole bench and staff laughing except for mardy Shay Given. Answers on a postcard please for that one!

4. When Tevez was substituted in the 85th minute to the by now regular standing ovation after another superb performance, he walked past Mancio to the bench.

5. Mancio flew back to Italy to be with his gravely ill father straight after the game.

6. Mancio's assistant Brian Kidd confirmed post match that there had been discussions at half time:

"There was an awful lot said between the group at half-time, but the lads showed a great response in the second half...It showed how badly they wanted to win."

7. City are second in the league and the people desperate to see the club fail are spitting nails.

A number of questions present themselves as we brace ourselves for this fortnight's next instalments of alleged trouble at the City mill.

Firstly, are there many work places, particularly at the heighest levels of sport where there are no disagreements or heated debates? Secondly, are their fifth columnists at Eastlands intent upon feeding these leaks out to foaming anti-City hacks?

But above all else. Mancio and Tevez, do we have a problem? Give us a shout both here and in the VMC City Chat Forum...

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