Tevez slams 'idiot' Neville

City striker hits out at former United team-mate

By James Riach   Last updated: 22nd January 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Tevez slams 'idiot' Neville

Tevez: Slams 'idiot' Neville

I feel he was a boot-licker when he stood by Ferguson's comments that I wasn't worth that money.

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Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez has branded Gary Neville an 'idiot' and admits his goal celebration in the Carling Cup was directed at his former team-mate.

The Argentina international scored twice against Manchester United in a fiery semi-final first leg at Eastlands on Tuesday, putting City in the driving seat going into next week's game at Old Trafford as they claimed a 2-1 win.

Tevez netted City's equaliser from the penalty spot three minutes before half-time, and he ran to the touchline to exchange gestures with United fans' favourite Neville during his celebration.

Tevez made a gesture for Neville to keep his mouth shut before cupping his hands behind his ears, in response to comments from Neville that he was not worth the money City spent on him, and the defender then hit back with a rude gesture.

The 25-year-old, who moved from United to City for £25.5million last summer, admits he had to contain himself in his celebration, but revealed he was directing his actions towards Neville.

"In all the press here, Gary Neville came out and stood by (Sir Alex) Ferguson's comments, saying that I wasn't worth 25million," he told Argentinean radio.

"I thought he was in the wrong because we were team-mates and I never disrespected him, I always respected him.

"I feel he was a boot-licker when he stood by Ferguson's comments that I wasn't worth that money.

"From a former team-mate it hurts, from a coach it doesn't surprise me.

"I would never do that gesture towards the fans, I would never show a lack of respect towards people. It was directed at Gary Neville.

"Just as I was running off to celebrate the penalty I had scored, I came across Gary and I said to myself, 'shut your trap, keep quiet'.

Overboard

"I didn't go overboard in my celebration and it was directed at Gary, not at Ferguson and not at the fans. I didn't even look at Ferguson.

"You have to do your talking on the pitch. I know that Ferguson loves me, that's why he always talks about me."

The former Boca Juniors, Corinthians and West Ham striker admits he was upset when he first heard of Neville's newspaper comments.

"I was the first to sit down to have lunch in the team hotel and all the papers were laid out," he added.

"I looked at them as, although I couldn't read them, there were (photos) of Gary Neville and they were talking about me.

"Then I asked my team-mates what it said.

"I thought to myself, 'what's this idiot talking about me for when I never said anything about him, when there was never any (problems) with us?'

"It was a lack of respect for a (former) team-mate, aside from the fact that we had won a lot of things together.

"Thank God I had the chance to get revenge with City, although there is still the second leg to come."

Comments (91)

Tom Dowdle (west ham fan) says...

i love listening to manu fans moaning about tevez. he left cause you wouldn't buy him. he didn't leave cause of the wages he got offered by man city. that was a big mistake because you won't get a more hard working and faithful player than tevez. i hope tevez scores at Od Trafford to top it all off! your always welcome back to Upton Park Tevez. no matter what team you playing for.

Posted 18:54 22nd January 2010

Derrick Goodman says...

funny to see tevez celebrating in front of neville! how is it that when neville runs the full length of the pitch at anfield to goad the kop its classed as "passion"?! yet tevez does it against man u and its dis respectful? double standards again?! what goes around comes around neville! the fa should punish neville for his actions to the crowd and tevez,dont quite know how theyd punish him tho? a fine wouldnt bother him(whats 20k?! to some1 with as much money as him?) and a ban wouldnt affect him as hes now past it and know longer 1st choice! perhaps he should be made to sell programs to away fans in the return leg?! come on city! make a liverpool fan smile!!

Posted 18:52 22nd January 2010

Gary Walker (Manchester United fan) says...

Mr Jason Thompson ( City fan ) you need to be back in school and get your spelling sorted. Fought ( thought ) & thearte ( theatre ) Speaks volumes !!

Posted 11:43 22nd January 2010

Bob Disco (Manchester United fan) says...

I am a Manchester Utd fan and i think Fergie was a fool not to sign Tevez, and yes Gary Neville is a fool he should really pack up and quit.

Posted 11:38 22nd January 2010

Mike De klerk says...

The only medals that Tevez will ever get are those he earned with United and that was playing second fiddle. Having lived and played in the Unioted kingdom for the period he has the least you would expect is that he would have an understanding of the language. United would have done better with the 25 million than buying tevez. He runs around with no goal or objective for the best part of the game hence him needing to be replaced during the game. One reason wwhy he seldom played a full game for United. Who is the idiot!

Posted 11:37 22nd January 2010

Penisum Danjuma (Arsenal fan) says...

Really i don't understand the issue of exchanging words with former teammate just because he score his former club to get victory for his new club. Gary Neville is a professional player of which i beleive will not be happy if someone should come up with a statement that he(Neville) is not worth 10million. The opportunity he didn't get in Man U. is what he is getting now, so i see no reason why Neville should that kind of sentence. Had it been that he got one of Man U. player injury just like Adebayor did to VP then what will he say?

Posted 11:35 22nd January 2010

John Moore (Manchester United fan) says...

Just for the record......it was Tevez and Hughes who stupidly started commenting to newspapers about the Manchester situation last summer. At one point last season Ferguson stated that he would only be making use of players he could trust. That statement speaks volumes! Ronaldo stated that the wrong tactics were used in the final against Barcelona. It is uncanny how players leaving Man Utd remain bitter and feel that they have to prove a point; could it be guilt for making money their god? Only the manager knows the answer. And he always protects his players, even when they back stab him!

Posted 11:34 22nd January 2010

Nicky B (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

Look lets not get silly here. This is a situaiton which is not entirely about football but more about a principle. Who care about Gary showning him his medals or anything like that. The fact is Gary Neville made a comment that really doesn't concern him, he's paid to be a professional sportsman and that doesn't warrant any room for his opinions. Ferguson can say because part of his job is what he thinks. In fact a managers job is based on his opinions, his staffs and stats. Simple! Gary Neville has no reason to open his mouth. My opinion is yes Fergie clearly got this wrong. Does it bother him? YES! Will he lose sleep? NO! Because many times he'll get it wrong and many times he's got it right. You only have to look at his track record to show he's got right. But Gary Neville made himself look stupid. My problems with footballers is they talk too much. Let your feet do the talking.....your mouths heap shame on you more often than not.

Posted 11:32 22nd January 2010

Jorge Vallejos (Arsenal fan) says...

Neville is a trouble maker, he didn't need to make those comments about Tevez. Carlos Tevez is in great form at the moment and is one of the best players in the premiership. Even for United he was crucial for their success in the last campain. At the same time Tevez can't communicate in english and it is unfair that they translate an interview and publish it like that. The expressions in spanish are not the same in english and a little flick in the interpretation of a comment can be an unfair account of what Tevez could have really said. Finally we should remember that Tevez never made any bad or disrespectful comments about anybody he is just reacting to provocation from silly people that should be concentrating on football instead of creating controversy

Posted 11:30 22nd January 2010

Les Cooper (Wolverhampton Wanderers fan) says...

Tevez was the idiot. His actions could be seen by millions viewing the match. This is just another example of grossly overpaid so-called stars/celebrities who are unable to show restraint, and project an under-age character. The FA need to throw the book at him for his stupid actions.

Posted 11:30 22nd January 2010

Andy L (Manchester United fan) says...

This is getting boring, Carlos Tevez is a greedy little cretin who signed for a lesser club for an obscene salary (reported to be £150k a week) and since his move he's done nothing but cry and whinge about United to try and justify signing for city. The fact is he wanted the money just as Lescott, Toure, Adebayor, Barry and Bridge did ( who were all at bigger clubs). Tevez was adored by the United fans and we felt let down that he left for them when he had an offer to stay, so he can't complain about the abuse he gets, think its time for everyone to move on and concentrate on our own clubs Tevez & Neville included! Nice to see the mickey-mousers chipping in with their comments, I think they should turn their limited attention to their own clubs problems. LUHG

Posted 11:27 22nd January 2010

David Wilson (Derby County fan) says...

Completely agree with Tevez... I've not liked Gary Neville for years. Come on Carlos... Finish the job at Old Trafford.

Posted 11:25 22nd January 2010

Dave Nichols says...

Lets face it it was glad to see someone having the bottle going to the half way line and do that in front of Fergie. I am well surprised that Tevez didnt trip over Fergies teddy at the end as there wasnt 10 mins add on time....Fergie and Man U want to grow up....just simply out classed on the night!!!!!

Posted 11:23 22nd January 2010

Tim Hodge (Manchester United fan) says...

I think Fergie is rubbish in the transfer market more often than not but he can't be blamed for not keeping Tevez. I think most united fans would agree with me that he was absolutely rubbish last season! Full of energy but his runs never served a purpose. He has never been able to pass, even now that he is playing at city, and he couldn't hit a barn door for us! It's jsut disappointing he has hit some form now he's gone to City! Have to agree with Tevez completely about Gary Nevile tho! Nevile is so so so annoying. He can never keep his moth shut. He is like an arrogant kid. No idea why he is captain and the only thing he has going for him on the pitch is his experience cos as a player he is useless!

Posted 11:19 22nd January 2010

Kiefer O' boyle (Manchester United fan) says...

I think Carlos Tevez's comments in recent times have been nothing shortof disgraceful. I was an avid fan of tevez last year when lets face it fellow Utd supporters, he was vital in the last 2 seasons. For some reason fergie has seen fit to use Berb instead. But im not the best manager ever soo stop complaining about berba...he'll come good. My next point is in regards to other fans and their treatment of Gary Neville. Gary Neville is United through AND through! Im glad we can boast of having a club captain as loyal as him...im afraid I can't say the same for Stevie G. Tevez deserves everything he gets....he'll soon learn that not many have left United, been disrespectful to the geatest club in the world and got away with it!!! Lets see him perform in the Theatre and lets see him walk proud with 76,000 booing fans ringing out. City have obviously yet to learn that football is a cruel game and 1 leg counts for virtually nothing. Finally, cristiano ronaldo, one of Uniteds past stars has done everything to treat his former club with the utmost respect that it deserves, how dare Tevez treat the club which made him what he is with such disrespect!!!

Posted 11:14 22nd January 2010

Code Red (Manchester United fan) says...

I can't believe this hype and sensationalism. Tevez had the option of staying with United. United did eventually offer 25mn for him but his advisors (and owners of his economic rights) were the ones who brainwashed him into joining City. You do not need be an Einstien to figure that 45mn is a much bigger number than 25mn and it made more economic sense for Kia Joorbachian and co to sell Tevez to City than United. Tevez scored countless crucial goals for United and for that I would always wish him well but he cant hide from the fact that it was money rather than ambition or any lack of love or respect on United's that led to him joining City. That's the reason most United fans would continue to boo and him and he should accept that and get on with it rather than tryimng prove a point every time he plays Utd.

Posted 11:05 22nd January 2010

Anjay Pohl (Manchester United fan) says...

I think people don't see the "Is he worth 25 Million" question from a United point of view: SAF needed to decide how much to pay for tevez according to the impressions he got during Tevez' time at OT. Carlos' performance was not bad, it was pretty good actually - still he was not able to gain a permanent spot in the team and that is also due to his abilities as player which seem to be just the features that wayne rooney has to offer (passion, power, desire, etc). Tevez was not the missing thing about United's squad, so why should one pay 25 million for something already available (Rooney)? Instead SAF was looking to add something new by bringing in Berbatov, though it now turns out that Berbo can't make his qualities shine for United but that is bad luck which happens from time to time. Having said this one must point out that Tevez was not worth the money for United but that does not say anything about his qualities - he just was not the player needed at OT. For City, however, he was exactly the missing part and now turns out to be great. Both sides should be happy and let go. We don't need Tevez back, we need a better Berbatov. But from my emotions I nevertheless have to admit that I do miss Carlos but he his better off where he is now.

Posted 11:05 22nd January 2010

Gerry O'rourke (Liverpool fan) says...

Didn't hear anything about the missile thrown at Tevez as he wheeled away after scoring the penalty. Watch the replay, ok it didn't hit him but maybe thats because the united supporters are as bad as their players when it comes to hitting the target!!!

Posted 11:04 22nd January 2010

Tej Ubhie (Liverpool fan) says...

Yet again Gary Neville can't keep his big mouth shut, It's about you hung up your boots instead of collecting money from United with the debt they have. Do the right thing move on

Posted 10:59 22nd January 2010

Ben Barrowman (Manchester United fan) says...

Lets look at the facts, Tevez scored 5 league goals last season. Regardless of what hes done this season and what hes worth now, he was not worth £25 mil at the end of last season!!! So fair play to City, u have got your self a great deal and a great player, but for gods sake, ive had enough of hearing about it, stop going on about Carlos Tevez!!! We didnt pay the money for him, hes a City player now and he scored a goal against us, WOW!!! 18 times and thats a fact, show em ya medals Gary!!!!!

Posted 10:58 22nd January 2010

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