Mancini hits out at Tevez advisors

MANCHESTER CITY boss Roberto Mancini has delivered a thinly-veiled attack on Kia Joorabchian by claiming Carlos Tevez has received bad advice during his time with the Blues.

And in an equally stinging assessment, Mancini has questioned Wayne Bridge’s motives for staying at City, hinting that the defender was more interested in money than the game.

City officials will meet AC Milan counterparts tomorrow in an attempt to thrash out a deal that would allow Tevez to leave for Italy during next month’s transfer window.

Milan want to negotiate a loan period, which would turn into a permanent transfer in the summer. City are not willing to countenance this and meanwhile, the player remains in Argentina, where he has repeatedly been pictured playing golf.

“We were better with Carlos in the squad because he is a fantastic striker,” said Mancini, ahead of tonight’s Premier League encounter with Stoke.

Asked directly whether Tevez had received some bad advice, Mancini replied: “Yes.”

Tevez’s advisor, Joorabchian used to have a close relationship with the City hierarchy but, as they eased him away, so the club have made a link with Tevez becoming increasingly difficult to deal with. Twice the 27-year-old slapped in transfer requests, citing personal problems and a desire to settle somewhere more acceptable to his wife and two young daughters.

Despite interest from wealthy French outfit PSG, AC Milan appear to be his preferred destination. Yet Mancini is adamant they will need to come up with the money.

“When Manchester City buy a player, they have to pay a lot of money,” he said.

“But when we want to sell them, they have to go on loan. This is not good.

“Manchester City paid Carlos a lot of money for three years. It is correct that if one club, it could be Milan, Juventus, PSG, Inter, want him, they pay Carlos for his value. This is correct. They can’t have him on loan, 100%.”

Mancini feels a player in the peak years of his career should not voluntarily miss an entire season. To that end, the City boss simply does not understand Bridge. An England international two years ago, Bridge knew last year he had no future with the Blues and spent the last half of the season on loan at West Ham.

However, collecting a weekly salary believed to be around £90,000, the former Chelsea man has found no-one willing to match those terms.

“I don’t know why you would want to stay at a club where you can’t play,” said Mancini. “When we are young and start to play football we don’t play for money, we play because we like football. Every player should have this target in mind — to play football.

“Wayne is a good guy, but he had two or three chances in the summer, including Celtic, who are an important team. I hope, for him, he leaves in January because it’s difficult for a player to stay training every day.”

Mancini is wary of tonight’s clash with Stoke, who have rediscovered their form in recent weeks. “It will be a tough game. Against Stoke it is always very difficult.”

City, two points clear, will secure top spot at Christmas for the first time since 1929 with victory.