Tevez Apology- Legit Or S**t?

22 February 2012

So while English football attentions were cast upon Chelsea’s apparent Champions League demise, Carlos Tevez emerged from the shadows to say sorry to Manchester City.

The want-away striker issued an unreserved apology for his behaviour towards the club since his refusal to warm up for action during a Champions League tie in Germany last year.

Yesterday, Tevez- who has been training alone with City’s fitness staff since his return from his self-imposed exile in Argentina- met with City’s big-wigs (but pointedly not manager Roberto Mancini) to issue his apology.

 "I wish to apologise sincerely and unreservedly to everybody I have let down and to whom my actions over the last few months have caused offence. My wish is to concentrate on playing football for Manchester City," he said.

It was exactly what City have been craving to hear. But considering that only two weeks ago he claimed Mancini has treated him “like a dog,” and the Italian is on record as saying Tevez’s time at Eastlands was “finished”, it is unclear just how authentic the apology is, and what exactly it will achieve.

If Tevez means what he says, his on-field input could be valuable to City’s cause. They are a few short months away from lifting their first top-flight title since the 1960s, but face a staunch challenge from Manchester United.

Recently, Mancini has tempered his simmering distaste for Tevez with pragmatism. "It probably would have been better for us if [Tevez] had been here … maybe he can help us in the last three months," he admitted.

And if Tevez behaves and is committed then perhaps he will in fact enhance City’s title credentials. But he will firstly need to prove his fitness and worth to Mancini, who will then have to decide whether or not to pick him.

It is clear that City’s other players want Tevez back. They more than anyone realise the dynamic forward’s hard-running and eye for goal only make their job easier, and players like Joe Hart, Joleon Lescott, Pablo Zabaletta, and now Samir Nasri have gone on record to say they want him back.

But questions remain over the sincerity of Tevez’s apology. It’s hard to believe he suddenly accepts the last few months of melodramatics were all his fault. And there is more than a hint of suspicion that Tevez has only said sorry to smooth his path away from City in the future.

Will Mancini take umbrage to the fact that Tevez may not actually be sorry? Or will he play the striker anyway because the title is at stake? Will Tevez give his all for City’s cause, or will his selfish gene expose itself again? So many questions, which will surely be answered as City chase the EPL crown.

Do you think Tevez is really sorry?