Roberto Mancini today hit out at the attitude of unwanted City duo Carlos Tevez and Wayne Bridge.
The manager wants to see the back of both players during the January transfer window, adding that he can’t understand why they are happy not to be playing.
Tevez has been pictured playing golf, sunbathing and partying in his native Argentina after going AWOL last month.
And ex-England man Bridge has turned down a move to Celtic, as well as snubbing potential moves to Championship clubs.
He has continued to collect his £90,000-a-week wage, for which he has played one Carling Cup game and been on the bench for two more.
There are no signs that the Tevez saga will be concluded next month, even though AC Milan officials are expected to meet with City tomorrow and Paris St Germain are monitoring developments.
The Italians still want a six-month loan with a promise to buy in the summer, but City remain intractable on that, despite Mancini hinting yesterday that a legally-binding guarantee might be enough.
But Mancini said, while he had taken no notice of the pictures of Tevez relaxing in Argentina, he was concerned about the player’s future, and remains puzzled about how the rift occurred.
“He is 27 years old and any player can’t stay for a year without playing. I have other things to think about than Carlos playing golf.
“We had a good relationship and what happened was really strange for me, and frustrating.
“I also had good behaviour from him and don’t know what’s happened. I hope we can find a solution.”But Mancini did admit that City would be better placed to win things if Tevez had stayed.
“With Carlos in the squad we were better, because he is a fantastic striker,” he said. “We were better 100 per cent.”
Mancini also hopes that Bridge and Nedum Onuoha will secure moves in the transfer window.
Onuoha saw a possible move to Bolton fall down on deadline day and a hasty attempt to set up a move to Everton also fell through. But Bridge turned moves down and that has
puzzled Mancini.
“I don’t understand why there are some players that maybe have a good chance to go and play, maybe not in the Premier League but in the Championship, and don’t go,” he said.
“I don’t know why you would want to stay at a club where you can’t play.”
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Greed maybe? I'd stay at work doing nothing for £90,000-a-week, I'd even do it for 1/2 the money :-) Tevez is an non comment, apart from ...bye!
I don't trust this man. I'll bet he smells of cheese.
.......and here come all the Rags!
I'd rather play golf than play for City
manchester city are willing to pay these footballers far more than any other club are prepared to do and as such they have made a rod for their own backs.
there are several clubs currently benefitting at the expense of the sheikh. they can afford to play hardball . city do not want these players the players dont want to be there. the "buying clubs" know they have got city over a barrell and will drive very hard bargains indeed . city will end up losing loads of dosh and the sheikh will be made to look a fool AGAIN. sooner or later one of his mates will kindly tell him that these lot are taking the P. he will not respond very kindly.
What happened to the poster boy?
'welcome to Machester'
Small club with small mentality, oh wait a minute if there is a time Mr.Mancini have spoken like ten Mens put together its now! i like his mentality, almost like the Greatest Coach that have ever lived, SAF!
“I don’t know why you would want to stay at a club where you can’t play.”
Erm..........
£90,000 Week maybe ?
Alongside Adebayor who refuses to change Clubs - the worst 3 greedy players in the history of our Club - only Tevez ended up, because of his goals, being value for his fee but none of them deserve their wages!
I enjoy seeing how Mancini and his coaches have helped to improve Kompany, Lescott, Richards and Barry and the players he has attracted to Man City, most teams in the world would like to have.
If you don't understand then you are a bit daft.
"I don't understand how Tevez and Bridge could be happy not playing at Manchester City" - what with all the mercenary and egocentric players, paranoid, envious and deluded supporters, all kneeling at the altar of the money-worshippers and the Sugar Daddy, it doesn't surprise me one little bit !!
James Cromley - Stockport
Clearly an idiot who sits at home and like the two muppets pictured at the top of this article, takes money for doing naff all
CTID
To the popular Xmas tune. " we're beginning to look at lot like champions, every game we play! Just a thought lol
A bridge too far the man is a joke £90 K a week for doing jack nothing no wonder he doesn't want a move it would mean putting one leg in front of the other.
Just on another more positive note - in the last 38 league games....which includes x2 defeats to everton, villa, Liverpool, united and draws v fulham twice....we would have 83 points.....80 points won the league last season !
Google the word/Kenya.
If we're a small team and we thrashed you 6-1 on your own pitch,what does that make you?
Once again the swamp merchants can stay on their own site.Worried or what?
Amazing that tevez should just do a runner. If someone put him up to it in the hope that City would fail then it has backfired.
There seems to be a lot of new Rag monikers on here today. I bet one of them is that fool who confused Manchester with Melbourne - think it was something '99'. Changed his name to avoid further ridicule. Lol, YCMIU.
The way Bridge's stock has fallen over the past season or so he won't be able to get a place at Stalybridge Celtic soon, never mind Glasgow Celtic. I doubt he'd even make it into a shortlist of 20 for the left-back berth in Capello's squad these days.
On another note, the number of rag posts on here illustrates one thing: their chronic i-n-s-e-c-u-r-i-t-y.
Roberto, you can take the horse to water but you can't make it drink.
that will be the money!!!
poor old puzzled mancini,
getting ready to buy a new load of grabbers, who next for the loan exit I wonder
I can't blame Bridge, I would stay and collect the pay check as well. This is what happens when you go around buying every player available. They get used to the money and probably do not want to go somewhere and take a huge pay cut.
Does Mancini really think that someone would go and work somewhere else for half wages just because the manager doesn't like him! They are under contract after all and it is City's fault anyhow to pay such high wages just to tempt the mercenaries to play there.
david williams, yes, job well done, nothing to do with the mega bucks from your share
floatation and massive borrowing then. "Shrewd buying" you mean breaking transfer records, at a time when "world class" players like Keane and Shearer could be bought
for around £4 mill. Also check out the total cost of your present "home produced" squad,
not much change from £200 mIl, which is about the same as our squad, not the wacky figures quoted by the red gutter press, Happy Xmas and New year to you.