Jim White

Dig out your ear plugs, Carlito

Fri Sep 18 11:29AM

Carlos Tevez clearly prefers to look on the bright side of life. He expects, should he recover from a knee injury in time to play in Sunday's Manchester derby, that United's fans will welcome him back with a lusty cheer.

Patrice Evra, rapidly becoming the sharpest comedian on the Premier League circuit, does not quite share his old team mate''s optimism. He said this week that he anticipates Tevez will be booed to the rafters and not only that, but he will join in with the booing. I think Evra may well be right: if not quite being on the receiving end of the kind of reception being saved up for Cristiano Ronaldo, Tevez is about to become Old Trafford's pantomime villain of choice.

It is odd how it varies. When Fernando Torres went back to Atletico Madrid with Liverpool, both set of supporters joined in chanting out his name. At times the score was forgotten in the rush to mutual serenade.

It was the same whenever Manchester United played West Ham with Tevez in the team. His former worshippers at Upton Park had not forgotten the goals he scored that kept their team in the Premier League and - despite his defection northwards - maintained their love-in.

At times it was quite emotional hearing them cheer an opponent and Tevez seemed genuinely touched. Yet the same West Ham crowd vilified Paul Ince for doing precisely the same thing as the diminutive Argentinian. And their vocal loathing for Frank Lampard for signing for Chelsea has become a ritual every time the two clubs meet.

Much of it depends on the manner of departure. Torres agonised for ages about leaving his boyhood club. What he would have loved more than anything, he still says, was to have been like Steven Gerrard, Raul or Francesco Totti and managed the double whammy of playing for his home-town team and winning something. But that wasn't going to happen at Atletico.

And despite the fact everyone knew he was heading off to enjoy what was then most lucrative contract in the Premier League, no-one on the Atletico terraces could seriously say they didn't understand his motives. Besides, he was going to Liverpool. It wasn't as if he was doing a Sol Campbell and joining the hated neighbours in order to pursue his trophy ambition. So they reluctantly bade farewell to their hero and turned their ire on their board for not having the wherewithal to provide him with enough to stay.

Ince, unlike Torres, allowed his excitement at joining a trophy-winning club turn his head and after being photographed in a United shirt before he had even signed, was vilified by those he has snubbed for personal glory. So scarred was he by the way the West Ham crowd turned on him, when he left United for Internazionale, he conducted a lengthy PR campaign among the United fans explaining that he didn't want to go, he was being pushed out of the club.

For a time the fans bought it. Then other versions of his departure emerged, they felt used and they too turned on him. It may also have had something to do with him subsequently signing for Liverpool, but Ince was ultimately booed on his return to Old Trafford in a way other departing players of his generation - Mark Hughes, Roy Keane and Peter Schmeichel for instance - never were.

When Tevez left West Ham it was in the midst of the Byzantine dealing involving third party ownership. There was a sense among Hammers fans that he was a victim of circumstance: he didn't want to go, but his shadowy owners in South America were insisting he should so they could maximise their investment.

It isn't like that this time. United fans made huge play of their support for Tevez, they loved his whole-heartedness, his determination, his willingness to run his legs into the ground. They chanted continuously their advice to the manager that he make the player's loan deal permanent. But then, despite all that affection, he went and signed for City, they assumed solely to enjoy dipping his nose in the oil-filled trough. They feel he did not return their loyalty, they feel let down. As they could imagine nothing better than slipping on a red shirt, they simply cannot understand his decision to become a blue.

It may seem illogical. Tevez never let the side down. Five months ago, United fans sang his name more than any other, now they are preparing to boo. But there is nothing more self-righteous than a football fan scorned. Indeed Carlito, if that knee has healed and you are about to re-acquaint yourself with the old crowd, you might be advised to pack the ear plugs.

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jim white is a c*ck!!!
From fudgemcfc66 on Fri Sep 18 11:47AM
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jim white is still a co*k
From fudgemcfc66 on Fri Sep 18 11:48AM
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you dont arf talk some @#$% you!!
From fudgemcfc66 on Fri Sep 18 11:49AM
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after the 3rd paragraph i stopped reading
From paul4arsenall on Fri Sep 18 11:53AM
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Jim is a helmet
From helmethunter on Fri Sep 18 11:58AM
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Tevez, scum @#$%
From jabsshere on Fri Sep 18 12:04PM
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1-5 stupid retarded SHlTTY fans
you deserve to be treated like adebayor fuc.kin animals
From jabsshere on Fri Sep 18 12:06PM
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typical fairweather glory hunting prawn sandwich man u fans
From ian.lapsley on Fri Sep 18 12:10PM
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#4 paul. paragragh 3... i'm impressed.
It took you a while to realise that Jim's a big old helmet
From helmethunter on Fri Sep 18 12:10PM
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HEY JIM WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE? DON'T YOU HAVE A MORE INTERESTING SUBJECT TO WRITE ABOUT?!
RUBBISH ARTICLE!!! NUFF SAID
From vitor_bg_cruz on Fri Sep 18 12:12PM
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I disagree with Jim, Tevez will be welcomed well cos the Manure fans know how hard he tried to play well and score goals..instead Slur Alex went with that Berbatov jerk. This article is otherwise poor.
From fadi1 on Fri Sep 18 12:14PM
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Oooh Jabsshere, I've been hunting for a helmet and I found one!
From helmethunter on Fri Sep 18 12:17PM
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jabsshere you are a first class @#$%, come on city.
From alanclaxton2000 on Fri Sep 18 12:18PM
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And of course you know for sure the Utd fans are going to boo Tevez? Got second sight Jim? We'll see if you're right soon.
From michelangeloindeed on Fri Sep 18 12:21PM
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While I don't really like City, and I hated his agent, I will never hold it against Tevez for leaving given the circumstances. He got the shaft from Alex and made the best choice given there weren't many clubs that could afford him. It was always about money for his agent, people shouldn't hold that against the player.
From tevez_united on Fri Sep 18 12:21PM
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He's not worth the booing
He's a f++++in bum like most of his mates
From murpani on Fri Sep 18 12:23PM
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He's not worth the booing
He's a f++++in bum like most of his mates
From murpani on Fri Sep 18 12:23PM
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Lol why are City fans hating on Jimmy. What you said is true i am travelling to Manchester just to join in the booing so he will not be the only one that needs the ear plugs City fans bring yours too
From orakle77 on Fri Sep 18 12:24PM
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alanclaxton suck my DlCK, u hoe @#$%
From jabsshere on Fri Sep 18 12:33PM
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Jim, sorry to say this- your piece is unmitigatd b***@#$%. Tell me, what did u set out to achieve? Whatever it was, I bet there couldn't be a more inarticulate and incoherent way to have gone about it.
Please don't bore us next time with such - don't write for the sake of writing. Write bcos you've got something worth saying. Heed my counsel.
From dezani1 on Fri Sep 18 12:33PM
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Tervez is supposed to booe fans not the fans booeing him, he tried for them but the manager did not appreciate what he did for them. I pray he score agaisnt them!
From lemma007 on Fri Sep 18 12:34PM
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What Jim is trying to say is that Manure fans are a bunch of @#$% just like Arsenal fans.
In raising this issue he has also highlighted how thoroughly decent the Spurs and Liverpool fans are in comparison. I wonder what kind of reception Michael Owen will get on his return to Anfield in Manure colours? I'm betting the Liverpool supporters will put their Man Utd. cousins to shame.
From london_league_promoter on Fri Sep 18 12:40PM
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Yes, dezani1 a well known journalist for a national newspaper should heed the counsel of an unpublished wannabe who comments on a blog. I'm sure you will have sooo much advice to give out. Muppet. And having found the article (that does have a point) easy to read, I can only assume that you are the inarticulate one.
From mistah_jai on Fri Sep 18 12:44PM
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fudgemcfc66 I've said it before as have millions of others..and I'll tell you now ALL your new signings are only at shity for the cash and to stamp on people...your club was a joke and unfortunatly still is and sparky is clearly DELUDED!!!!
From lazeeladuk on Fri Sep 18 12:53PM
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Jim. I for one wont be booing Cristiano. The circumstances were completely different when he left, he gave us six good years of service and a bumper pay off when he left for his boyhood idols. Teves just went to the highest bidder after he was offered a good contract by United. Not the same at all.
From mgodsall on Fri Sep 18 12:53PM
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I WONDER WHERE JW GOT THIS PSYCHO ANALYSIS OF THE MAN UTD FANS FROM, THE WASTE BIN?
From wole2003 on Fri Sep 18 12:53PM
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maggieloan you slag piss off with your slutty fu.ckin website you little whore
From lazeeladuk on Fri Sep 18 12:56PM
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just hope its 0-0 and everybody gets soaked.
From dave.hartley on Fri Sep 18 12:56PM
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london_league_promoter, your a @#$% sucker
From lazeeladuk on Fri Sep 18 12:58PM
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What a @#$% article - I am a red but if you read this from either angle of Manchester it's a wishy washy non-story that takes up valuable webspace. Get Jim's P45 out guys he's useless.
From alexandercuk on Fri Sep 18 12:59PM
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