Tevez rant over Neville was ‘lost in translation’, says Kia
CARLOS TEVEZ’S agent Kia Joorabchian says the Manchester City striker’s remarks towards former team-mate Gary Neville were “lost in translastion” while accusing Neville of showing a lack of class and respect.
Tevez reportedly branded Neville a “boot-licker” and a “moron” following a heated Carling Cup semi-final derby at Eastlands last week where Tevez scored both goals in a 2-1 win against his old club.
But with a potentially explosive second leg looming at Old Trafford on Wednesday, Joorabchian insists Tevez’s comments were taken out of context, while continuing to accuse United right-back Neville.
“If you use slang terminology, that slang, interpreted word for word, may not sound as it would in context,” he said. “Gary Neville stepped into something that maybe he shouldn’t have done. When you’re a professional football player you have to have respect for your companions.
“If you don’t have respect for your companions, and you don’t have class, then you have to accept that they are entitled to say something back.
“Since Gary Neville didn’t have that respect, I think Carlos felt that he had to give him an answer.
But if you translate a slang terminology into an actual word, it may turn out to look like a very bad word. In reality, it might not be such a bad word.”
Joorabchian also insists Tevez has a good relationship with other United players and bears no grudges to the team which allowed him to leave for rivals City after refusing to stump up the £25m asking price.“Carlos played two years at United and he has a very good relationships with a lot of the players,” he added. “He admires and likes Wayne Rooney and Patrice Evra and Ryan Giggs and he considers a lot of them friends. But I guess he and Gary Neville are not going to be very good friends any time soon.”