Carlos Tevez's Most Unprofessional Moments

AC Milan, Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain have all shown interest in signing Manchester City’s Carlos Tévez during the January transfer window, according to respective stories in BBC Sport, Sky Sports and ESPN Soccernet.

It’s perplexing how any club would want to sign Tévez given his lengthy track record of misconduct.

Liverpool great and Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness accurately summed up Tévez: 

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Every time he opens his mouth, it’s a different reason for him wanting to leave Man City. He is a disgrace to football. He epitomises what the man in the street thinks is wrong with modern footballers.

"

This article will list Tévez’s most unprofessional moments throughout his entire professional footballing career in chronological order.

2003: Refused to Play for Argentina U-20 Team

Some Argentine footballers dream of representing La Albiceleste, but at 19, Carlos Tévez showed no signs of patriotism. 

Given the life-changing opportunity to play for Argentina at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship, Tévez rejected the chance, because he wanted to play for Boca Juniors. 

Argentine Football Association president Julio Grondona ordered Tévez to play for Argentina. 

Tévez responded by taking the AFA to court, arguing that the AFA was denying him the right to work where he wanted.

Why didn't he have the same stance when he played for Argentina at the 2001 FIFA U-17 World Championship? 

2004: Couldn't Wait to Get out of Buenos Aires

South American football correspondent Tim Vickery made an excellent point about Carlos Tévez on the Hawksbee and Jacobs show: 

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When he was making his name here playing for Boca Juniors, he couldn't wait to get out.

He said, 'the press are making my life unbearable, I can't breathe; it's impossible for me to play; it's impossible for me to live in Argentina—I've got to go.'

"

BBC Sport reported that Tévez was involved in unsavory exchanges with photographers. 

Rob Hughes at The New York Times wrote, "Reports of his 'disorganised' private life have warned off prospective buyers such as Atletico Madrid. Boca's price scared off PSV Eindhoven and Bayern Munich."

The transfer saga made Tévez even more unbearable, and it was an unnecessary burden on his teammates and Boca. 

2005: Trouble in Paradise

There was only one reason why Carlos Tévez moved to Corinthians—money.

Even with the millions, it didn't stop him from arguing with teammates Carlos Alberto and Dinelson, before crossing the line by punching reserve player Marquinhos. 

Oh, and in some twisted thought process, Tévez thought he'd endear himself to the Corinthians faithful by wearing a Manchester United shirt. 

Then there was his male chauvinistic remarks about female referees: "Women shouldn't referee important games, like the classic with Sao Paulo." 

August, 2006: Paranoid and Wanting Out

The Telegraph reported some paranoid views from Carlos Tévez: "It’s like they don’t want an Argentine to succeed in Brazilian soccer. If nothing changes, I think it will be difficult for me to stay."

I'm going to assume "they" is a reference to the Brazilian Football Confederation, and "they" awarded Tévez the Brasileirão Best Player Award and included him in the Brazilian Série A Team of the Year. 

It wasn't just the paranoia, but it was his refusal to play for Corinthians that was puzzling. 

November, 2006: Stormed out of Upton Park

Alan Pardew subbed off Carlos Tévez, and the Argentine stormed out of Upton Park, literally—he drove away in his car. 

Pardew was not pleased to say the least: "I think it is disrespectful to me, my staff and the players. I will have to listen to his excuse—I'm sure it is just disappointment, but that is no good reason. We don't have that kind of discipline here."

2007: Tarjeta Roja (Red Card)

Argentina were playing in high altitude against Colombia, so what possessed Carlos Tévez to get himself sent off after just 25 minutes? 

He kicked Rubén Darío Bustos, and his sending off ultimately contributed to Argentina losing 2-1. 

Then-Argentine manager Alfio Basile noted: "The only place where you cannot be left with 10 men is high altitude."

2008: Again?

Not even Dennis Wise can lay claim to what Carlos Tévez did. 

He earned another red card, this time for dangerously fouling Paraguay's Darío Verón, having already been booked 14 minutes earlier. 

You know you have a short fuse when you manage to get sent off before the second half in two consecutive FIFA World Cup qualifiers. 

For your information, Lionel Messi salvaged a 1-1 draw for Argentina. 

May, 2009: Me, Me and Me

In 2009, Manchester United lost the Champions League final to Barcelona. After his team's crushing loss, Carlos Tévez acts as if he would have made a difference if he started: 

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But he [Sir Alex Ferguson] made a mistake to leave me on the bench. That was the only final the team had lost since I had been at Manchester United.

My family knows how much I suffered at United. I could not arrive home after a match or a training session and forget my pain. It was not good, and I transmitted all my sadness to them.

"

I'm assuming the pain is not starting all 51 games. 

Still, 51 games, that's a lot of games for one of the biggest clubs in the world. 

Perhaps Tévez was depressed from watching the film Substitute.

July, 2009: Not Understanding Inter-City Rivalry

Carlos Tévez makes many ill-advised comments, but this has to be the most stupid:

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If I play for Manchester City, I don't think the United fans will feel I am a traitor. They have to remember that, at least as far as I know, I have been thrown out of the club and I have to study the best offers available.

"

Tévez has a funny understanding of being "thrown out of the club":

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Manchester United announce that Carlos will not be signing a new contract with the club.

The club agreed to pay the option price of £25.5 million ($42m) and offered Carlos a five-year contract which would have made him one of our highest-paid players at the club.

"

December, 2010: Clear Example of Selfishness

Does Carlos Tévez acknowledge the Manchester City supporters? 

Does he acknowledge James Milner coming on? 

What he does do is publicly lash out at Roberto Mancini. 

What you should never do as a professional athlete in a team sport is to air your dirty laundry. 

December, 2010: Hands in a Transfer Request

The BBC reported that Carlos Tévez submitted a transfer request because he was homesick. 

Earlier in the month, Manchester City approved a vacation for him, and guess where he went?

Back home to Buenos Aires, right? 

Nope. Tenerife in Spain. 

If he was so homesick, why did he move to Brazil and England? Why didn't he stay in Argentina?

Oh, I remember now—he wanted to leave. 

Regarding the Gary Cook situation: He's not the manager, and he's not the owner, so what influence would he have over Tévez that would lead him to such a drastic decision? 

I speculate that Cook was just a red herring thrown into the mix by Tévez's public relations management. 

Mind you, Cook hasn't helped his reputation after his disgraceful behaviour toward Nedum Onuoha's cancer-stricken mother. 

June, 2011: Disrespecting the City of Manchester

Another one of Carlos Tévez's daft statements:

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There’s two restaurants, and everything’s small. It rains all the time; you can’t go anywhere.

There comes a moment where you say, ‘Where am I going to go with my family?’ and you begin to feel bad.

I will not return to Manchester, not for vacation, not anything.

"

Why sign for Manchester City if you didn't enjoy life in Manchester when you were wearing a red shirt? 

July, 2011: Déjà Vu

Having withdrawn his hastily submitted transfer request, Carlos Tévez handed in another transfer request:

"

Living without my children in Manchester has been incredibly challenging for me. Everything I do, I do for my daughters.

I need them to be happy because my life is about them now. I need to be in a place where they can adapt.

"

South American football correspondent Tim Vickery questioned the integrity regarding Tévez stating his children needed a place to adapt:

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Now his eldest daughter spent her first years in England, it's probably as much home to her as Argentina.

So it's nothing to do I think with his daughters adapting. It's him himself and probably specifically the mother of his kids.

"

Tévez has been in England for five years, and he's yet to master English where he doesn't need a translator.

Yet, he blames the city for his refusal to adapt to life in England. 

September, 2011: I'm No Sub

With Manchester City trailing Bayern Munich 2-0, Roberto Mancini asked Carlos Tévez to come off the bench, but he refused. 

Then he has the audacity to claim the "lost in translation" excuse. 

Please, five years in England and you don't understand simple English like "Carlos get off the bench"? 

Plus, that excuse is cut down by the fact that Tévez came off the bench against Fulham and Napoli earlier in the month.  

November, 2011: AWOL

At least Winston Bogarde turned up to Chelsea's training sessions, whereas Carlos Tévez is in Argentina playing golf. 

Clearly, he doesn't care about his teammates, management, contract, supporters, and he certainly doesn't care about the city of Manchester. 

He was given a date to return to training and was AWOL. 

Please read Every Premier League Club's Best Player so Far.