Manchester City's Tevez Issues Explosive Attack Against United's Neville

Posted Friday, January 22, 2010 by Goal.com

Argentine insists Neville was wrong to show him "a lack of respect."

Carlos Tevez has labeled his former Manchester United team-mate Gary Neville a "boot-licking moron" as the row between the two players took a fresh twist.

Tevez was angered by Neville’s assertion on the eve of Manchester City’s 2-1 League Cup victory over United that he was "not worth" the £25 million it would have cost United to keep him.

After scoring his first goal from the penalty spot, Tevez gestured at the United defender, who in turn is alleged to have gestured in retaliation.

But speaking to an Argentine radio station, Tevez described Tuesday’s victory as "revenge," and insisted the celebration was aimed solely at Neville.

"My celebration was directed at Gary Neville. He acted like a complete sock-sucker [boot-licker] when he said I wasn't worth £25m just to suck up to the manager," he told ESPN Argentina.

"I don’t know what the hell that idiot is talking about me for. I never said anything about him. I will never show a lack of respect towards anyone.

"Just as I was running off to celebrate the penalty I had scored, I came across Gary and I said to myself: 'Shut your trap, keep quiet.' I didn’t go overboard in my celebration and it was directed at Gary, not at Ferguson and not at the fans.

"I think he did the wrong thing because I was his team-mate and I never said anything bad about him. He was saying that Ferguson was right when he said that I wasn't worth £25m, when he was saying this and that...I always respected Neville."

Tevez then went on to lay bare his feelings about Neville’s comments, and despite not understanding written English, admitted his team-mates told him what had been said.

"I was at lunch with the players in the team hotel and all the papers were laid out. I read them – well, 'read them', obviously I don't read [English]," he added.

"My team-mates were telling me about it and asking what I thought. And I wondered to myself: what's the tarado [moron] talking about me for when I never said anything about him, when there was never any [issue] with us.

"It was a lack of respect for a compañero [fellow footballer], aside of the fact that we had won a lot of things together. You have to do your talking on the pitch. I don't talk much in England – mainly because of the language.

"I don't like to get involved in conflict. I'm happy because I know what I am. Thank God I had the chance to get revenge with City, although there is still the second leg to come."

Tevez then joked that Sir Alex Ferguson’s willingness to talk about the striker showed he still admired him.

"I know that Ferguson loves me, that's why he always talks about me," he continued.

Tevez sent out a warning to his former team-mates, and insisted that City are catching their illustrious rivals.

"There are differences between the two teams. Manchester United are a huge team in the city, everyone knows that. But City are making giant strides," he said.

The Argentina international admitted that he couldn’t see his long-term future in England, despite spending four years in the country.

He added: "Things are going well for me; the goals are coming. I'm in good shape, I have avoided injuries and that really helps.

"As a kid I would never have imagined that I would live in England for four years. I am very happy and contented that my daughter is growing up in a country as developed as this one. But the truth is that it's very, very hard for me to live here, so far away from my loved ones.

"This is my fourth year but I'm not exactly an example of how to learn English; I just can't get it into my head. I'm learning hardly anything, truth be told. I don't go out much; I spent most of my time at home.

"My daughter just brought me a Boca Juniors shirt and she wants me to join Boca. I am a Boca fan and I know I'll go back one day but I don't know when."