Tev: Title target may make me stay
CARLOS TEVEZ says the prospect of hunting down old club Manchester United could yet persuade him to stay at Eastlands.
City's Argentinian skipper lifted the FA Cup on Saturday despite a big question mark still hanging over his future.
Tevez, who handed in a transfer request in December, said: "Winning the title is a great motivation for me to stay, it would make me so happy.
"It is what we all want and need - although now it's time to celebrate winning the Cup.
"Here we are trying to build a team to win trophies including the Premier League and we are focusing on that.
"But we remember very well that flag at Old Trafford which taunts City.
"Now it makes me very happy that they will have to take it down."
Tevez, 27, revealed he needs to speak to his family at the end of the season about his future - but insisted nothing is yet decided.
And he accepts it would be hard to turn his back on the glittering years which are surely now within the grasp of this club.
He has played a huge role in their revival with 51 goals in just two seasons and would leave a massive hole if he leaves.
The former United hero said: "There was a huge desire to achieve this and we deserved it, we've got a great group here.
"We've reached our targets and we're very happy about that.
"We are becoming a big team and if we keep working hard we can keep winning trophies.
"Everyone is saying I'm already out but I'm still here and I haven't decided anything yet.
"I don't know if I am going to leave or not, if I'm going to Spain or Italy or somewhere else.
"It's a decision I have to make with my family, who are the priority.
"I don't have any problems with anyone at the club and things are fine with the manager.
"It would be a personal decision rather than a professional one."
City boss Roberto Mancini insists it would be a huge mistake if Tevez left the club this summer.
The Italian insisted: "Yes, yeah Carlos is part of our plans.
"It's important for everyone to work with the team, to give everything if you believe in this project of ours.
"You do your job, I do mine. If I don't want to stay, I leave this place.
"I don't know if he said goodbye to the fans. Ask him."
More of the same in the Star: http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/vie ... z-I-m-off/
Similar but with Mancini demanding an answer in the Express: http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/247 ... rlos-Tevez
Mancini to battle board for cash as City boss plots Champions League success
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini will go head to head with his board this summer over the issue of transfer cash.
As Sportsmail revealed last week, Mancini wants to spend big to prepare for next season’s Champions League, while his City employers want him to offload some of the club’s high earners first.
In the wake of winning the FA Cup on Saturday — City’s first trophy for 35 years —Mancini made it clear he does not want to follow Tottenham’s lead by enjoying an exciting Champions League campaign only to finish outside the top four of the Barclays Premier League.
But City football administrator Brian Marwood suggested Mancini will be urged only to ‘tinker’ with his squad.
Mancini said: ‘This year I think we should take Tottenham as an example.
‘Tottenham played in the Champions League until the quarter-final and in the Premier League they are fifth.
‘It is difficult if you don’t have a big squad so that you can change six or seven players for every game. If we work well I don’t know if we can win the title next season because this is difficult, but I think we can arrive at this target in one or two years if we work well with the club.
‘We have a good team because we have a young team. We bought Mario Balotelli, Edin Dzeko. Only one player is older. Yaya Toure is 28.
‘The other players are too young, like Jerome Boateng. All these players can improve. For this reason I believe in this project.
‘If we need to, we can buy other good players. We can be a team who play together for a long time.’
While Mancini is understandably keen to build on this season’s success, Marwood and chief executive Garry Cook are being forced to consider the effects of UEFA’s forthcoming Financial Fair Play rules.
Marwood said: ‘We feel we are in a good position to compete.
‘I look at our squad and I see a lot of players who have come together in a short space of time. It is a team who are evolving.
‘I don’t think there will be major changes, just tinkering with the squad. We have put together a group whose average age is 24-25.
‘We believe there is a good four years with this group to develop even further. We are really excited about that prospect.
‘In many respects, when you look back, it has been a missed opportunity not just for Manchester City but other clubs at the top to put a bigger challenge on Manchester United.
‘There is a huge amount of ambition with Manchester City, starting with Sheik Mansour right the way through the club. You have seen that with the players, you have seen that with Roberto Mancini.
‘He is very focused and not afraid to make tough decisions. It has got us into a position where we can hopefully move on.
‘But we have still got an awful lot left to achieve. What you cannot afford to do is be complacent.’
City were forced to share their day in the sun with neighbours Manchester United as Sir Alex Ferguson’s team clinched a record 19th Barclays Premier League title.
But City goalkeeper Joe Hart was not in the mood to share the spotlight, saying: ‘They can do what they like at Old Trafford. I’m annoyed to be even saying their name because this is about us. It’s about Manchester City winning the FA Cup.’
WAG OF THE DAY
OTHER BOLLOX
West Brom are set to put in a £4m bid for Fulham's Andy Johnson, which would result in the 30-year-old striker being reunited with ex-Craven Cottage boss Roy Hodgson, who is now manager of the Baggies. Daily Mirror
Sunderland are closing in on Blackpool midfielder David Vaughan, 28, who is a free agent at the end of the season. Daily Mirror
Sir Alex Ferguson is set to carry out the biggest overhaul of his Manchester United squad in 16 years this summer with Paul Scholes, Tomasz Kuszczak and Michael Owen among those touted to leave the club. Daily Mail
Former Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill, is number one choice to succeed sacked West Ham manager Avram Grant. Chris Hughton, Neil Warnock and Nigel Pearson are also in the frame. Daily Mail
QPR boss Neil Warnock is thought to be an early favourite to be installed as Hammers manager, despite taking the R's to the Premier League this season. the Sun
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was left despondent after Sunday's defeat by Aston Villa means the battle for third place in the Premier League - and automatic qualification to the Champions League - is out of his side's hands. talkSport
Striker Wayne Rooney missed out on Manchester United's title-winning celebrations on Saturday night in order to spend the night at home with wife Coleen. Daily Mail
Sacked West Ham manager Avram Grant was persuaded to travel back to London from Wigan with the players after he suggested he would go home on his own by car. Daily Mail
