Gary Neville and Carlos Tevez’s agent, Kia Joorabchian, addressed their furious spat over the Argentine’s behaviour at Manchester United on Friday – with Jamie Carragher hilariously scoffing popcorn during the exchange.
Joorabchian launched a furious attack on the United legend’s professionalism after the pundit accused Tevez of ‘downing tools’ during his second season at Old Trafford.
Joorabchian and Neville went head-to-head on Sky Sports’ The Football Show on Friday, with the former claiming his client was always ‘desperate to play’ for United.
“I think Neville was wrong. I often let things go. But when you go after somebody and you make a lot of wrong and incorrect statements, letting it go will not do a benefit to the public listening to fake information,” Joorabchian said.
“Gary mentioned about Carlos downing tools in his second year and about people talking in his ear. To that I have three comments…
“In terms of the people he claimed were talking in his ear – who and what was said? Unless you were hacking him or taping him he couldn’t have known what they were saying.
“When Gary compared years one and two, he could not have known too much – he played once, not four times, he was mostly on the treatment table.”
The super-agent, who also represents world renowned stars Philippe Coutinho and Willian, even suggested Neville’s comments about Tevez’s conduct suggested that legendary boss Sir Alex Ferguson had lost control at the club.
“Fergie was one of greatest managers, [I have] nothing but respect for him,” Joorabchian added.
“I learnt he had his finger on the pulse all the time, he was a strong coach, knew what players doing on and off training, at home, on weekday…
“Gary making those comments of [Tevez’s] second year, he is questioning whether Fergie had his finger to the pulse.
“Sir Alex would not have picked someone 51 times if they were downing tools or being unprofessional, unless Gary thinks Sir Alex took his eye off the ball.”
Neville conceded that while his initial observation regarding Tevez’s work ethic was perhaps slightly harsh, he reiterated his view that the forward was not the same player during the latter stages of his United career.
Neville responded: “There is no doubt that Carlos in those last few months of the season became disinterested, distracted, he wasn’t the same around the training pitch.
“He went into more of a sulky mood because he was disappointed that the club weren’t signing him. He…”
Carragher then interrupted the conversation, as he came on to the big screen with a huge bag of Toffee popcorn.
Both Neville and Joorabchian saw the funny side to Carragher’s gag, with the former labelling the Liverpool favourite a ‘mad man’.
Neville added: “Kia, you’ll know Carlos was definitely not the same player over the last four months, five months of the season.
“And I saw Carlos in the last five months at the club, and I don’t need to do my research on this, I was watching the boy. And the thing about Carlos is: Carlos was a warrior on the football pitch, in the first 12 months at Man United I’ve never seen anything more brilliant than him with Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo.
“However, in the last four months the drop in his performances, maybe because he was not being taken on by the club, was alarming.
“These were the things that were in Carlos’ ear all the time, the club weren’t exercising his option, he wasn’t being picked in the team as much because he was substituted.
“Those appearances that you gave, a lot of them were substitute appearances, so he was definitely a different person in that last five months at the club.
“Now, what I would say is that ‘downed tools’ might be a little bit crass but Carlos was distracted, he was different, he certainly wasn’t anywhere near the level in that last four months at the club. You must accept that?”
Joorabchian, vehemently defending his client, responded: “When Fergie signed Berba [Dimitar Berbatov], Carlos was put to one side.
“But as season grew, Carlos was more and more involved… I don’t think Carlos was distracted.
“When he scored that goal, ran over to touchline and put his hands to his ears, he was very focused.
“More than anything he was trying to prove to Sir Alex he made a mistake not signing him.
“When Fergie didn’t sign him [being benched for the Champions League final] that was the moment that broke Carlos.
“It’s not fair to say that the entire second season he downed tools. Carlos had massive fights with doctors because he refused treatment… he hated the treatment table.”
