Manchester City’s new signing, who said he ‘gave his life for the United shirt‘, claimed he was leaving for football reasons. The fact that City are prepared to pay £150,000-a-week for a player who was on £90,000-a-week at United did not factor in to Tevez’s decision, he claims. It wasn’t a move about money rather a move for football. He didn’t play enough for United last season so was going to play for a club who would play him as much as he felt he deserved to be played.

Last season, Manchester City played a total of 56 matches in all competitions. 16 of those matches were in the UEFA Cup. Take those matches away and City played a total of 40 matches in all competitions.

This season, City are not in the UEFA Cup, but they will enter the League Cup in the second round (as they did last season where they were knocked out by League One Brighton) and the FA Cup in the third round. If City reach the League Cup final they will play seven games in that competition and if they reach the FA Cup final they will play a further six games. In total, the maximum number of games City can play in is 51.

Given that Manchester City haven’t reached a cup final since 1981, chances of Tevez playing in 51 games for City this season are slim to none.

But how many games did unhappy and disrespected Carlos Tevez play in last season?

Premiership minutes: 1667
Champions League minutes: 436
FA Cup minutes: 300
League Cup minutes: 509
Total minutes: 2912
Total appearances: 51

Tevez played in the equivalent of 32.4 matches for the full 90 minutes, 36.4 matches fo 80 minutes, or 41.6 matches for 70 minutes.

If Manchester City reach the finals of the FA and League Cups, Tevez still will not be able to play in more games for them next season than he did for us last.

To get a better grasp of just how much football Tevez will play in next season, let’s compare this with City’s star man, Robinho.
Premiership minutes: 2454
Champions League minutes: 0
FA Cup minutes: 0
League Cup minutes: 0
Total appearances: 30

Robinho played the equivalent of 27.3 matches for the full 90 minutes. You will have noticed I referred to Champions League minutes and haven’t included the appearances he made in the UEFA Cup. Firstly, this is to highlight Tevez’s step down from Champions League football, but also to recognise how few games are on offer without any European football, which will be City’s situation next season. Some may argue that Robinho would have played in more domestic cup games had he not been rested for Europe.

Total possible FA Cup minutes: 90
Total possible League Cup minutes: 120

So had Robinho featured in all City’s FA and League Cup games, he still would have played 248 fewer minutes than Tevez did for United last season.

Tevez tried to make out he wasn’t all about the money and maybe lots of people bought it. Maybe City fans genuinely think they’ve got this hard-worker who just loves the game in the team, who left United simply because he loves playing so much. However, in reality, he will play less football at City next season than he did at United during a season he felt so ‘disrespected’ and went there just for the money.

The man City fans will be singing for next season was grabbing our badge last season, and still talks of his love for United fans… but will be more than happy to keep picking up his pay cheque from Wastelands!

[edit] It really is a shame City fans can’t get involved in sensible football discussion without talking about Munich. Your comments will continue to be deleted[/edit]