Iron Man Roberto Mancini

After reading and listening to Roberto Mancini today at his press conference, I'm left wondering if he's serious about holding out an olive branch to Carlos Tevez. 

Let's not forget that Mancini is a man that's known to hold grudges with players; we've already witnessed the likes of Adebayor and Nedum Onuoha who have been frozen out at City, because he doesn't want what he considers trouble causes around his title chasers, because he considers them to cause harm throughout the club.

Mancini, throughout his career, even as a player, has always been a man who isn't afraid to speak out against anything, or anyone, who he feels isn't pulling in the direction he is, and he's even been known to have fights with players who he thinks isn't showing the same passion and commitment as himself. So what does this perceved backdown mean, from the man who's poker-face and honesty has earnt him his reputation?

After Tevezgate, straight after the Bayern Munich game, Mancini said Carlos Tevez wouldn't ever play for Manchester City again, and after his past reputation nobody would argue against Mancini keeping to his word. Since Tevezgate, Roberto has told anyone who repeatedly asks the same questions, that Tevez won't play for the club again, but during his press conference today, the journalists began with their normal questions before asking the inevitable one about Carlos Tevez's future at City.

You could have heard a pin drop when Mancini told the press pack that if Tevez comes back, and he's fit enough after three months away, then maybe he has a playing future for City this season.

So what's the change of heart from a man who has never backed down throughout his life? This got me thinking, and I can only come up with a couple of reasons why I think he has: he's looking after the clubs legal interest, because if Mancini kept to his word and kept saying Tevez wouldn't ever play for us again, then Tevez would have an easier chance of winning his court battle (which would not only hurt us, the City fans, and even football fans in general Who want Tevez off these shores, but it would hurt Mancini because of his reputation for Tevez to came out of this sorry story with anything other than what he deserves - which is absolutely nothing).

But then it could be something much more simple than that. Mancini knows we need a player who has always given 100% for the club (prior to Bayern Munich), and if there was ever a player to come in, to maybe push the title chasers over the Premier League winners line, then it's a little Argentinian called Carlos Tevez, whose quality is for all to see when he's on the football pitch.

But what would the City players think if wantaway Tevez came back into the fold, knowing the potential damage he could do to our chances of winning the Premier League title, by causing friction nd maybe getting his own revenge by denying Mancini his Premier League crown?

Either way I'm sure there's more to come from all of this, but it does leave me wondering why Mancini has had this turnaround after being adamant, Carlos Tevez wouldn't ever play for Manchester City again.