Tevez - striker? Hero to Zero.

Worn down by living in Manchester (albeit at £200k per week), unable to get the 'agitated for move' and now rendered surplus to requirements by countryman, Sergio Aguero, and fellow striker Edin Dzeko, Carlos Tevez cracked. He 'allegedly' refused to play for MCFC and admittedly 'refused to continue to warm up' as he admitted at the club's internal tribunal recently. City fans have reacted with outrage and moral indignation. Hardly surprising when one considers that some may have spent about £1000 travelling to Bayern Munich for the Champions League tie in question.
Manager Roberto Mancini swiftly vowed that Tevez would never appear in City colours again. Understandable sentiments perhaps, but a position which presents the club with some troublesome issues. It is not 100% certain that City could summarily dismiss Tevez for his act of disobedience. Some, perhaps surprisingly, argue that, though serious, his behaviour does not amount to gross misconduct. The facts of the matter are already proving difficult to establish. However failing to do your best for your club might justify summary dismissal and, assuming they could dismiss Tevez, City would then have the not inconsiderable problem of trying to recoup his transfer value from the player. Some years ago Chelsea achieved judgement against Adrianu Mutu, but never recouped the money from the player in an analogous situation, after he was sacked for using cocaine.
The options for City notwithstanding their immense wealth are not attractive. Simply fining Tevez would be meaningless. Standard maximum fines of 2 weeks wages would be a drop in the ocean to the player. In exceptional circumstances, fines representing much longer periods have occasionally been allowed as in the case of the sanction handed out to Lee Bowyer by Leeds Utd after his conviction for a racially aggravated affray. The sums nonetheless represent no kind of sanction at all to a Tevez. City must ensure that any penalties are just and proportionate and follow a fair and unbiased hearing and potentially appeal process.
City could let Tevez rot in the reserves. There are a number of unwanted side effects. The player's transfer value declines rapidly in a situation where the selling club cannot wait to be rid of the player. In addition Tevez could invoke Article 15 of Fifa's Regulations for the Status and Transfer of Players. Tevez would become 'an established professional' who had appeared in less than 10% of the club's competitive games during the season. At that point Tevez might be able to legitimately terminate his contract for 'sporting just cause'. 
Keeping a dissident player within the ranks however is surely not an option. City will be looking for a face saving deal in the January transfer window. It should be remembered however that nobody expressed any concrete interest in the player this Summer just past, leaving Tevez and City wedded together in a loveless marriage.