Tevez orders three players back to school after failing simple maths question
Carlos Tevez has sent his Independiente players back to school after discovering that some of them couldn't answer simple maths questions.
Tevez, 39, who has seen his team storm clear of the relegation zone in his first few weeks as coach of the Argentine club, was shocked when he asked his squad to add two plus two as part of a training ground exercise to discover how they coped under pressure.
Three of his young players failed to give the correct answer - promoting the former West Ham, Manchester United and Manchester City striker to tell club bosses that they had a duty of care to ensure their footballers have a basic education.
Independiente responded by arranging classes, with players expected to attend for two hours every day after training until they achieve a certain academic standard in reading, writing and arithmetic. Tevez grew up in Fuerte Apache, one of the poorest barrios in the capital city of Buenos Aires.
It has been estimated that up to 50 percent of the population of Argentina live in poverty - and Tevez explained that players had to learn to read contracts if they were to avoid being ripped off by unscrupulous clubs and agents.
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Tevez explained: “We do speed exercises in training that have a neuroscience element to them. When a player is physically drained, I ask him to solve a problem.
“I did an experiment by asking our players to solve simple addition and subtraction problems under physical stress.
“At the end of one intensive exercise, I asked them to tell me the answer to two plus two - and three of the kids didn’t know how to add or subtract. These are players from the first division!
“This is the definition of poverty. We can give people food and material help, but it is only through study that you can truly emerge from poverty.
“To live with dignity it is essential to study, know how to read and know what paperwork you are signing. This is the only way for these kids to defend themselves.
“We have now put together a project with the club to give them a teacher and the working space to do two hours of study after training so that they can fill the gaps in their education.
“If you don’t know what you are signing when a contract is placed in front of you, it is very difficult to save yourself and your family.”
Tevez escaped his own humble roots to become one of the world’s finest players during a 20-year career that started and ended with Boca Juniors.
He spent eight years in the Premier League after West Ham signed him from Brazilian club Corinthians in 2007.
Tevez recently revealed that he refused to learn English in protest after his uncle was plunged into depression and alcoholism after fighting in the Falklands War.
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He had a brief spell in charge of Rosario Central last year before answering an SOS from Independiente last month after they had slipped into the relegation zone.
Four wins and three draws in eight games now sees them challenging at the top of the table.
Players are censured if they fail to attend classes as agreed.
Tevez said: “I remember what it means to be born and grow up in absolute poverty.
“I saw my parents get up at 6am for work and return home at 7pm with their clothes torn and dirty.
“They broke their backs to bring home a little money and put a plate of food on the table, so I understand the value of sacrifice and work.
“I also know how important it is to be able to express yourself and to know how to read so that you don’t live in ignorance.”
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