Super Mario Balotelli's

[military-mind]

cartoon capers worth hassle for Manchester City

There was a time when it would have been a badge of shame for Italian football to let their best young striker be sent to a finishing school in England. But then the Italian game never has known quite how to cope with the explosive cultural, political and sporting phenomenon that is Mario Balotelli.

So now it appears after being worn down by the years of controversy, they are perfectly content to pass on their problem child to another league where, if you believed in all the advance hot-headed notices, the Premier League can soon enjoy the cartoon sights of ‘Super Mario’ fighting with his team-mates, descending into petulance and simulation, disrespecting the shirt, shirking training and generally being a pain in the neck and impossible to handle.

The popular belief is that not even Jose Mourinho’s magic touch was able to tame Balotelli. Indeed, as a last resort to try to get him onside, the Portuguese tried an exasperated public rant at Inter, protesting: “Nothing has changed. Neither the way Balotelli works nor his attitude. His effort in training is 25 per cent; if it was at 50 per cent he would be one of the best players in the world.

“I don’t like the atmosphere he is bringing to the team and the way he works during the week. It’s not the right attitude for a young player. He lacks concentration and motivation. He must change.”

Yet here is the thing. Just like Roberto Mancini before him, Mourinho never gave up on Balotelli. He kept trying (and half-succeeding), right to the end of his reign, to discipline, cajole and encourage him. Why? Because both coaches worked closely enough with him to catch a glimpse in embryonic form of one of the best footballers in the world.

Balotelli does not have an attitude problem, reckons Mancini. He has a youth problem. He does not even emerge from his teens until next month.

“When you are young, you make mistakes. That is true of all of us. I do not think Mario is a hard player to work with. I think he is a fantastic player,” he says. “And why do you think he is talked about so much? Because it’s hard not to talk about a great player.”

That is why Mancini wants him. Yes, he may bring baggage. Yes, he can be an awkward so-and-so. And, no, he has only shown his true ability at Inter in fits and starts. But, heck, what a player!

Watching him dazzle for Inter in their title-clinching game at Siena last season was to be swept up by his thrilling talent; great movement, power on the break and strength at holding up the ball, the mind particularly still pictures a glorious acrobatic volley which smashed against the bar.

This was a huge game and he seemed energised by the responsibility of being given a start by Mourinho. And for those who lambast him as being selfish, he resembled the perfect team player too.

That is why his record for ‘assists’ is as impressive as his goalscoring, even though he netted at a rate of more than a goal every two games last season.

How he could not have made the cut for Italy’s grey, decrepit World Cup squad is a scandal, really. Marcello Lippi did not trust in him and so the Azzurri’s tepid downfall serves him right. Maybe that has been Italy’s problem from the start with Balotelli; the country has, as yet, not learned to trust someone whose like they’d never seen before.

For Balotelli has been, if anything, too different for them. Maybe Italy would have liked their first homegrown black superstar footballer to be a model of restraint and dignity in the face of being one of the most racially abused footballers in Europe.

But ‘Super Mario’ would not play the stoic victim; he hit back at the racists, then fed their poisonous barbs by some of his undeniably childish and ill-advised actions, like chucking down his Inter shirt in disgust when taunted by fans and wearing the colours of AC Milan on a television show.

But then for more than three years in Italy, the kid has found himself the subject of a national debate which stretches far beyond football, and Mancini himself has had sympathy with how difficult life must have been for a boy expected to be a smiling role model in the teeth of thousands screaming “Balotelli must die” at him.

So why wouldn’t a new start in England feel like a release? Here, even if justifying a huge price tag at Manchester City will bring its own pressure, Balotelli will begin not as a national cause celebre or an abused hate figure but as just another young black footballer.

And if he proves as good as his talent demands, what price England falling for him before Italy does?

How Italy’s wild child winds up friend and foe

» Jan 2010 Fined £7,000 by Italian league for offering sarcastic applause at Chievo fans’ racial abuse.

» March Wears AC Milan shirt on a television show. Makes public apology to manager Jose Mourinho

» April Apologises again after offensive gesture to fans after victory over Barcelona at San Siro and flare-up with team-mate Marco Materazzi in the tunnel

» May Agent claims that wheel nuts on Balotelli’s car were deliberately loosened

» May Claims Francesco Totti racially abused him in Coppa Italia final. Totti, sent off for kicking Balotelli, denies it and says Balotelli taunted him with: “Yo, granddad! You are finished!”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... -City.html

[*Nobleman*]

These Arabs are gone nuts, they may as well sign me for 30 million lol.

25 million for a talented, unproven youngster, with an attitude problem

Man city are crazy, buying a squad of midfeilders and still not signing a quality attacking central midefeilder. The got about 6 holding/central players in de jong, kompany, barry, viera, yaya toure and Ibrahim. Miracle if that somali kid comes through.

[Paddington Bear]

How are they going to fit all these players in? The new rule allows teams to only register 25 players next season. City are hitting forty already.

[Paddington Bear]

These Arabs are gone nuts, they may as well sign me for 30 million lol.

25 million for a talented, unproven youngster, with an attitude problem

Man city are crazy, buying a squad of midfeilders and still not signing a quality attacking central midefeilder. The got about 6 holding/central players in de jong, kompany, barry, viera, yaya toure and Ibrahim. Miracle if that somali kid comes through.

Typical Man U fan. Did you forget that they bought WORLD CHAMPION David Silva?
City have a very solid team this time around.

[military-mind]

Man city got shitty defence

[S_lander-boy]

These Arabs are gone nuts, they may as well sign me for 30 million lol. [youtube][/youtube]

25 million for a talented, unproven youngster, with an attitude problem

Man city are crazy, buying a squad of midfeilders and still not signing a quality attacking central midefeilder. The got about 6 holding/central players in de jong, kompany, barry, viera, yaya toure and Ibrahim. Miracle if that somali kid comes through.

Mario Balloteli it is treu he has an attitude problem but he is world class and he is only 19 check this free kick its even better then c.ronaldo

[youtube]48fwnPDdPnw&feature=related[/youtube]


A team like inter milan with all the world class free kick takers they have Sneider cambisso eto etc Super mario steps up and scorers a stunner of a goal it was Mancince who signed mario balloteli to play for inter he is the right man to mentor him and sort him out just like wenger sort Viera out. its shame he doesn't play for Ghana though !

[Shirib]

Man, I really hope Moratti holds on to him. This guy is the future of Inter

[yunis09]

Man city got shitty defence

not anymore with the singings like these, (Aleksandar Kolarov, Yaya Toure and Jerome Boateng) their defence looks pretty decent plus with silva tevez and torres should make heavy weight for the title this year round

[*Nobleman*]

These Arabs are gone nuts, they may as well sign me for 30 million lol.

25 million for a talented, unproven youngster, with an attitude problem

Man city are crazy, buying a squad of midfeilders and still not signing a quality attacking central midefeilder. The got about 6 holding/central players in de jong, kompany, barry, viera, yaya toure and Ibrahim. Miracle if that somali kid comes through.

Typical Man U fan. Did you forget that they bought WORLD CHAMPION David Silva?
City have a very solid team this time around.

Come on PB even a bitter lpool fan with europa league football to look forward to, would not make a comparision between united and city. Chelsea and city maybe, but def not united. Uniteds most successful players either came through the youth ranks like the class of 96 or were modest signings such as ronaldo. United rarley went on spree of signing 10 players in the same position like city or chelsea did.

Silva is hardly a world champ, playing 5 minutes of each game at best. Plus the disgrace of del bosque tryna bring him on as a sub at the 93rd min lol, jheez even Navas had more minutes and influence. Silva is a winger and will probably get outmuscled if he ever played in the center of midfeild, hence city are still lacking a player maker.

[*Nobleman*]

These Arabs are gone nuts, they may as well sign me for 30 million lol. [youtube][/youtube]

25 million for a talented, unproven youngster, with an attitude problem

Man city are crazy, buying a squad of midfeilders and still not signing a quality attacking central midefeilder. The got about 6 holding/central players in de jong, kompany, barry, viera, yaya toure and Ibrahim. Miracle if that somali kid comes through.

Mario Balloteli it is treu he has an attitude problem but he is world class and he is only 19 check this free kick its even better then c.ronaldo

[youtube]48fwnPDdPnw&feature=related[/youtube]


A team like inter milan with all the world class free kick takers they have Sneider cambisso eto etc Super mario steps up and scorers a stunner of a goal it was Mancince who signed mario balloteli to play for inter he is the right man to mentor him and sort him out just like wenger sort Viera out. its shame he doesn't play for Ghana though !

Easy bro this kid is far from world class. World class = xavi, inesita, ronaldo, messi, rooney etc, not the like of balotelli

[S_lander-boy]

These Arabs are gone nuts, they may as well sign me for 30 million lol. [youtube][/youtube]

25 million for a talented, unproven youngster, with an attitude problem

Man city are crazy, buying a squad of midfeilders and still not signing a quality attacking central midefeilder. The got about 6 holding/central players in de jong, kompany, barry, viera, yaya toure and Ibrahim. Miracle if that somali kid comes through.

Mario Balloteli it is treu he has an attitude problem but he is world class and he is only 19 check this free kick its even better then c.ronaldo

[youtube]48fwnPDdPnw&feature=related[/youtube]


A team like inter milan with all the world class free kick takers they have Sneider cambisso eto etc Super mario steps up and scorers a stunner of a goal it was Mancince who signed mario balloteli to play for inter he is the right man to mentor him and sort him out just like wenger sort Viera out. its shame he doesn't play for Ghana though !

Easy bro this kid is far from world class. World class = xavi, inesita, ronaldo, messi, rooney etc, not the like of balotelli

These players you mentioned are consistent players who play regular football for their respective clubs and countries , this kid is not regular for Inter milian and has already scored against big teams he is talented player , balollteli is own worst enemy he is hot head with attitude problems rooney was similar to him the only difference was rooney was regular for his club and country but with eto and milito in the team its no suprise he is not regular he needs more game time he will be star in the future that am sure of manchine is the right man to sort this kid out.


So who is gonna be the king of Manchester coming season city or united?

[yunis09]

These Arabs are gone nuts, they may as well sign me for 30 million lol.

25 million for a talented, unproven youngster, with an attitude problem

Man city are crazy, buying a squad of midfeilders and still not signing a quality attacking central midefeilder. The got about 6 holding/central players in de jong, kompany, barry, viera, yaya toure and Ibrahim. Miracle if that somali kid comes through.

Typical Man U fan. Did you forget that they bought WORLD CHAMPION David Silva?
City have a very solid team this time around.

Come on PB even a bitter lpool fan with europa league football to look forward to, would not make a comparision between united and city. Chelsea and city maybe, but def not united. Uniteds most successful players either came through the youth ranks like the class of 96 or were modest signings such as ronaldo.

some of the most successful players were either british or world record sings....
October 1981 Bryan Robson West Bromwich Albion £1,500,000 BR
June 1988 Mark Hughes Barcelona £1,800,000 BR
August 1989 Gary Pallister Middlesbrough £2,300,000
September 1989 Paul Ince West Ham United £2,400,000
July 1993 Roy Keane Nottingham Forest £3,750,000
January 1995 Andy Cole Newcastle United £7,000,000 BR
July 1998 Jaap Stam PSV Eindhoven £10,750,000
August 1998 Dwight Yorke Aston Villa £12,600,000
June 2001 Ruud van Nistelrooy PSV Eindhoven £19,000,000 BR
July 2001 Juan Sebastián Verón Lazio £28,100,000 BR
July 2002 Rio Ferdinand Leeds United £29,100,000 BR
September 2008 Dimitar Berbatov Tottenham Hotspur £30,750,000 BR

[1-Londoner]

^
Lol

[*Nobleman*]

some of the most successful players were either british or world record sings....
October 1981 Bryan Robson West Bromwich Albion £1,500,000 BR
June 1988 Mark Hughes Barcelona £1,800,000 BR
August 1989 Gary Pallister Middlesbrough £2,300,000
September 1989 Paul Ince West Ham United £2,400,000
July 1993 Roy Keane Nottingham Forest £3,750,000
January 1995 Andy Cole Newcastle United £7,000,000 BR
July 1998 Jaap Stam PSV Eindhoven £10,750,000
August 1998 Dwight Yorke Aston Villa £12,600,000
June 2001 Ruud van Nistelrooy PSV Eindhoven £19,000,000 BR
July 2001 Juan Sebastián Verón Lazio £28,100,000 BR
July 2002 Rio Ferdinand Leeds United £29,100,000 BR
September 2008 Dimitar Berbatov Tottenham Hotspur £30,750,000 BR

Berba and veron are hardly considered successful signings.

Giggs
Beckham
Neville
P.neville
Butt
Scholes
Wes brown
solskjear
Law
Charlton
Best
Ronaldo
Vidic
Evra
Cantona


All developed through uniteds youth system or considered modest signings at modest sums. Now tell me what other clubs have bought through that amount of talent, that went onto winning league titles etc. My argument still stands Man utds most influential players were all either players bought through the youth ranks or modest signings.

[*Nobleman*]

^
Lol

I tell you what really is Lol, the fact the arsenal player for player have a weaker squad than last season. To get rid of eduardo for chamak and Gallas for some unknown belgian/austrian or something defender is a joke. Walahi the insults and banter with arsenal fans is not even funny anymore, they use to be a rivalry before, but know its a case of feeling sorry for them