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Mario Balotelli: Risk or Reward?

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Balotelli will bring his own particular brand of... eccentric to Anfield

Balotelli will bring his own particular brand of… eccentric to Anfield

Mario Balotelli is one of the most notorious footballers in the current game. His off the pitch misdemeanors and footballing antics have garnered a loose cannon reputation amongst football fans around the globe. The stories surrounding him, whether truth or pure invention, are as ridiculous as they are unpredictable. In the wake of Suarez’s exit, is buying a player with such a history a risk worth taking, or a mistake?

At 24, Mario Balotelli is certainly a recognised and precocious talent. During the past season, he averaged 1 goal for every 1.4 appearances, which is a goal-scoring record that speaks for himself. He is undoubtedly a handful for defenders, as seen on the domestic and international stage, which would leave room, and freedom for the rest of our team, especially the likes of Sturridge, Sterling, and Coutinho, to play the quick brand of football they patron. His height and strength is yet another string in his bow, and would compliment our shorter attacking line greatly, granting an option otherwise not provided with Sturridge up-front alone.

But with all this talent in mind, why are AC Milan so quick to off-load a striker in the prime of his career? Considering the amount paid for the likes of Luis Suarez and Fernando Torres, £16 million seems like a steal for a player of proven Premier League, International and Champions League quality. Many stories have plagued his career, and let’s be honest, we have all heard enough of them to wonder whether he is completely bonkers. What was it Oscar Levant once said? Oh yeah, “There is a fine line between genius and insanity,’’ and from what I have read and seen, Mario certainly patrols this line with questionable authority.

Looking at a few of the stories that have plagued his career, should we be worried?

There are the good ones: he paid for an entire petrol station forecourt worth of cars petrol bill? tab? (i’m not sure what the technical word is for the petrol meter reading to be honest!), helped a kid being bullied at school by turning up to his playground, and gave a homeless man £1,000.

There are the bad ones: setting his house on fire just 36 hours before the Manchester derby when, surprisingly, the impromptu firework display he housed in his bathroom went awry (I mean, got to give the guy some credit here, he did at least use the room that is made for water, it’s just a shame there was so much damage that a hotel stay was required until repairs were completed), fighting with his managers (Roberto Mancini), being arrested for taking a leisurely stroll through a female Milanese prison, where he just fancied ‘’having a look’’.

If anyone can, Brendan Rodgers can get the best out of Balotelli

If anyone can, Brendan Rodgers can get the best out of Balotelli

And then there are the plain, out-right bonkers ones: crashing his Audi just two weeks after arriving in Manchester, and when asked why he had £5,000 just chilling in his back pocket he replied with the most honest answer ‘’because i’m rich’’. He left a match half way at half time randomly because he was allergic to the grass (you’d think he’d know/have sorted something out by now, right? Well, I suppose the long-jumper Jade Jones never learnt, being allergic to sand and all) Throwing darts at the young trainee’s windows resulting in a fine of a week’s wages – a mere £100,000 – is apparently an afternoon activity for Mario, as is learning magic; the Italian rocked up at the Trafford Centre and asked a magician who was showing shoppers some tricks to teach him magic, and after a refusal, a trip home, and the decision that that answer wasn’t good enough, he turned round and picked the fella up, took him home for some dinner, and the two did tricks together long into the night.

Do you remember that random time he just bent down and pulled Edin Dzeko’s legs out from under him, for no apparent reason other than banter? Or when he gave another one of those brutally honest answers that not only took the TV reporter by surprise, but was also not allowed – when asked whether he was happy with his performance, he exclaimed ‘’My whole season was shit.’’My personal favourite story surrounds his Mum and the cleaning lady. When Mario’s mother enquired about the cleaning products and equipment that his son’s cleaner required, she promptly sent her son off, shopping list in hand, to the local John Lewis. Not long after, he returned home, a van in tow, complete with an alleged haul containing, but not limited to, a trampoline, 2 vespa scooters, and of course….absolutely no cleaning products whatsoever.

His antics are not the only thing that keeps Balotelli in the spotlight. He is also known for his unusually sartorial choices and relationships. There was the incident with the bib, that time he wore a five-fingered hat like it was the coolest accessory to his tracksuit, and of course, the infamous why always me? under top. His hair styles would rival Mamadou Sakho, Djibril Cisse, and David Beckham, for the title of bizarre and/or changing style.

However, for all of Balotelli's talent, he has often underwhelmed on the field

However, for all of Balotelli’s talent, he has often underwhelmed on the field

As much as I hope that these are facts, rather than fiction, I am presuming many are made-up. Noel Gallagher, following an interview with the striker, declared that ‘’unfortunately 90% of them are bullshit’, but there is a grain of truth in them all,’’ going someway to confirming this assumption. Either way, they have propelled him to legendary status, and were the inspiration behind the following chant, ‘’Oh Balotelli, he’s a striker, he’s good at darts. An allergy to grass but when he plays he’s fuckin’ class; he drives around in Moss Side with a wallet full of cash.’’ As far as chants go, it’s quite a good one; I can almost hear a Kop version now!

Despite all the problems with Suarez, Brendan Rodgers seemed to gain control over his bizarre actions. Well, until the Chiellini incident, but Rodgers wasn’t in charge of him in Brazil. Will he be able to tame the proverbial beast, and prevent his wacky blunders affecting his game, or will the Suarez saga just repeat itself? I guess, should he arrive at Melwood, it will be the biggest test so far for Brendan’s managing prowess.

He is certainly an entertaining guy. Flamboyant, yes; talented, undoubtedly, worth it? Well that is the question on everyone’s lips. Part of me would love to see him pull on the Liverpool shirt, and see the complete nonchalance he displays in the wake of a Stretford end winner against Man U, but some of me is very hesitant to associate our club, still repairing the damage of Luis Suarez’s racial and mastication issues. Only time will tell whether we land him, whether he fits in, whether it is the right decision to sign him, or let him on his way, but one thing is for sure, he is the most realistic target for Liverpool and their light strike-force.

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3 comments

  • Erin says:

    A genious signing. As it stands , we can’t bring a class striker. Cavani, falcao are pipe dreams and top 4 with one striker and compete in the CL is not going to happen.
    If it doesn’t come off, 16 million, we still get back anyway. If the guy adapts, changes attitude, we have a potential world beater at best, at worst a very good proven striker .

  • Diego 'Digger' Souness says:

    The game needs a character and Mario is it. All the boring footballers like Owen, Shearer, Neville and Scholes just bore me to tears.

  • Diego 'Digger' Souness says:

    Embrace Mario & enjoy him. Come on you Reds.

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