CAN MARIO BE SUPER?

                                

The stage was set for Mario Balotelli to give a big performance for his team in the Manchester derby. That didn’t happen as Mario offered nothing in attack and walked straight down the tunnel immediately he was substituted. This is the kind of attitude we are accustomed to getting from the young Italian striker.

Balotelli began his football career with Lumezanne and his talent quickly attracted one of the biggest teams in Italian football Inter Milan. He moved on loan to Inter in 2006 and his performances earned him a permanent moved in 2007. 

                                        

He was given chances to shine in the first team by then Inter boss Roberto Mancini, who is a huge admirer of the striker. He impressed in his first season and claimed his first league title. He gained national attention for his two goals against Juventus in the Italian Super Cup Quarter-Finals in 2007, as his goals were instrumental to Inter’s progress to the semi-finals.  In November 2008, he became Inter’s youngest ever goal scorer in the champions league at 18years 85days when he scored against Cypriot side Anothorsis Famagusta.

 In March 2010, While at Inter he received outrage from the fans and club hierarchy for making a TV appearance wearing the jersey of city rivals AC Milan. He also had a falling out with Inter coach Jose Mourinho that led many to question his commitment to the club.  Mourinho proceeded to label him “unmanageable”. After three Italian titles and one Champions League title he moved from Inter to Manchester City in 2010 in a deal reportedly worth 22million Euros to be reunited with former manager and mentor Roberto Mancini.

                                  

He made his debut for the Italian national team on 10 August  2010 in a friendly against Cote D’Ivoire. He was part of the Italy squad that reached the Finals of Euro 2012 making him the first black player to represent Italy in a major tournament. He scored three goals in the tournament and the high point for him was his two goals in the semi finals against Germany.

Balotelli possesses speed, strength, agility, confidence, good technical ability  and an eye for goal, all attributes of great strikers. He has bundles of talent but his erratic behaviour and disciplinary problems have refused to go away. In June 2010 Balotelli and a group of friends fired air pistols in the open in Milan’s Piazza della Repubblica. In 2010 he was also photographed in the company of two noted mafia Mobsters. He has admitted that he “sometimes does strange things”

In September 2011 Mario was reportedly seen using his IPad while on the substitute bench for the game between Italy and the Faroe Islands. In December 2011, he broke Man City’s 48hour curfew before the game against Chelsea to go to a Curry House. Although he wasn’t drinking, he signed autographs and posed for pictures. 

                                     

In March 2012, Balotelli made an unexpected appearance at the first press conference of new Inter coach Andrea Stramaccioni. He walked nonchalantly into the press room then proceeded to shake Stramaccioni and other at the podium before leaving the press room amidst laughter from the audience.

In April 2012, after his dismissal in a league games against Arsenal, Mancini said of Balotelli “I have finished my words for him, I have finished. He is not a bad guy and a fantastic player but I am very sorry for him as he continues to lose his talent and his quality.”  On Wednesday, the FA tribunal will decide on the case between balotelli and City. The 22 year old dragged his Club to the tribunal for their decision to fine him 2 weeks of wages. Mario is constantly on the radar of the media because of his rash actions and arrogance. It seems that the Man City hierarchy have had enough of him and rumours abound that he may be sold in the summer or loaned in the January transfer window.

For Balotelli to be able to live up to his ‘Super Mario’ tag, he has to find a balance. He has to find a method of curbing his many on field and off field craziness and focus entirely on football.  The way the likes of Eric Cantona and Roy Keane were able balance their careers amidst anger management issues.

 If Mario wants history to remember him as an Italian football great like Paolo Maldini, Dino Zoff, Del Piero and Totti, then he should heed the advice of his national team coach Cesare Prandelli who said that Balotelli needs to listen more to his coaches.