Balotelli is not any type of football player

[johnny crossan]

Mario not happy with "Papa" Mancini after he is left on the bench

[Slim]

I think Kun may bring out the best in him. He will no longer be the 'top dog', and he will have to get used to the role of playing second fiddle.
It just may be that he steps up to the plate, if he has it in him. Certainly, when Kun came on, the whole team got a lift, is it too much to expect that Ballo does the same. It would look very silly to see him falling about all over the place, whilst Kun is doing his magic. Come on Ballo, time to show us what you are really made of.

He was never the top dog except in his own head, I doubt Kun's arrival will have changed that.

[Avalon]

I also hope that the signing, as well as impressive debut of Aguero will make Balo hungry, to perform that is, not food.
I think Mancini did correct by not playing Balo and making a statement, indicating he needs to step up his game.

Balo has talent, undeniably so. What he needs to do is put his head down and show he can do it. He has a great crowd that will support him, he has a great song to himself already. He just needs to put his feet back into his shoes and start working. He's a great lad, but with some personality issues. Work those out and he could become a great striker for us. He's fast, he's strong, he's technical and has some height.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Maybe? I think he is far from a genius but could be persuaded otherwise if those who think he a genius could remind me of all the amazing ,staggerring genius type things he has done in the games he has played for us.There must be loads where he has scored match winning goals or set up great chances with great skill but they seem to have slipped my mind for a moment.

As for sitting in the dressing room ,he will have to get used to that a little as he currently seems to be 4th choice striker.(I think maybe he wasn't used at all last night partly because his knee isnt perfect) We have plenty of matches for him to get games in so I hope he will be out to prove himself and play great.

Honestly my friend, you know in what esteem I hold your views. I have no idea what you may have seen from Mario to have poisoned your views as they are (and such toxification clearly extends to your offspring also).....but I'd love to hear what you have seen (that we have not seen) which colours your views thus?

If you cannot see the latent talent I am staggered

If you have seen something which convinces you that that talent can never, or likely never, be usefully harnessed then you have not shared it with us.
u
If you've reached ur conclusion on the basis of what we have all seen....I'm shocked that you have been so hasty and I think you are dead wrong...I don't think that's ur style so you MUST have seen other things not reported.


I am genuinely curious

Sorry Ant I missed this post. You get me a little wrong here. I do recognise his talent.There is no doubt he is a quality player if we totally disregard some of the nonsense he displays on the field. What I was questioning was the word genius. I simply do not accept that he has done anything remotely close to genius and if he has I was inviting his "fans" to remind me of the games or even moments where he has displayed genius.Of course he has had some good games and really good moments but I just don't accept the genius description.

He scored 2 good goals against WBA last year and I recall a very good goal against Villa at home but nothing that comes close to genius.And as others have said on here he hasn't taken a game by the scruff of the neck and turned it around for us that I can recall.

I tend not to go OTT about players,performances which often is the norm for football fans and has blatantly been the case for Balotelli.His off the field antics are what has got him cult status which personally I think is quite sad.

[MaineRoadMemories]

I completely agree with Doug on the Balotelli discussion. I generally don't think anyone will see the best of him on the pitch until he's about 26/27 when he's matured as a person and player by which time he'll probably be long gone from City.

[The Foggy Blue]

Maybe? I think he is far from a genius but could be persuaded otherwise if those who think he a genius could remind me of all the amazing ,staggerring genius type things he has done in the games he has played for us.There must be loads where he has scored match winning goals or set up great chances with great skill but they seem to have slipped my mind for a moment.

As for sitting in the dressing room ,he will have to get used to that a little as he currently seems to be 4th choice striker.(I think maybe he wasn't used at all last night partly because his knee isnt perfect) We have plenty of matches for him to get games in so I hope he will be out to prove himself and play great.

Honestly my friend, you know in what esteem I hold your views. I have no idea what you may have seen from Mario to have poisoned your views as they are (and such toxification clearly extends to your offspring also).....but I'd love to hear what you have seen (that we have not seen) which colours your views thus?

If you cannot see the latent talent I am staggered

If you have seen something which convinces you that that talent can never, or likely never, be usefully harnessed then you have not shared it with us.
u
If you've reached ur conclusion on the basis of what we have all seen....I'm shocked that you have been so hasty and I think you are dead wrong...I don't think that's ur style so you MUST have seen other things not reported.


I am genuinely curious

Sorry Ant I missed this post. You get me a little wrong here. I do recognise his talent.There is no doubt he is a quality player if we totally disregard some of the nonsense he displays on the field. What I was questioning was the word genius. I simply do not accept that he has done anything remotely close to genius and if he has I was inviting his "fans" to remind me of the games or even moments where he has displayed genius.Of course he has had some good games and really good moments but I just don't accept the genius description.

He scored 2 good goals against WBA last year and I recall a very good goal against Villa at home but nothing that comes close to genius.And as others have said on here he hasn't taken a game by the scruff of the neck and turned it around for us that I can recall.

I tend not to go OTT about players,performances which often is the norm for football fans and has blatantly been the case for Balotelli.His off the field antics are what has got him cult status which personally I think is quite sad.

I like Mario but I'm not calling him a genius, the ones that are, are as off the point as the ones who call him a cunt (or 'not any type of football player'). I don't think it's sad to enjoy him though - is there anyone else half as entertaining? Life (and especially football) shouldn't be boring.

[ant london]

That pretty much sums up my views on him. I don't think I have ever called him a genius and if I did then I was going overboard. What I have said is that it is (to me) clear as day that he is hugely talented. Yes he needs to deliver consistently, yes he needs to cut out some of his histrionics BUT he is a big talent.

And he is very entertaining and seems genuinely likeable and well liked by the squad. My fervent support of him is as much a reaction against some of the ridiculous slating he gets from some as genuine support for the lad.

He'll come good, mark my words

[Ted Hughes]

That pretty much sums up my views on him. I don't think I have ever called him a genius and if I did then I was going overboard. What I have said is that it is (to me) clear as day that he is hugely talented. Yes he needs to deliver consistently, yes he needs to cut out some of his histrionics BUT he is a big talent.

And he is very entertaining and seems genuinely likeable and well liked by the squad. My fervent support of him is as much a reaction against some of the ridiculous slating he gets from some as genuine support for the lad.

He'll come good, mark my words

The problem as I see it is whether Mancini's plans were to treat Balotelli as a promising kid & give him years to achieve greatness or whether his 'settling in' period was last season & he expected to rely on him now. If he expected him to be an important member of the squad & reliable for for this season, then he'll have to produce the goods very quickly or Bob will see a weakness in the squad & replace him. I recon he'll have to look the part right now or Bob will get rid. I hope he does it because I can imagine him being absolutely fantastic if he wants to be. He just needs to follow Aguero as an example of how behave, rather than Tevez.

[Chinners]

Augero, based on the little I have seen and read about him the past 12 days could be the key for Mario .... behaviourwise they seem poles apart. Hopefullly one will inspire the other and not the other way round!

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Maybe? I think he is far from a genius but could be persuaded otherwise if those who think he a genius could remind me of all the amazing ,staggerring genius type things he has done in the games he has played for us.There must be loads where he has scored match winning goals or set up great chances with great skill but they seem to have slipped my mind for a moment.

As for sitting in the dressing room ,he will have to get used to that a little as he currently seems to be 4th choice striker.(I think maybe he wasn't used at all last night partly because his knee isnt perfect) We have plenty of matches for him to get games in so I hope he will be out to prove himself and play great.

Honestly my friend, you know in what esteem I hold your views. I have no idea what you may have seen from Mario to have poisoned your views as they are (and such toxification clearly extends to your offspring also).....but I'd love to hear what you have seen (that we have not seen) which colours your views thus?

If you cannot see the latent talent I am staggered

If you have seen something which convinces you that that talent can never, or likely never, be usefully harnessed then you have not shared it with us.
u
If you've reached ur conclusion on the basis of what we have all seen....I'm shocked that you have been so hasty and I think you are dead wrong...I don't think that's ur style so you MUST have seen other things not reported.


I am genuinely curious

Sorry Ant I missed this post. You get me a little wrong here. I do recognise his talent.There is no doubt he is a quality player if we totally disregard some of the nonsense he displays on the field. What I was questioning was the word genius. I simply do not accept that he has done anything remotely close to genius and if he has I was inviting his "fans" to remind me of the games or even moments where he has displayed genius.Of course he has had some good games and really good moments but I just don't accept the genius description.

He scored 2 good goals against WBA last year and I recall a very good goal against Villa at home but nothing that comes close to genius.And as others have said on here he hasn't taken a game by the scruff of the neck and turned it around for us that I can recall.

I tend not to go OTT about players,performances which often is the norm for football fans and has blatantly been the case for Balotelli.His off the field antics are what has got him cult status which personally I think is quite sad.

I like Mario but I'm not calling him a genius, the ones that are, are as off the point as the ones who call him a cunt (or 'not any type of football player'). I don't think it's sad to enjoy him though - is there anyone else half as entertaining? Life (and especially football) shouldn't be boring.

No problem with enjoying him and laughing at some of his antics and if that gives him a kind of cult following then sobeit. BUT for that cult status to spill into giving him cult status as a footballer is what I think is sad.The only way you should get cult status as a footballer is from what you do on the pitch.

On the question of how his fellow players respond to him all I can comment on is what I see on the training ground.That suggests that he gets on very very well with all around him,players and coaches alike.