Mario to stay for the long haul

[Ted Hughes]

Mario Balotell says he is not thinking about returning to Serie A as he believes Italian football is in decline.

Balotelli, 21, has regularly been linked with a return to his homeland since leaving Inter Milan for Manchester City in the summer of 2010, and Roberto Mancini recently told Corriere dello Sera: "Sooner or later, Balotelli will go back to Italy."

However, Balotelli has said he is now adapting to life in England and, having found his form this season, has revealed he wants to remain at Manchester City long-term.

"I don't miss Serie A at all. Zero," he told a press conference ahead of Italy's friendly with Poland on Friday. "I'm very happy to be in England. Italian football has been in decline. The Premier League is beautiful and I play for the strongest team in England. I want to remain at City. I don't see a return to play in Italy in the future."

Balotelli did say that if he were to return, he could be tempted by a move to AC Milan, the side he supported as a boy. "I like Milan. They are a great club," he said. "They have had many champions play for them in the past and they still do. Players I would like to play with.

"I could return to Inter one day if certain things were in place. It would take an Inter side who were targeting the top, calm fans and people who don't want to smash my car in the city centre. For now, though, I'm not thinking about leaving England."

Balotelli feels he has improved significantly under the tutelage of Mancini and Italy boss Cesare Prandelli. "The Premier League has taught me to run a lot - to go for the ball and when I lose it to press to recover it," he said. "Now I have more playing time and this gives me more confidence.

"Prandelli and Mancini have helped me a lot, giving me the necessary calmness to play, something I didn't have previously."

Questions still remain over Balotelli's maturity as events in his private life continue to make the newspapers, but the striker feels the focus should be on his exploits as a player.

"In Italy and in England, there is the tendency to write more about my private life than what I do on the pitch," he said. "There are some newspapers that suck. They speak when they shouldn't, they say things that are not true. It's worse in England than it is here [in Italy]. People say that I'm mad, but I just enjoy myself. I am not crazy, absolutely not, although sometimes I do strange things that are considered entertaining."

Balotelli, who has won five caps for Italy without scoring a goal, is now determined to demonstrate that he can make an impact on the international scene.

"I need to wake up and get going," he said. "For me scoring is the biggest thing. Victories are important but so are goals. I know I can arrive to the top. If I'm good up front it's not because I'm fortunate. I do believe I can get closer to the level of other champions but I still have a lot of work to do."


This is fantastic news imo. Now all our best talent is committing to the cause.

Just fuck the evil dwarf off & we're in business.

[feedthegreek]

good news that, good article also i think now he knows hes a great player
and hes starting to show his class. theres one thing he doesnt lack is confidence.

[dazby]

Good reading that!

[Beeks]

There will be a statue of him outside in a few years time where the 'B Of The Bang' used to be

200 ft high in a darts pose

[Slim]

I always get a big rubbery one when a young player talks about long term plans. Wilshere came out yesterday and said he's going to stay at Arsenal his entire career. Anyone stupid enough to even believe that it's true?(except Wilshere and that's cause he is 19yo and on evidence, not that bright)

[Hammi66]

He is going to get better and better and i for one buzz when i see his name on the team sheet :)

[LookMumImOnMCF.net]

I always get a big rubbery one when a young player talks about long term plans. Wilshere came out yesterday and said he's going to stay at Arsenal his entire career. Anyone stupid enough to even believe that it's true?(except Wilshere and that's cause he is 19yo and on evidence, not that bright)

To be fair, it's not even just young players. Whenever a player pledges his future to a club I take it with a pinch of salt. City have been a victim of this in recent years, but so have many other teams.

[Blue Since 76]

There will be a statue of him outside in a few years time where the 'B Of The Bang' used to be

200 ft high in a darts pose

There could be. He has the potential for there to be a Mad Mario stand in the future. Alternatively he could be gone in a flash of fireworks and fishy cars next week. That's what makes him such a media darling.

[1950]

I guess the one thing you can take from such a statement is that he seems to be happy right now & that's all that counts.

Remember de Jong proclaiming he'd stay for life or whatever a while ago? Let's see how that turns out...

[Ted Hughes]

It doesn't matter whether they stay for life or not, the key is that they feel happy enough at this time to say it in public, as opposed to the attitude of other so called stars in recent years who think they're too fucking good for us.

[phips]

I always get a big rubbery one when a young player talks about long term plans. Wilshere came out yesterday and said he's going to stay at Arsenal his entire career. Anyone stupid enough to even believe that it's true?(except Wilshere and that's cause he is 19yo and on evidence, not that bright)

To be fair, it's not even just young players. Whenever a player pledges his future to a club I take it with a pinch of salt. City have been a victim of this in recent years, but so have many other teams.

Agreed. No one knows whats going to happen in the future so its stupid for people to come out and pledge their
future like Wilshire. As for Balo, I dont mind his statement as much as Wilshire's, he's merely saying that for the time
being he seems himself staying in England.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Talk is cheap. It's funny how when something overly positive about us is on the papers people take it to the word yet when it's negative it's rubbish or at very least there has been problems with translation.