Italia: La Nazionale II

Some of the things people are saying about Balotelli is disgraceful.

Not you guys here, I have not read. But I have heard even former players saying some outrageous things.

I think a lot of the stuff being said about him doesn't really come down to them slighting his ability as a player. I think a lot of these guys know just how special he could be and they feel frustrated by his inability (some see it as refusal) to fulfill that latent potential that he has.

I dont understand why he is being singled out. He didnt get sent off, he didnt fail to mark at the corner, he didnt fail to bring Rossi, he didnt play Motta, Pirlo and Di Rossi vs Costa Rica and he didnt use Marchisio as a "winger/attacking mid/forward".

He wasnt good, but he wasnt any bigger problem than anyone else.

But it seems like he is the only one I am hearing getting any individual criticism from former players and he certainly is the only one who has fans calling him "not Italian".

The Franchise wrote:I dont understand why he is being singled out. He didnt get sent off, he didnt fail to mark at the corner, he didnt fail to bring Rossi, he didnt play Motta, Pirlo and Di Rossi vs Costa Rica and he didnt use Marchisio as a "winger/attacking mid/forward".

He wasnt good, but he wasnt any bigger problem than anyone else.

But it seems like he is the only one I am hearing getting any individual criticism from former players and he certainly is the only one who has fans calling him "not Italian".

+1

The Franchise wrote:I dont understand why he is being singled out. He didnt get sent off, he didnt fail to mark at the corner, he didnt fail to bring Rossi, he didnt play Motta, Pirlo and Di Rossi vs Costa Rica and he didnt use Marchisio as a "winger/attacking mid/forward".

He wasnt good, but he wasnt any bigger problem than anyone else.

But it seems like he is the only one I am hearing getting any individual criticism from former players and he certainly is the only one who has fans calling him "not Italian".

Such is the consequence for being such a polarizing figure as well as the new face of the Italian NT. Fans, regardless of the nation, like to see their players put in maximum effort to the cause. I think some people didn't see that with Balo and are calling him out on it (in the worst possible way, I might add). His own teammates were doing that as we saw with De Rossi's comments.

I tend to agree though. He's not the only one that should be getting the criticism. Obviously a lot of us ragged on Paletta, Candreva, Immobile and other players who didn't justify their selections, but none of these guys have the profile that Balo have and none of them are as controversial as he is. He was always going to get more attention than others, regardless of how the team did. Italy could be beasting right now and there would still be people slagging Balo off. That's been the story of his whole career. It's unfair to us, but a reality to him. If I were in his shoes, knowing that nothing I do for the team would ever be enough for all of the fans, I'd probably sulk too.

I can't speak for other fans but I'm not asking much from Balotelli except to run a little and seem enthusiastic

The Franchise says, he wasn't the one red carded, well no, but he was the one that was constantly killing the game with the injury cries everytime he lost the ball, and the one running around like a little baby having a temper tantrum trying to slice at everyone's feet, even after he already got a yellow for doing exactly just that. He had to be subbed at half, ffs.

Do you not understand how many people dream of wearing the Italian jersey and then you have someone like Balotelli who simply LOOKS like he doesn't care...

I don't criticize the performances of the players because they simply just looked like it was their first time playing together, and well, that's because it was in some cases lol.

To be fair, I've defended Balotelli since his time at inter, and I still feel he is 100% Italian and I don't even know why anyone would ever consider otherwise, I just don't think he deserves to wear the Italian jersey ever again, and that has nothing to do with his skin colour, just how he treats it.

Sport Mediaset report this afternoon that Roberto Mancini is the favourite to succeed Cesare Prandelli as Italian national team Coach.

Prandelli resigned immediately after the Azzurri’s 1-0 loss to Uruguay on Tuesday that saw them crash out of the World Cup.

Several names were in the frame following the loss, with Mancini, Massimiliano Allegri, Luciano Spalletti and Alberto Zaccheroni thought to be in the frame.

However, the station insists that the former Galatasaray boss is at the front of the queue to take over the national team.

It was suggested that the ex-striker was going to cost the FIGC too much money, however, Mediaset believe that Mancini has lowered his demands in order to take the reins

mancini would be an epic step backwards..

I could write alot of stuff arguing against your post, but I cant be bothered. What I will say is the things your complaining about are nothing. They are dislikeable actions but nothing to do with why you lost.

His style of play in terms of off ball movement and perceived effort, is no different than Ibrahimovic or todays version of Messi. Do they not care? Or are they just lazy in terms of running?

I agree he shouldnt play for Italy, not for the side of Itay...but from his side.

I dont especially like the guy, I wouldnt want him at Barca..but he gets some of the most bs treatment from his own "fans" as I can recall.

Others can run around doing total crap on the pitch, no backlash, veteran players even..but Balo is a disgrace, not fit for the shirt.

The thing which gets me is, he played the exact same way when he destroyed Germany. No talk of not Italian and not fit for the shirt back then funny enough.

I never said he was the reason why we lost, he's certainly not.

The difference between my complaint about Balotelli and Ibra/Messi, is when things aren't going their way they don't turn into babies and stop caring and slashing at the legs of opponents and risking getting red carded.

I can't think of a veteran player that was doing crap all on the pitch, I still see the same enthusiasm, albeit perhaps not the same skill from them, but the intent is there.

Balotelli @ Euro 2012 in general was doing a lot more running, and he showed no signs of doing something stupid to get sent off. I mean, he took his shirt off against Germany and got himself a yellow, and not once did I think to myself "omg here comes a red", yet against Uruguay 2 years later, he gets himself a yellow in 20 minutes and is making me nervous , waiting for halftime so he can get taken off. There's just no place for that. My only guess as to why Euro 2012 was different was perhaps because then he was actually replaceable (Toto Di Natale), and knew he had to prove his worth to get starts.

To be fair, I do give criticism to some players. Abate is shit and should've never been called up (I mean ffs Prandelli preferred to put chiellini at LB before having to play him, don't even understand why he was brought if even Prandelli himself doesn't trust him), Paletta is shit, and in general there was just no chemistry and link-up play between defense and attack. No individual player is solely at fault.

Look, I've been a fan of balotelli for 5 years, I have usernames on sites named after him and all the sorts, he's just gotten to the age and place (the world cup) , where I can't defend his antics anymore. I don't care how talented you are, it's not worth the risk.

Balotelli is 150% Italian though.

I have really already said all I wanted to say, I dont really agree with some of what your saying but its not important.

What I will say is I am not accusing your personally of anything, just so its clear.

The Franchise wrote:I dont understand why he is being singled out. He didnt get sent off, he didnt fail to mark at the corner, he didnt fail to bring Rossi, he didnt play Motta, Pirlo and Di Rossi vs Costa Rica and he didnt use Marchisio as a "winger/attacking mid/forward".

He wasnt good, but he wasnt any bigger problem than anyone else.

But it seems like he is the only one I am hearing getting any individual criticism from former players and he certainly is the only one who has fans calling him "not Italian".

Star strikers were, and will always be heavily criticized whenever their team crashes out this early. Henry's french connections were doubted in 2002. Batistuta was heavily criticized in 2002 as well. Hell, Messi's loyalty and dedication to Argentina have been put to the sword several times before.

It has nothing to do with Balo being black, as Del Piero and Totti both suffered from the same backlash in 2002. Balo simply did not perform well as a striker. And while it had a lot to do with Prandelli's tactics, Balo's behaviour inside and outside thep itch was just plain disgraceful for a player who then doesn't perform.

Starting from his boasting before the WC, to his "the Queen should kiss me" comments, Balo acted like he is God's footballing gift to earth.

In fact, his behavior have been so polarizing that even his teammates are now throwing him under the bus. In all his career, Balo was always criticized by everyone. The reason is not because he is black, but because he is a man-child who can little control himself.

Noone ever singled just them out when everyone was poor and certainly noone called him not French/Argentine/Italian.

So no, they didnt suffer the same backlash.

The Franchise wrote:I could write alot of stuff arguing against your post, but I cant be bothered. What I will say is the things your complaining about are nothing. They are dislikeable actions but nothing to do with why you lost.

His style of play in terms of off ball movement and perceived effort, is no different than Ibrahimovic or todays version of Messi. Do they not care? Or are they just lazy in terms of running?

I agree he shouldnt play for Italy, not for the side of Itay...but from his side.

I dont especially like the guy, I wouldnt want him at Barca..but he gets some of the most bs treatment from his own "fans" as I can recall.

Others can run around doing total crap on the pitch, no backlash, veteran players even..but Balo is a disgrace, not fit for the shirt.

The thing which gets me is, he played the exact same way when he destroyed Germany. No talk of not Italian and not fit for the shirt back then funny enough.

Totally agreed. I also had the same question after the game...how come they are throwing him under the bus when he wasnt really the reason they lost.

I said it before the tournament was going to start. Italy's creativity is overrated.

Their Creativity is Pirlo making over the top ball's for the forwards. Thats it end off. Those over the top balls become predictable after a while as it happened. Their midfield plays so much away from the opponents goal...and only looks like creating when opponent is playing a high line (ie when Pirlo can pump those first touch over the top balls )..when Italy are down a goal..they simply need some miracle work to score a goal.

Adit wrote:
Their Creativity is Pirlo making over the top ball's for the forwards. Thats it end off. Those over the top balls become predictable after a while as it happened. Their midfield plays so much away from the opponents goal...and only looks like creating when opponent is playing a high line (ie when Pirlo can pump those first touch over the top balls   )..when Italy are down a goal..they simply need some miracle work to score a goal.

Excellent comments. Disconnect between the midfield and attack was well known to be one of their biggest weaknesses and this lack of creativity that you mentioned became all too apparent at the tournament. Still I rated them high because they are a tournament team and can make up for less creativity with more solidity. What was surprising was their erstwhile solidity was much less than before. Euro 2012 and Confed 2013 raised hope but it must be clearly noted that for the second greatest nation in football to go out in the group stage in two consecutive world cups is nothing short of an abysmal disgrace.

The Franchise wrote:Noone ever singled just them out when everyone was poor and certainly noone called him not French/Argentine/Italian.

So no, they didnt suffer the same backlash.

I understand your anger dani. How well or badly he played is secondary. However rarely if ever do team mates publicly criticize one of their own for results not going well. The standard line is we lost as a team. If anything people enthusiastically defend their weaker players saying he is not to blame and that they all didn't do well enough. I am sorry to say that the attack on Balotelli at least slightly hints at racism. It's as if they can criticize him because their hearts have never really accepted him as their own but they can't criticize anyone else because the rest are all brothers. I remember his pain when after scoring that outstanding goal against Germany in the Euro 2012 semi final he took off his shirt to show the Italian flag printed on his chest. Instead of any other player going over the moon over what he had done all his eyes betrayed at that time was deep pain. It was a way of telling the world and especially his team mates that he also bleeds for Italy. Alas even that wasn't enough. That said though I don't like this player at all. By now he should have become a mature sincere consistent professional especially considering his talent but he is not even close. Gabriel Batistuta said something similar about him some time back. I do accept that some of the posts made here saying his behaviour is to blame for this backlash have their own merit. The world cup is hardly a place to behave like a clown and the people you most frustrate by doing that are likely to be your own team mates. So it's not just racism. That is probably just a slight part. Even more maybe his behaviour has frustrated people to the extent that they have alienated him.

So we wonder why Mario is taking the brunt of such criticism?

Where do I start? A 17 year old Mario Balotelli was was continually forgiven for his sprightly antics that naturally accompanies a youth of his age, taking for granted the hype and knowledge of the near limiteless talent he had in possession and further propensity. His peers, managers and media continually forgive him and dote upon his cult antics which earned him his fame beyond what he was actually performing in.

Fast forward years later a now 23-year old Mario Balotelli remains unchanged as a man-child refusing to grow up and take responsibility for his actions; firing in all directions to victimize himself as if the world is against him.

Italiani are not racist yet the few groups of uneducated men will use that power to irk his delicate temper in further provoking him to disbalance his already volatile temperament. The racism he has faced goes without saying is disgraceful yet he remains less tact about how to dispel that situation, rather still gravitating all the of the media circus surrounding him right around him and not for the right reasons.

You see a squad of Italia on the field yet amongst the 11 men one stands out like a rose within a charred field and its blatantly obvious why. The best players indeed do not have to run to produce influence yet comparing Balotelli to Messi or Zlatan is invalid considering they are 90 minute players in spite of their work-rate while Balotelli is either whining, diving, complaining, moaning or walking while producing absolute *bleep* all outside his magic out of nothing. We've seen his capabilities; here is an ambidextrous physically optimized youth who possesses vision to create, shoot and score from any angle, set-pieces (in all forms) dribbles and feints of old school intelligence yet is too self-entitled and self absorbed to understand that as a PRIMA PUNTA the chances will be built directly around him. If you have a CF who refuses to ply consistency in exploiting all the space available to him to run into, hustle to acquire touches a few metres out of his comfort zone and play for the team, all your creativity will amount to zilch considering the tactical importance of what his role encompasses.

Yet of course the man-child will spend his time taking selfies at 3 in the AM, slack off in training, practice his usual narcissism on the pitch yet cry like a bitch about it because he was either subbed off or did not perform; I will carry no sympathy for him.

Here is Cesare Prandelli who under all the criticism and fire he took for Mario, he failed to replicate his Euro 2012 attitude in returning the faith and refusing to follow even the most basic of tactical instructions. His attitude and demeanour was a direct spit in the face of Cesare and the whole team rightfully blasted this clown into oblivion to have him comprehend the gravity of his now delicate situation.

And now he used a previously relevant race card to which is rightfully not going to work now, considering he has blown it all out of context.

Same goes for Roberto Mancini, Jose Mourinho and Clarence Seedorf, all of whom he took for granted because all three managers continually protected him, yet he failed to learn from his mistakes; in the case of Prandelli, he went overboard in his support and Mario failed to change.

Is it any wonder Mario's best performances came under Massimiliano Allegri? The only manager outside Mourinho who let him recognize the error of his ways which is why Mario was such a success his first season. Second season in spite of all his suspensions or injuries he still managed to score 18 goals yet we are left unsatisfied because we KNEW how much more he can produce.

Example? Mario misses the penalty versus Pepe Reina first leg versus Napoli; instead of going about his usual vitriolic behaviour he dominates the whole second half by the balls absolutely barging Reina's net shot by powerful shot (whilst bamboozling players) and eventually scoring a stunner; fuelled by his anger of his miss. THAT is the REAL Mario Balotelli to which can change a game on his own. His anger, his emotions, his misguided thought process all must be found to channel it in a guileful direction that won't turn into his usual redundancy as a player. Where is that Mario who kept his head down during the Euros and his first season in Milan? The one who acknowledged his big brother role to El Shaarawy, the gratitude given to Milan in being brought home to his "childhood club", and the one who was not the constant centre of controversy?

Post World Cup? NO ONE is calling him Non-Italiano or any of that xenophobic racist slandering in media or fans. The criticism is directed to him for failing on his responsibilities and actually being one of the team members. Was he responsible for Italia's loss? No. Yet does that mean he cannot be criticized for his poor performances? No.

Italia's creativity is not overrated; if you do not have the man to lead the line in the most basic of ways as a product of his effort, you will have zero end product. Immobile? We saw how all his intelligence and runs translated into open spaces via Italian midfielders yet where he failed is not having the individual quotient ability to translate it into the final third, something Mario has proven to have. You cannot translate your creativity if your reference point is failing to move let alone search for space. The chances he could have finished would have seen Italia through in 1st place of their group.

The debate is correct, Mario is at his best while play OFF a pillar and as a SS; here is a man who is a SS in a #9s body (hence the misuse) yet adaptation would be appreciated and acknowledgement for which two teams you are playing for; Italia and *bleep* AC Milan.

It bothers me when we continue to call him our most talented player (subjective) as he lets it get to his head. Stephan El Shaarawy possesses so much more in character and raw ability as quite frankly, he is TWICE the player Mario is.

It is not a matter of that he is not as good as we think he is, yet the refusal to mount that responsibility on his shoulders and acknowledge the chances he receives to continually turn a leaf. I was known as probably the only sceptical one in the circus of Milan happiness buying Mario; my fears being realized in the light of this event are not of hindsight but knowledge that this blessed individual fails to replicate from what he does best. Its a redundant cycle and frankly everything regarding to him is getting very old and very fast.

You can do all this playing for Genoa or Ghana yet NOT the teams he is privileged to play for.

Nobody compared him to Ibra or Messi. That would be missing the point totally.

The point was, they show similar lack of movement. However, the difference is Balotelli apperently "doesnt care" but those two are just "mercurial/mavericks or simply lazy"

Balo had many problems. But accusing him of not caring simply because he doesnt run alot...or worse, because he had a sullen demeanour is just lazy and cheap.

If he didnt care, he would of quit already..because the abuse he has gotten, would probably warrant it.

From an outsiders perspective, with no emotional connection (which Balo isnt) I have no idea why he bothers plying his trade in Italy or for the NT.

His behaviour can and will be criticised in any country, dont get me wrong..but it seems only in Italy it goes that step further, to racism..for him.

On his football game. Complaining about his lack of movement (not work rate, but movement) is a waste of time and energy. He is a player like anyone else, he has flaws..one of them is his movement off the ball. if he had it, he would score alot more consistently..he doesnt have it and therefore that is a weakness in his game. However, how long have we seen him play? How long have we know this is what he does?

If you construct a game play where your attack is relint on that movement...then im sorry, the coach has a screw loose. You make a gameplan which is dependant on what players can do...not what they dont.

If you believe your team requires something he doesnt bring...then how about you dont play him?


But back to race. How is said "race card" not relevant? How should he respond to Italians saying he isnt Italian? What would be the appropriate response to this?

Spot on Arq.

the racism We have awful politicians as Lega Nord, but Italy is not a racist country . There is intolerance against Balotelli atm for his lazy behaviour in pitch , because it can not be justified considering it is so from much time . Basically he has broken the balls to many. But noone has never created problem to him for his skin lol Self-pitying man as Yaya Toure
The only thing where he agrees is that he can't made as scapegoat , all sucked

The Franchise wrote:Nobody compared him to Ibra or Messi. That would be missing the point totally.

The point was, they show similar lack of movement. However, the difference is Balotelli apperently "doesnt care" but those two are just "mercurial/mavericks or simply lazy"

Balo had many problems. But accusing him of not caring simply because he doesnt run alot...or worse, because he had a sullen demeanour is just lazy and cheap.

If he didnt care, he would of quit already..because the abuse he has gotten, would probably warrant it.

From an outsiders perspective, with no emotional connection (which Balo isnt) I have no idea why he bothers plying his trade in Italy or for the NT.

His behaviour can and will be criticised in any country, dont get me wrong..but it seems only in Italy it goes that step further, to racism..for him.

On his football game. Complaining about his lack of movement (not work rate, but movement) is a waste of time and energy. He is a player like anyone else, he has flaws..one of them is his movement off the ball. if he had it, he would score alot more consistently..he doesnt have it and therefore that is a weakness in his game. However, how long have we seen him play? How long have we know this is what he does?

If you construct a game play where your attack is relint on that movement...then im sorry, the coach has a screw loose. You make a gameplan which is dependant on what players can do...not what they dont.

If you believe your team requires something he doesnt bring...then how about you dont play him?


But back to race. How is said "race card" not relevant? How should he respond to Italians saying he isnt Italian? What would be the appropriate response to this?

But who says this ? balotelli is a self pitying man

I live in Italy and noone has created problems to him for this . I don't consider the ultras stadiums, those can't be rated
He is " hated " now for his lazy attitude showed in this club , but he was loved before , during Euro2012

And I am sincere, I feared some would have acted as idiots  because Italy was the most "autochthonous" country before of Balotelli.
Basically we were the last NT in Europe (or world? ) to play with a black in squad. Because Italy hasn't a colonial past and because the meltin pot is simply a very recent situation for us . It is not as in other countries. Not much time ago Itaians emigrated , not immigrants
So I feared some idiot reactions , propaganda , intolerance to this openness to the world considering also our iidiot politicians ... but luckily Italy showed to be MATURE to accept an inevitable cultural change

Robespierre wrote:Basically he has broken the balls to many.  

"Busted our balls too much" is a more natural translation
(assuming that's what you're trying to convey)

I think part of the problem are his off pitch antics. Before the game Balo instagramed a picture of the WC sticker album, made by Panini, with his face in every Italian player's spot. After the game DDR said "We need a team of men, not of Panini stickers". Clearly if he stopped acting like a brat, or did things to stop being perceived as one, would go a long way since that is part of the problem.

But I agree it is incredibly unfair that he is being singled out for this. It was obviously not his fault and if Balo says "I gave it my all and I have a clean conscience" then I believe him.

The Franchise wrote:Nobody compared him to Ibra or Messi. That would be missing the point totally.

The point was, they show similar lack of movement. However, the difference is Balotelli apperently "doesnt care" but those two are just "mercurial/mavericks or simply lazy"

Balo had many problems. But accusing him of not caring simply because he doesnt run alot...or worse, because he had a sullen demeanour is just lazy and cheap.

If he didnt care, he would of quit already..because the abuse he has gotten, would probably warrant it.

From an outsiders perspective, with no emotional connection (which Balo isnt) I have no idea why he bothers plying his trade in Italy or for the NT.

His behaviour can and will be criticised in any country, dont get me wrong..but it seems only in Italy it goes that step further, to racism..for him.

On his football game. Complaining about his lack of movement (not work rate, but movement) is a waste of time and energy. He is a player like anyone else, he has flaws..one of them is his movement off the ball. if he had it, he would score alot more consistently..he doesnt have it and therefore that is a weakness in his game. However, how long have we seen him play? How long have we know this is what he does?

If you construct a game play where your attack is relint on that movement...then im sorry, the coach has a screw loose. You make a gameplan which is dependant on what players can do...not what they dont.

If you believe your team requires something he doesnt bring...then how about you dont play him?


But back to race. How is said "race card" not relevant? How should he respond to Italians saying he isnt Italian? What would be the appropriate response to this?

See Dani, with Mario it goes in a cycle with him rather than a steep decline.

One day we will see him perform the usual antics that have us criticize him yet the next day we will see every thing that we want to see from Mario, in attitude and performance.

We can calibrate what type of player he is yet the fact is we have seen when this individual plays for the team without all the drama that inevitably he carries as part of the package. Thus, seeing the stark difference between Mario the indolent and Mario the motivated; is night and day, hence why fans, managers and peers tolerate him so very much just so they can see his still young prowess evolve into what he can be.

I brought some defence for him in my point on how tactically he isn't used optimally yet we have also seen him perform as a #9 leading the line with a rare zest that is game changing.

Prandelli constructs the game not around his movement yet the spaces he will carry the ball into along with how he receives the ball and where. Since he failed to produce the tactical instructions to which worked for him previously, criticism will inevitably present itself. What fuelled the further criticism is his incessant ability to bring drama around him not only off-the-pitch yet on the pitch with the consistent whining, complaining let alone not even using his obvious strength to dominate; rather falling on his face to win pathetic fouls. Yes, Prandelli has attempted to build the system around him and did so with mixed to successful results. Yet the unpredictability of his nature does not warrant nor advise building many of the tactical outliers around him for the variables that accompany him alone.

Historically and to this day; Italian attacanti up front are used either as off the pillar or as the sole reference point; yet have to be complete in all areas to carry the responsibility done so from the massive number of playmakers behind him. As a known quantity, Mario does not differ from that ilk yet here is where Prandelli admitted the mistake at throwing some of the tactical cards in what is an all to unpredictable ace card.

Fact is as a now known quantity within his career we've long since acknowledged his strengths and weaknesses despite his enigmatic prowess yet even in his strengths; to which evidently his lackadaisical behaviour is product of the volatility he is in constant of while playing.

The complaints you have with Lionel Messi are valid yet here is a man producing half of what Messi does in his indolence yet acts as if he is entitled to even more of his already received special treatment to which infuriates us to the core. As Italians or Milanisti, forget the squad or staff; fans will not tolerate that out of expectations in him or expectations in what one produces for both of the teams.

Italiani for all their drama and antics are not fond of a player wasting away such talents as it literally represents the country of Italia; a nation in general so genetically or by nurture blessed with resource or by default, wasting away by the incidental distractions that have turned their heads. Appreciation lay for footballing IQ or technique first and foremost (the sole reason managers trained there tolerate him) yet if that is not directly proportional to their character, you will face scorn.

As for the racism, it is not relevant simply because that is not the point of criticism directed onto him Post-World Cup which is why bringing that card up is not in context to it at all. It is relevant during the other incidents yet aside from (im)probable exceptions; the fans or media are not touching upon that point.

Robespierre wrote:Spot on Arq.

the racism We have awful politicians as Lega Nord, but Italy is not a racist country . There is intolerance against Balotelli atm for his lazy behaviour in pitch , because it can not be justified considering it is so from much time . Basically he has broken the balls to many. But noone has never created problem to him for his skin lol Self-pitying man as Yaya Toure
The only thing where he agrees is that he can't made as scapegoat , all sucked

In Italia you will find racists yet these are the uneducated groups of either youths or vecchi who are immediately shrouded as outcasts out of society and THAT is why they tend to be in such cohesive groups; spewing their backwards mentality only at games or the rare places where it is accepted.

Growing up in Brescia we saw Italiani of African descent merely as different in skin colour yet never discriminated and only held us to them as our own; same goes for other raised or foreign to Italia.

Ever wonder why Ogbonna or Stefano Okaka Chuka were not subject of racism compared to Mario?

Arquitescu wrote:So we wonder why Mario is taking the brunt of such criticism?

Where do I start? A 17 year old Mario Balotelli was was continually forgiven for his sprightly antics that naturally accompanies a youth of his age, taking for granted the hype and knowledge of the near limiteless talent he had in possession and further propensity. His peers, managers and media continually forgive him and dote upon his cult antics which earned him his fame beyond what he was actually performing in.

Fast forward years later a now 23-year old Mario Balotelli remains unchanged as a man-child refusing to grow up and take responsibility for his actions; firing in all directions to victimize himself as if the world is against him.

Italiani are not racist yet the few groups of uneducated men will use that power to irk his delicate temper in further provoking him to disbalance his already volatile temperament. The racism he has faced goes without saying is disgraceful yet he remains less tact about how to dispel that situation, rather still gravitating all the of the media circus surrounding him right around him and not for the right reasons.

You see a squad of Italia on the field yet amongst the 11 men one stands out like a rose within a charred field and its blatantly obvious why. The best players indeed do not have to run to produce influence yet comparing Balotelli to Messi or Zlatan is invalid considering they are 90 minute players in spite of their work-rate while Balotelli is either whining, diving, complaining, moaning or walking while producing absolute *bleep* all outside his magic out of nothing. We've seen his capabilities; here is an ambidextrous physically optimized youth who possesses vision to create, shoot and score from any angle, set-pieces (in all forms) dribbles and feints of old school intelligence yet is too self-entitled and self absorbed to understand that as a PRIMA PUNTA the chances will be built directly around him. If you have a CF who refuses to ply consistency in exploiting all the space available to him to run into, hustle to acquire touches a few metres out of his comfort zone and play for the team, all your creativity will amount to zilch considering the tactical importance of what his role encompasses.

Yet of course the man-child will spend his time taking selfies at 3 in the AM, slack off in training, practice his usual narcissism on the pitch yet cry like a bitch about it because he was either subbed off or did not perform; I will carry no sympathy for him.

Here is Cesare Prandelli who under all the criticism and fire he took for Mario, he failed to replicate his Euro 2012 attitude in returning the faith and refusing to follow even the most basic of tactical instructions. His attitude and demeanour was a direct spit in the face of Cesare and the whole team rightfully blasted this clown into oblivion to have him comprehend the gravity of his now delicate situation.

And now he used a previously relevant race card to which is rightfully not going to work now, considering he has blown it all out of context.

Same goes for Roberto Mancini, Jose Mourinho and Clarence Seedorf, all of whom he took for granted because all three managers continually protected him, yet he failed to learn from his mistakes; in the case of Prandelli, he went overboard in his support and Mario failed to change.

Is it any wonder Mario's best performances came under Massimiliano Allegri? The only manager outside Mourinho who let him recognize the error of his ways which is why Mario was such a success his first season. Second season in spite of all his suspensions or injuries he still managed to score 18 goals yet we are left unsatisfied because we KNEW how much more he can produce.

Example? Mario misses the penalty versus Pepe Reina first leg versus Napoli; instead of going about his usual vitriolic behaviour he dominates the whole second half by the balls absolutely barging Reina's net shot by powerful shot (whilst bamboozling players) and eventually scoring a stunner; fuelled by his anger of his miss. THAT is the REAL Mario Balotelli to which can change a game on his own. His anger, his emotions, his misguided thought process all must be found to channel it in a guileful direction that won't turn into his usual redundancy as a player. Where is that Mario who kept his head down during the Euros and his first season in Milan? The one who acknowledged his big brother role to El Shaarawy, the gratitude given to Milan in being brought home to his "childhood club", and the one who was not the constant centre of controversy?

Post World Cup? NO ONE is calling him Non-Italiano or any of that xenophobic racist slandering in media or fans. The criticism is directed to him for failing on his responsibilities and actually being one of the team members. Was he responsible for Italia's loss? No. Yet does that mean he cannot be criticized for his poor performances? No.

Italia's creativity is not overrated; if you do not have the man to lead the line in the most basic of ways as a product of his effort, you will have zero end product. Immobile? We saw how all his intelligence and runs translated into open spaces via Italian midfielders yet where he failed is not having the individual quotient ability to translate it into the final third, something Mario has proven to have. You cannot translate your creativity if your reference point is failing to move let alone search for space. The chances he could have finished would have seen Italia through in 1st place of their group.

The debate is correct, Mario is at his best while play OFF a pillar and as a SS; here is a man who is a SS in a #9s body (hence the misuse) yet adaptation would be appreciated and acknowledgement for which two teams you are playing for; Italia and *bleep* AC Milan.

It bothers me when we continue to call him our most talented player (subjective) as he lets it get to his head. Stephan El Shaarawy possesses so much more in character and raw ability as quite frankly, he is TWICE the player Mario is.

It is not a matter of that he is not as good as we think he is, yet the refusal to mount that responsibility on his shoulders and acknowledge the chances he receives to continually turn a leaf. I was known as probably the only sceptical one in the circus of Milan happiness buying Mario; my fears being realized in the light of this event are not of hindsight but knowledge that this blessed individual fails to replicate from what he does best. Its a redundant cycle and frankly everything regarding to him is getting very old and very fast.

You can do all this playing for Genoa or Ghana yet NOT the teams he is privileged to play for.

Great post.

dani and arqui, you have both made great posts with some very valid points. I think that overall Balotelli is one of the players to blame for a several reasons but the way he is being hounded is not fair to anyone. At least comments such as he doesn't care and he is not Italian are hitting below the belt. People can criticize his performances and while often unfair singling out players is pretty common after catastrophic defeats, it's comments like these that just shouldn't be made.

Arquitescu wrote:[

In Italia you will find racists yet these are the uneducated groups of either youths or vecchi who are immediately shrouded as outcasts out of society and THAT is why they tend to be in such cohesive groups; spewing their backwards mentality only at games or the rare places where it is accepted.

Growing up in Brescia we saw Italiani of African descent merely as different in skin colour yet never discriminated and only held us to them as our own; same goes for other raised or foreign to Italia.

Ever wonder why Ogbonna or Stefano Okaka Chuka were not subject of racism compared to Mario?

Italy is not a racist country, or at least it is not different than other countries. But even the last politicans results suggest that there are other countries to have greater social degeneration. Extremist parties with same politican ideology of Alba Dorata and LePen take just the 2 % in Italy. Lega Nord is in decline but it has nothing to do with this. And Renzi (centre-left)won in All the 20 Italian regions.We were the country to have created the fascism,but this is the past .

Anyway , closing this digression , it's as you said. Ogbonna and Okaka are respected, Balotelli is overhated now for his attitude.
I saw all the Italy matches at pub, noone criticized him for skin but you could listen ppl regreting to not have called up Destro , Gilardino , and even Pazzini.

Noone did it for El Sharawy simply because he is injured, but totally agreed, he is twice than Balotelli.

Of course he is not the only overhated now . Noone can tolerate Thiago Motta in this moment now. lol
Probably just the Interisti as me think he is indeed a great midifelder. But  the people has sentenced that he is a scrub for his performances with NT. And  yes , actually he was a NT flop .
But who saw him playing with Inter and PSG (also this year ,expecially) knows he is a great midfielder. In this case I don't blame Prandelli to have called , unlike of many Italians.

according Sky Italy is thinking to an incredible idea:

Antonio Conte manager both Juve and Italy

Manager of club and international, to me, seems like it would just result in an issue of biased player selections.