Mario Balotelli - what are your thoughts

Our group of Mario Balotelli sympathisers welcomes its newest member with Matt Hines the latest blogger to come to the defence of the controversial Italian striker.

Despite his brattish behaviour, his apparent lack of care for irritating fans of his own club (most notably wearing a Milan shirt whilst playing for Inter) and his god awful hair cut, I just cannot stop loving the fact that Mario Balotelli is playing in the Premier League.

Admittedly, the dart flinging at the youth team may have been a tad too far, but has any player brought so much entertainment to the Premier League in just a year?

Paulo Di Canio, Fabien Barthez and Eric Cantona were eccentric, but Mario is a cut above. Remember Wayne Rooney’s well-documented liaisons with an expensive lady of the night? Mario bumped into her in a classy Manchester restaurant and proceeded to blow raspberries and chant “ROONEY, ROONEY!” Quality!

Then there are some of his more noble accolades such as the time when he won £25,000 in a casino and gave a chunk of it to a guy he always buys the Big Issue from. Following this he was stopped whilst driving home with the rest of his winnings on his passenger seat and when questioned as to why he had it there he simply replied “because I’m very, very rich”.

We can hate ‘over-paid’ footballers all we like but would any of you have acted that much differently if you were a 20-year-old millionaire in a Maserati?

Of course, it gets better. When a young fan asked Mario for his autograph outside the City training ground, the player asked why he was not in school and the youngster replied that he was being bullied. Balotelli proceeded to drive to the boy’s house, pick up his mother and escort them both to the school to confront the headmaster. Balotelli was said to have mediated while the two boys sorted out their differences.

Now we’ve all read about his various training ground scuffles, but my favourite Mario moment was the Balotelli vs. bib bout in Kiev, when the firebrand repeatedly struggled to put on his attire. It was pure comedy gold from the big man.

I write all this in response to the latest wave of criticism which has been directed towards the young Italian after his failed ‘trick shot’ in a friendly against LA Galaxy. Yes it was a bit silly, but you have to remember, to him, an exhibition match against Galaxy is like a kick about in the park to us, and if I had the confidence and ability that he has, I’d give it a try as well.

I mean, if Messi had attempted it, I can guarantee the world would be applauding him for playing ‘the Barcelona way’.

Personally I think it’s time we gave super Mario a break. He’s had a very tough upbringing, and is still racially abused every time he pulls on the blue of Italy. And besides, in a nation where Alan Shearer is considered a TV ‘personality’, surely we need as much Balotelli as we can get?

Bathite wrote: To compare him with ... Di Canio is sacrilegious, those keys had class and were well respected for their incredible levels of skill.

sodhat wrote:I think they are selected as comparisons because they have similar eccentric personalities allied with their talents.

I don't think Cantona can be bracketed as 'average' -- he won trophies, received international recognition and is still a recognisable ambassador for football.

sodhat wrote:I'm on your side with Balotelli though, I don't think he is worse than many others that I could name, but he gets attention for his genral anarchic behaviour on and off the pitch.

GeordieFalcon wrote:I cant stand the guy, and please lets not compare him to Di Canio or Cantona.

Ive seen nothing from Mario to tell me he up there at all. IF he was that good regardless of his attitude...he would be winning games singled handledly...like Messi, or Ronaldo.

Mario is just a jumped up chump...but hey fair enough i wish i was on his money for being a chump!