Mario Balotelli

Well i always wanted to keep him till he s at least 22/23 coz a lot of his behavior is also down to his age. But after all the antics of last season i ve some how lost hope on the kid, i just don t see him making it at inter.

Anyway i m happy however this saga goes, if he stays or goes (of course only for the right price). The thing i fear most if he stays is, what happens if he does not get a starting spot?? I think he ll start to cause troubles all over again and we might be forced to sell him next summer but then the price will be a lot lower.

Inter may sell 'priceless' Balotelli
By Soccernet staff

July 15, 2010

Inter Milan technical director Marco Branca says Manchester United and Manchester City have a "very strong" interest in Mario Balotelli.

Balotelli, who turns 20 next month, has been strongly linked with a move to the Premier League in recent times. Roberto Mancini coached Balotelli during his time at Inter, while Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti suggested Old Trafford could be the ideal environment for a player who has often been the subject of controversy during his time in Serie A.

Gazzetta dello Sport claims directors from United met with Balotelli's agent, Mino Raiola, on Monday in Amsterdam and also reported that they had tabled €35 million bid, and there have been reports City are set to hold a meeting this week.

Branca, though, says that while the interest is "real", there has yet to be a formal offer and added that Inter have no active interest in doing a deal.

"We are in a very privileged position having won so much and it's true that every day we are receiving calls because everyone wants at least six or seven of our champions," he told Sky Italia.

"Balotelli is priceless. At this time, he and Maicon are not on the market. When and if there are requests, we will kindly examine them but they are not on the market. The interest in Balotelli from both Manchester clubs is real and very strong, but has not reached an official offer. There will be no meeting with City on Thursday."

Branca is certainly not ruling out a deal, however, and appeared to suggest he may follow Jose Mourinho out of the club.

"Fans can rest easy - great people like Ibra [Ibrahimovic] and Mourinho are gone, but we have a great new staff and no one is bigger than the club. Even Balotelli."

Earlier this week, new Inter boss Rafael Benitez said: "At this point, these players are Inter players and I am happy with them because both are quality players."

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=808787&sec=transfers&cc=3436

Luka said:

Now let me ask you something. If the situation was reversed, and Balotelli was Man Utd player, would you be willing to spend 30mln+ for him ?

Be honest.

Click to expand...

Man United would never sell their best players... anyways, dont want to get into another argument.

I simply want to say, Brad that harem comment made me laugh so hard my food came out thru my nose.

Can't we just put a hit on that Moggi-agent Raiola. Before Raiola he was just an arrogant kid, after Raiola (who is hunting for his big agent fee again I guess or working on behalf of Moggi to try and ruin the harmony of Inter) he became a crybaby trying to make it seem as if Inter mistreats him and so on.

I can't stand him, I'd prefer him sold... but, in my opinion, he is the biggest talent in world football and we can't go on and sell him for less than his talents are worth. And whatever we do, it's a huge gamble. And seriously guys that are worried about him ruining the dressing room... did his antics have any affect on the rest of the team last season? No. He doesn't have some kind of other group of players behind. He's all alone crying. If he stops with it, then great, we'll have a player than can be as good as Cristiano Ronaldo (he's as good as Messi, Rooney or Ronaldo were at 19 if you ask me). If he doesn't stop it, we'll just bear with it for a while, but he's not gonna lose his value. In all honesty, if you'd ask any top sporting director in Europe in a normal table conversation to name the guy who is the most talented (not necessarily the one with the brightest future, just pure talent) player in world football at the moment, I think the answer would be Balotelli. And that is why he just keeps getting and getting new chances.

I'd rather risk to keep him in hope for his value to pop to 80 million than sell him in fear that his value might drop to 20-25 million.

This is not football manager, this is real life, real money. This team isn't financially too viable so we need to make most of the players that we have and for the good of this club, we need to swallow his crap behaviour in hope that one day his wires will be reconnected and he'll stop being a silly teenager. He's not 23, he's 19. There is 1-2 years to wait.

A confirmation of what I've said (mercato talk should never be taken as a proof of anything).

MM: "This is a very talented player, for him there are requests from other companies , we are evaluating the ... City and United are the club to gauge their market opportunities."

I'm with M.Adnan, Luka & Stefan here.

Personally, supporting Inter for me is much more than just having the best players or talents. There's plenty off the ball things that matter a lot too. I simply can never forgive what Balotelli did, regardless of how huge his talent is.

Btw, I find it hypocritical that some Interisti can criticize Ibrahimovic or some other players as mercenaries but also think that Balotelli should stay with Inter just because he's talented, despite his enormous disrespect for the club.

What is this shit I keep reading about Balotelli de-registering from the Italian players association?

Where did you read that?

Handoyo said:

I'm with M.Adnan, Luka & Stefan here.

Personally, supporting Inter for me is much more than just having the best players or talents. There's plenty off the ball things that matter a lot too. I simply can never forgive what Balotelli did, regardless of how huge his talent is.

Btw, I find it hypocritical that some Interisti can criticize Ibrahimovic or some other players as mercenaries but also think that Balotelli should stay with Inter just because he's talented, despite his enormous disrespect for the club.

Click to expand...

So, you saying that we should sell him at all means, even if we know he's the most talented young footballer out there at the moment... it's not that much the prospect of him leaving that hurts me, what hurts me is that in a few years he could be the leader of his generation, the one that Real Madrid wants to buy to break the world transfer record. That is when I'd want to see us selling him. There's high chance that this day may never come, but I think it's worth the risk. Even with his crying he still adds a lot to this team and his crying hardly affects the rest of the team's unity. I've been incredibly impressed and praiseful of his talents since he arrived, but anyone who has talked to me over the past three years knows that I never want Inter to build it's future around this boy (or rather from the moment he started crying about wage) and I've always thought we should just keep him as long as possible and get him as high transfer tag as possible. I don't think we can push his value higher.

M.Adnan said:

Oh this is BS, this is just BS.

Forget about coming late to the training, forget about wearing Milan's jersey, forget about throwing Inter's shirt on the ground, forget about everything else this piece of shit did. Now focus with me here..

Fucking Inter, CL fucking semi-final, you're playing against fucking Barcelona, and Inter are winning the fucking game and on their way to the fucking CL final. Now you have a player walking around like an asshole thinking that he is bigger than the club, the fans, the CL and his teammates who were chasing every Barca player so they can get to the CL final for the first time since the 60s.

Now.. what do you say about this player? HE'S A TALENTED PLAYER WITH A BRILLIANT FUTURE AND HE'LL BE ONE OF THE BEST 5 PLAYERS IN THE WORLD! INTER SHOULD BE SMART AND KEEP HIM!

*clap*

Way to go people.

If Vieri or Ronaldo come back to Inter this season, they will be more useful on the pitch, more loyal to the club, and much more respectful to the fans and their teammates. Yes, this is how bad I rate Balotelli.

I prefer signing Nedved than keeping this bag of shit in Inter.

Click to expand...

If you were being benched by Pandev, who was in fucking rubbish form, not doing anything except losing the ball and missing breakaways, then finally came on the pitch and was booed by your fans in your stadium for taking a shot on goal, when your team is WINNING 3-1...would you be happy and smile as you walked off the pitch??

I do not condone Mario throwing his jersey to the ground, but I also think that our fans were disgusting on that night, cursing at a 19-year-old kid for taking a shot on goal, when we were winning 3-1. You say Balotelli should act happy and be proud that we were on our way to our first final in over 30 years, but are fans shouldn't act this way??

We are winning 3-1, the kid is already miserable because he has been getting benched for a player who was great for 2-3 matches and then provided ZERO, did the fans really need to rub it in his face and dig him into a deeper hole?

Universe said:

What is this shit I keep reading about Balotelli de-registering from the Italian players association?

Click to expand...

Ya, his agent says he will not register his clients in the AIC if the new rule about only 1 non-EU transfer passes. Today Raiola also said that FIGC president Abete should resign along with AIC directors Campana and Grosso....


http://www.nerazzurrinews.com/2010/07/raiola-if-abete-resigns-balotelli-may.html

Gaetan said:

Where did you read that?

Click to expand...

Here is the original story from 3 days ago:

http://www.nerazzurrinews.com/2010/07/raiola-balotellis-future-depends-on.html

Get your facts right. Balotelli was not booed because he didn't hit the target, but because of his damn lazy ass attitude.

Didn't you see where in 80th something minute, it was Sammy (who was at that time playing a striker) who HAD to run the WHOLE FIELD because Balotelli didn't feel like it (even though it was his responisbility) ? If not, then watch it again, how Sammy literaly was exhausted to death after that run (and others for 80 so minutes).

And THAT was the example of attitude that he was booed for that game, and Curva Nord statement afterwards confirmed that (if my memory is correct and I'm quite sure it was the case).

ps. Pandev offered little in offense, but he was putting 3x the effort that Balotelli did. When you saw Pandev you knew he wanted to help the team with all he got to win the game (on the deffensive end), while Balotelli still lives in 1990s where a striker was just sitting on ass waiting for a ball to come to him. Those days are almost over.

//edit

I knew I already wrote about it. Here it is.

Luka said:

If anybody have a full match, I encourage them to look at 84th minute.

This is a moment, right after Wes slip up, when Balotelli was open on the right side.

But it's not him that is important here.

When Balotelli was focused on complaining to the heavens why Wes couldn't controll the ball, pass to him so he could score a glorious goal, Sammy, who played whole fuckin game, and who was drained through running for 85 minutes all game long, with constant pressing, and who was PUSHED to Diegos position, while Balotelli was pushed to Eto'o position (which make his job to track back), Sammy RAN whole fuckin pitch, to cover for this asshole who didn't feel like it to go back in time when Barcelona was going for another attack.

You can see how Sammy is literally putting his battery to dry with this run, and that he put the last drop of his energy in it.

Unbelievable.

Click to expand...

Luka said:

Get your facts right. Balotelli was not booed because he didn't hit the target, but because of his damn lazy ass attitude.

Didn't you see where in 80th something minute, it was Sammy (who was at that time playing a striker) who HAD to run the WHOLE FIELD because Balotelli didn't feel like it (even though it was his responisbility) ? If not, then watch it again, how Sammy literaly was exhausted to death after that run (and others for 80 so minutes).

And THAT was the example of attitude that he was booed for that game, and Curva Nord statement afterwards confirmed that (if my memory is correct and I'm quite sure it was the case).

ps. Pandev offered little in offense, but he was putting 3x the effort that Balotelli did. When you saw Pandev you knew he wanted to help the team with all he got to win the game (on the deffensive end), while Balotelli still lives in 1990s where a striker was just sitting on ass waiting for a ball to come to him. Those days are almost over.

Click to expand...

Yep, everytime some fans think about that, the blood pressure rises. It was simply an unforgettable performance from him, although winning the THREE trophies - including the Champions League no less - may have put some fans in a more forgiving mood.

Many of us probably still have a big fear, a terrified phobia, of a repeat performance by the young boy. Sometimes I feel sorry for the kid...he still has a hell of a lot to make up for what he's done last season, or rather, what he hasn't done.

It's sad that people overlook his contributions to the team because of his attitude. When Balotelli starts our offense is instantly way more creative and dangerous than with Eto or Pandev.

Stats wise he did very well for the amount of playing time he got....but it's not even about the stats you can see the difference a player like him who can actually hold up the ball and take on players unlike Eto'o/Pandev. Not to mention hes a better finisher.

Luka said:

Get your facts right. Balotelli was not booed because he didn't hit the target, but because of his damn lazy ass attitude.

Didn't you see where in 80th something minute, it was Sammy (who was at that time playing a striker) who HAD to run the WHOLE FIELD because Balotelli didn't feel like it (even though it was his responisbility) ? If not, then watch it again, how Sammy literaly was exhausted to death after that run (and others for 80 so minutes).

And THAT was the example of attitude that he was booed for that game, and Curva Nord statement afterwards confirmed that (if my memory is correct and I'm quite sure it was the case).

ps. Pandev offered little in offense, but he was putting 3x the effort that Balotelli did. When you saw Pandev you knew he wanted to help the team with all he got to win the game (on the deffensive end), while Balotelli still lives in 1990s where a striker was just sitting on ass waiting for a ball to come to him. Those days are almost over.

//edit

I knew I already wrote about it. Here it is.

Click to expand...

Your posts are becoming so 'matter of fact' it is getting quite disgusting Luka...

The fans began booing because his effort was minimal when coming on, but the worst of it was when he took the shot and missed. If you deny that, then you need to get YOUR facts straight. Either way, why the fuck should they be booing anyone in our jersey when we are winning 3-1?? They should be celebrating a great performance, not picking on a frustrated player.

So Pandev gives effort and nothing else, so that makes him a great player...we already have Eto'o doing that when he doesn't score, why do we need Pandev on to just give effort. We are just lucky that Milito was superhuman while Pandev and Eto'o were in bad offensive form, because if he wasn't and Balotelli remained on the bench, we would have lost a lot more games than we did...

Balotelli was frozen out of the club for a month and when he came back, he scored a goal in his first game then was benched by a player that was in awful form. I knew before he even stepped on the field that he would only be giving 50% against Barcelona. The fact is, if the fans gave him some encouragement during that short period, it would have been different. It is not wrong for our fans to demand effort, but they should have understood Mario's situation better...

I can't believe you guys still waste time with Luka. He has an agenda against Balo and clearly rates all the sentimental bullshit over performance on the pitch.

vitomins, does this make him ineligible for the Italian national team?

Sorry but its not the fans job to understand mario's situation. Its mario's job to act like a profesional, he didn't do it that night and put his team in difficulties due to it. If he is unhappy with pandev starting he can discuss it with mou after the game, whatever his frustrations he has a duty towards his teammates,club and fans to always act in a profesional manner.

Gaetan said:

I can't believe you guys still waste time with Luka. He has an agenda against Balo and clearly rates all the sentimental bullshit over performance on the pitch.

vitomins, does this make him ineligible for the Italian national team?

Click to expand...

I do not think it has anything to do with National Teams, only players in the Lega Calcio. For example, Maicon is a member for the AIC. It is the player's association for those who play their club football in Italy...

vitomins said:

Your posts are becoming so 'matter of fact' it is getting quite disgusting Luka...

The fans began booing because his effort was minimal when coming on, but the worst of it was when he took the shot and missed. If you deny that, then you need to get YOUR facts straight. Either way, why the fuck should they be booing anyone in our jersey when we are winning 3-1?? They should be celebrating a great performance, not picking on a frustrated player.

So Pandev gives effort and nothing else, so that makes him a great player...we already have Eto'o doing that when he doesn't score, why do we need Pandev on to just give effort. We are just lucky that Milito was superhuman while Pandev and Eto'o were in bad offensive form, because if he wasn't and Balotelli remained on the bench, we would have lost a lot more games than we did...

Balotelli was frozen out of the club for a month and when he came back, he scored a goal in his first game then was benched by a player that was in awful form. I knew before he even stepped on the field that he would only be giving 50% against Barcelona. The fact is, if the fans gave him some encouragement during that short period, it would have been different. It is not wrong for our fans to demand effort, but they should have understood Mario's situation better...

Click to expand...

It's like talking to the wall.

Let others explain to you the booing part.

I'll just say one more thing: We won CL this year with deffensive TEAMPLAY, with everybody (starting from Lucio, on Milito ending) doing their all. And this is why Pandev played so much and Balotelli sat on his ass. We won CL by playing very effective (in deffense) football, not by imitiating Barca style.

And yet, here is Vito, who Starts Pandev/Balotelli comparisons again, and where is the part of Pandev doing 3x times what Balotelli did (which was vital for our style of play) ? Nowhere. Why would it be important ? After all, it is the main reason Pandev played, and not Balotelli, it was said so many times, but hey, how important can that be ?

That is the TRUTH, but you guys don't like to listen to it, even though it was said MANY TIMES, and IN THE END it was one of main reasons we won CL (by great deffensive play, which Balotelli wouldn't be able to do for his life).

ps. If you want to know why we needed BOTH Sammy and Goran to "put the effort" then sign up for some coaching classes. You will know why.

Gaetan said:

I can't believe you guys still waste time with Luka. He has an agenda against Balo and clearly rates all the sentimental bullshit over performance on the pitch.

Click to expand...

Yes ofcourse. Why think, and use that little thing called brain, when we can go the easy way, right ?

Sentimental bullshit. I've stated numerous times, that it's not the main reason I want him out.

Stefan said:

Sorry but its not the fans job to understand mario's situation. Its mario's job to act like a profesional, he didn't do it that night and put his team in difficulties due to it. If he is unhappy with pandev starting he can discuss it with mou after the game, whatever his frustrations he has a duty towards his teammates,club and fans to always act in a profesional manner.

Click to expand...

Ya because I am sure the guy who froze him out of the squad for a month, would love to sit down and discuss playing time with him. Whatever there is no point in arguing this. I simply do not agree with you sentimental guys on here. That does not mean you love the club anymore than I do, I just feel that in the long run, our club will benefit from keeping this youngster...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pandev: 1,639 minutes played, 3 Goals, 4 Assists = 0.002 goals per minute, 0.002 assists per minute
0.16 goals per match, 0.22 assists per match

Balotelli: 2,073 minutes played, 11 goals, 8 assists = 0.005 goals per minute, 0.004 assists per minute
0.48 goals per match, 0.35 assists per match


When the two players are producing similar goals and assists, then obviously you play the guy who gives you more effort, however, when you have a player producing twice as many goals and assists in the same amount of time, I am sorry but I would choose the goals and assists over the effort....