Little worried about Balo

Good post, bring back Corradi to help him settle in :-)

Having said that we have a strong Italian influence in the backroom already (Bottara?, Salsano?, Lombardo... excuse the spellings!)

Damocles said:
I'm a little worried by the Balotelli signing, and City will have to manage this lad exactly right.

I was actually one of the loudest voices in the Transfer Forum about signing this player, he is ridiculously good and could be one of the best players in the world in a few years. He is also built for the Premiership, and for a club like ourselves. In footballing terms, it's a perfect match.

However, there's something that has been bugging me for the past few days since I've read his comments and seen his interviews. He seems a little....Anelka-ish. One of the traits that many people used to mention about Anelka is the fact that he couldn't speak great English despite spending most of his career here, he was a bit of a loner in the dressing room and was shy/inward when it came to his own problems. This was sealed at Madrid when instead of asking somebody which locker was his, he basically didn't use one for the first few weeks as he didn't want to offend. Another story I remember reading about him was that he was concerned about something football related then made a passing comment, which his teammates dismissed as a "nothing issue". He later mentioned it to a French magazine writer who he was mates with (and comfortable talking to) which ended up getting him fined, banned and thrown out of Madrid. The point, is that he was a bit too shy to talk to management about it, spoke to a mate for which he was punished for.

This might be a non-issue with Balo purely because he has said that Mancini is a large reason why he's here (60% actually), so you'd imagine that they have good communication between them, and with Viera here he has a mate in the dressing room.

However, something still bugs me about his ability to settle outside of Italy. I think this is one of those players who City really need to buy a house for, set up his home life, have a guy around to completely help him settle down in his new area, find him good English lessons, etc so that he can concentrate on his football. I don't know whether they currently do this or not, but if they don't they certainly should be doing. The fact that Tevez is speaking about his desire to go back to Argentina regularly makes me think that we aren't doing a great job with helping the players once they get here.

We already know that Balo can play well whilst having personal problems, like he did in Italy. Imagine how good he will be without them. Many of the real top players of the game have been the type to have personal problems but as soon as they found their 'home', they became greats. Maradona, Cantona, Henry, even Tony Adams come to mind.

I do think that this is going to be a rocky relationship until he really settles in properly. I'd imagine that he'll talk to Italian newspapers, he say a few things that will piss people off, and god forbid if Mancini went, he'd be real trouble. However, if we get him in the right frame of mind, he'll be a fucking superstar.

As I say, he just reminds me of Anelka somewhat in his seeming isolation from the culture around him and we won't see the best of the guy until we can put him in a comfortable position at home as well as on the pitch.
Click to expand...
 
Mancio said:
Be quite Damocles mate , balo is a very social guys with just two little problems. he like to piss in the bags of his team mates :=) and he like a lot to fuk wonderful pussy ;)

the most important thing City have to do is to pay a body guard who has to find pussy in day hours and to keep balo close at home in the night......
Click to expand...

To: MCFC Personnel Dept.
Re: Possible vacancies.

Dear Sirs,
It has come to my attention that a position of "Pussy-finder in chief" may soon be created. I would like to apply in advance, should this position become available...........................etc.

Yours in desperation,
ianw16.
 
Balo had a lack of support and love from people in Italy from the sounds of it so it's up to us to make him really feel loved and welcomed and make him feel at home, and maybe he'll develop an affection to us because of it after all he went through in Italy.

Although I'm concerned about him, he could really be something major for this club if it goes right.
 
It is a hugely highrisk signing.


There's no doubt he has the potential to be a brilliant signing, but I'll be honest and say I would not have signed him.

I don't see why, when the club is in such a strong position in the transfer market, a strong transfer policy should be implemented.

Some of the most successful managers in the transfer market have quite strict policies regarding the personalities of players they sign and the player's individual motivations.

Asking a 20 year old who has never left Italy, who is known to be a difficult and awkward character, who has the ability to attract controversy and who will, you would have to assume, find it a huge upheaval to be living in a foreign country for the first time ever at a young age, to fit in smoothly - well, I have huge doubts about it.

In fact, I would put money on it ending in tears.

I obviously hope it won't and hope the manager, who knows him far better than most, has taken all this into account. I presume he has and I'm willing to wait and see and hope to be proven wrong.

However, at the time of the Bellamy signing I said on here that the club should implement a 'no twats' transfer policy, purely because they have the power and money to do so. It isn't the best of wording, but I don't see the point in taking massive risks with well known 'concerns.'

£25/30m is a ridiculous amount to be gambling with on such a risky transfer.

Let's hope it pays off. But I question why the club needs to gamble - not just with the money but also with, possibly more importantly (and as evidenced with Bellamy) the stability of the squad.
 
On the plus side at least Mancini's instruction to Balo will be crystal, he'll play exactly as instructed.
If he wants the ball it's not like he can't put his arm up or shout names because of the language barrier.

He'll be fine as long as Paddy V and Mancini are around.
 
He should be able to communicate with the spanish and portuguese speakers. As it is very possible to understand them if you speak italian.
 
He said he would have liked to stay in Italy, but what the dumb shit media didn't pick up was that it was impossible for him to stay, so he had no choice but to go elsewhere.
 
Damocles said:
I'm a little worried by the Balotelli signing, and City will have to manage this lad exactly right.

I was actually one of the loudest voices in the Transfer Forum about signing this player, he is ridiculously good and could be one of the best players in the world in a few years. He is also built for the Premiership, and for a club like ourselves. In footballing terms, it's a perfect match.

However, there's something that has been bugging me for the past few days since I've read his comments and seen his interviews. He seems a little....Anelka-ish. One of the traits that many people used to mention about Anelka is the fact that he couldn't speak great English despite spending most of his career here, he was a bit of a loner in the dressing room and was shy/inward when it came to his own problems. This was sealed at Madrid when instead of asking somebody which locker was his, he basically didn't use one for the first few weeks as he didn't want to offend. Another story I remember reading about him was that he was concerned about something football related then made a passing comment, which his teammates dismissed as a "nothing issue". He later mentioned it to a French magazine writer who he was mates with (and comfortable talking to) which ended up getting him fined, banned and thrown out of Madrid. The point, is that he was a bit too shy to talk to management about it, spoke to a mate for which he was punished for.

This might be a non-issue with Balo purely because he has said that Mancini is a large reason why he's here (60% actually), so you'd imagine that they have good communication between them, and with Viera here he has a mate in the dressing room.

However, something still bugs me about his ability to settle outside of Italy. I think this is one of those players who City really need to buy a house for, set up his home life, have a guy around to completely help him settle down in his new area, find him good English lessons, etc so that he can concentrate on his football. I don't know whether they currently do this or not, but if they don't they certainly should be doing. The fact that Tevez is speaking about his desire to go back to Argentina regularly makes me think that we aren't doing a great job with helping the players once they get here.

We already know that Balo can play well whilst having personal problems, like he did in Italy. Imagine how good he will be without them. Many of the real top players of the game have been the type to have personal problems but as soon as they found their 'home', they became greats. Maradona, Cantona, Henry, even Tony Adams come to mind.

I do think that this is going to be a rocky relationship until he really settles in properly. I'd imagine that he'll talk to Italian newspapers, he say a few things that will piss people off, and god forbid if Mancini went, he'd be real trouble. However, if we get him in the right frame of mind, he'll be a fucking superstar.

As I say, he just reminds me of Anelka somewhat in his seeming isolation from the culture around him and we won't see the best of the guy until we can put him in a comfortable position at home as well as on the pitch.
Click to expand...


Great points. The good news, is that City has come a long way since the days of Anelka. There is now a player support team to help players assimilate and take care of their real lives. Including extensive assistance with finding housing and sorting out all the details that can be a distraction and take their minds off the job at hand. We aren't just bunging him some money and hoping. It's an impressive organization we have. Despite what the media reports would lead you to believe.
 
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