Balotelli - What was he thinking?

[Ticket For Schalke]

Are you drunk? there was a huge thread.

I don't mean on here. Naturally, we were in hysterical fits...

That doesn't really make a convincing argument.

He means media.

 

[taconinja]

I don't mean on here. Naturally, we were in hysterical fits...

That doesn't really make a convincing argument.

He means media.

I get that. Neither the media ignoring something nor Bluemoon having a tantrum makes a convincing argument that a situation merits... well... anything really.

 

[johnny on the spot]

I'm sure everyone's taken one good corner at some point in their lives?

 

[Dax777]

I think he really thought he heard a whistle for offsides. If you recall earlier Richards was offside and when he shot the crowd booed him. Knowing how he likes to get rise out of people I think he did that to get reaction from the crowd.

Irregardless I think Mancini handled this wrongly. He turned small incident into something major. No excuses about Mario behaviour once he was subbed but Mancini has to pick his battles. He could have easily handled this at half-time.

Wrong! I think Mancini handled it correctly. Get him out of the game. It was a dumb thing to do, and he deserved a serious reaction from Mancini.

Mancini has to let it be known both in public and private that there is aonly one boss, and nothing he doesn't sanction is acceptable. IF a players messes up royally like Balo did there, he should be excessively punished. So it is well known. You do not pull a prank that embarrasses your coach, your teammates, the opposition and everyone around.

Even the easy go lucky Dzeko looked clearly pissed. That should give anyone a good gauge as to how wrong it must have felt. Those who wanted him to continue till half time miss the point. It is a friendly, and a majority of the players were gonna be subbed anyway. Subbing at half time could just have been the plan. Getting him out immediately was the correct decision.

I applaud Mancini for not letting it slide and pretending it was nothing like many wanted him to do.

 

[taconinja]

I'm sure everyone's taken one good corner at some point in their lives?

Not judging by our players. ;)

 

[BlueJill]

Re: Mario Balotelli Backheel

For those of you that havn't seen it.

Balotelli was through on goal against LA Galaxy and he decided to turn around and back heel it. He was immediately substituted by Mancini.

Thoughts?

Legend or Idiot?

both

 

[StandingAlone22]

ooooooooooohh balotelli
tried to pirouette but he missed the fookin net

Could fit in

OOh Balotelli he's a striker, he' shit at back heels.
he tried to Pirouette but he missed the fuin net...etc etc

doesn't leave the house without some chains around his neck

 

[citymad]

when I was watching live I thought he was taking the piss but I now reckon he thought he was offside. The spot where he stopped to do the pirorette was way off centre and he knew he would miss the goal. Looking back i can see why Mancini lost it but perhaps if Balo had indicated either verbally or with emotion that he thought he was offside before Mancini had taken him off things would have turned out different. Its this lack of emotion from Balo we see time and time again that has caught him and Mancini out. Anyone else reckon this ?

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

I was at the match, about 50 feet away from the Mancini/Balo "conversation."

Mario may have thought he was offside, but I don't think many in the stadium did -- I didn't even think about that being a potential excuse until I got home and read this thread.

Balotelli was booed at introductions and got a lot of stick from the LAG supporters, so maybe he was trying to show them up.

I don't think Mancini considered this particular match just another pre-season warm-up, not with several starters playing 90 mins -- I think this meant more; he wanted the heat turned up. City played much farther forward in the first half than usual, I think.

I want Balo to be the talent he's supposed to be, and City need him. Overly childish on Balo's part; a bit overdramatic on Mancini's part but the right thing to do.

 

[iloveacougar]

he,s going to be a city legend mancini overeacted.