Mario, time to say goodbye?

[Chris in London]

You don't get it, do you?

It's a hypothetical thread about what is best for not just us, but Mario also.

A myth has been perpetuated, to a degree, and can be reflected in the unwarranted yellow cards.

All the same, propoganda is bullshit. He's kicked someone in the fucking head and has let himself and the team down AGAIN.

Regadless of intent, he had previous for it, and that's proved his undoing this time.

His reputation, forged to a large degree by himself, is the reason he has become an easy target.

Difference is, sadly, I think the lad will never be able to realise it in this country.

It's gone too far.

So my hypothetical analysis of him is moot?

Most people on this thread also disagree with your opinion, do they not get it also?

No they don't, clearly.

The post isn't about the analysis of Mario as a player, his qualities etc. The op is even caveated to acknowledge my own personal appreciation for him.

It's about never being able to counter his reputation going before him, and how it will affect both City and him in the future.

Hence, throwing the question out about what should we do, including a hypothesis of an acutal sale.

In posters' rush to defend Mario, all very commendable and expected, the thread quickly moved away from the original premise/argument.

If Mario feels it's all too much and he himself wants away, there is precious little we can do about it. The real question is, if Mario is happy to stay, is it better for us to get rid nonetheless?

I think not.

First, I would genuinely hate to lose what Mario brings us on the pitch. He is an exceptional talent. Even accepting that this comes at a price, IMO it is a price worth paying.

Secondly, the silver lining to the current cloud - as with VK's sending off and various other instances too numerous to mention - is that it is creating a real 'us against the world' mentality both among team and fans that is IMO beneficial. To sell him may well (a) undermine that, and (b) give the impression of caving in under pressure.

Thirdly, the fact that the fans do love him for his off-pitch stuff has a very direct influence on the pitch. Two reasons IMO for this. One, when Mario comes on as he did on Sunday, the entire place is lifted. The crowd gets a lift. The team gets a lift from the crowd. Two, Mario is IMO more motivated to play well when he feels loved, as he does here. So we may well get substantially more out of Mario than we might get out of a like-for-like (almost) replacement like Cavanni. Not that he's a bad player, just that Mario seems to me to have a higher than normal degree of motivation, especially for a player fromt he Italian league.

Finally, as things stand for me the benefits of having Mario outweigh the downside, but as time goes by he is more likely to mature, less likely to be so combustible. I suspect it will always be part of his game, but equally I suspect that as time goes by, referees will be more aware of players trying to provoke him, Mario will have a greater degree of self control, and so on. We all know that Huth did him in the FA Cup final. We all know how well he managed that situation. He can keep a lid on it, but ATM often he doesn't: with greater maturity, IMO he will find that easier to achieve.

So the upside already outweighs the downside at the moment, and the benefits are likely IMO to be greater in the future.

 

[Ticket For Schalke]

The big problem as I see it is that we are not seeing significant improvement. He is not showing an ability to learn or improve. When he joined he was a young player with an attitude problem which needed solving. He's still a young player but his attitude problem is still there. A point comes where you have to decide that the negatives are not going away. He gets that many cards and suspensions that, as it stands, he is ultimately a liability.

Last chance saloon, get rid in summer if there is any repeat.

i think he`s improve in every department.

and using this criteria would you if you were the rags sell wayne rooney

He hasn't improved in the discipline deparment, which is what I'm talking about.

Infact he has.

 

[cyprustavern]

and using this criteria would you if you were the rags sell wayne rooney

There's a huge difference though, rooney has "improved", because they now just ignore most of his antics.

...not just ignore, actively seek to aid him when suspended for violent conduct dont forget.

 

[Thorpiemcfc]

He is just about 21, has dealt with a lot already and is a breath of fresh air, the charitable things he does and his performances more than outweigh his failings.

stick by him 100%, Mancini is the best manager for him, and he has already said he loves manchester and city.

What hope does he have if we all turn on him also!? He will only get better, and thats why the media is so scared of him, he gets nothing on pitches and everthing against him, but sometime thats got to change.

Great player, great character, majority of fans love him just for how he is, (I imagine i'd be like he is in a foreign country at 21 being paid ridiculous amounts of money).

Keep Mario, show him the love he feeds off, he has improved both in attitude and performances game on game (apart form this blip) but I'd prefer to have him in my team than granny-shagger or people who miss drug tests!

 

[lee-mcfc]

Yeah that's go down the easy route and chuck him out already oh dear thank GOD you are not the manager.

Well said Lee, you've got a talent for cutting through the bullshit.

For a guy who is "well-respected" on bluemoon what an embarrassing thread...




i am 100% behind Mario

 

[Dextersmate]

You never know what your going to get with mario...and for that very reason I'd consider a swap deal.

For that very reason,I,d keep him.

 

[Anonymous]

bluemoon is going down the pan ;)

he's been one of our best players this season, why should we get rid of him, who cares what he does outside of football, its what he does on the pitch all of which has been great. If silva did what balo did or kompany this thread wouldnt exist.

plus hes got a great song :)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-tagn3lB3I[/youtube]

terrible thread :) btw

 

[cleavers]

and using this criteria would you if you were the rags sell wayne rooney

There's a huge difference though, rooney has "improved", because they now just ignore most of his antics.

...not just ignore, actively seek to aid him when suspended for violent conduct dont forget.

Marios biggest problem is he's not english, had that incident on Sunday been Gareth Barry, I don't think we'd have heard much about it.

 

[Anonymous]

Anyone care to hazard a guess at how many games he's missed due to injury or suspension since he joined...?

For me that's what this is going to boil down to. Mario is what he is - there's little chance of him having some life changing epiphany and change his attitude. The club need to decide if the pros outweigh the cons. ie. can we keep him fit suspension free for long enough to make a big impact on a season.

Right now it's difficult to for me to call. I love him as a player and agree he has the potential to be the best. But I also think he did stamp on Parker, and regardless of whether he meant to do it or not, to every neutral football observer on the planet bar one or two, it looked for all the world like it was deliberate. He's let Mancini down massively, and as much as he has the backing of nearly every Blue around (me included) he has let us down as well.

Personally I don't think he'll get sold this summer simply because nobody in Italy can afford his transfer fee never mind his wages. However, with Carlos on his way out, and Dzeko being nothing but consistently inconsistent - we need another forward player this summer. Without question...

 

[redmizzle]

Yeah that's go down the easy route and chuck him out already oh dear thank GOD you are not the manager.

Well said Lee, you've got a talent for cutting through the bullshit.

For a guy who is "well-respected" on bluemoon what an embarrassing thread...




i am 100% behind Mario

It's obvious he likes starting controversial threads for the attention.