Italian starlet Mario Balotelli’s poorly attempted backheel has drawn criticism from all quarters, with the enfant terrible not even safe from the scathing condemnation of his teammates. But why?
For those who missed it, Balotelli’s backheel in the so-called ‘World Football Challenge’ (which in reality was a meaningless friendly played in Los Angeles) against the LA Galaxy (see it below) led to a furious Roberto Mancini dragging the 20-year-old striker from the pitch after only 30 minutes.
Led by the on-field actions of Edin Dzeko and Nigel De Jong, hardly a pillar of footballing morality himself, Balotelli was roundly criticised, with the previously invisible Galaxy crowd getting in on the act.
For an English football media starved of any real off-season action, it was the proverbial red rag.
Now before any justification of his actions can occur, it is pertinent to acknowledge Balotelli’s eccentric and increasingly-stupid behaviour.
His summer break has so far entailed:
– Being whisked around by the Italian mafia as he took a day trip around the crime-ridden streets of Napoli.
– Being photographed smoking at the team hotel during Manchester City’s current preseason tour of the USA.
– Storming out of the dressing room after the team’s recent friendly against Vancouver Whitecaps, refusing to speak with the waiting media before sitting, and waiting, on the bus, all with the now-customary Balotelli scowl.
His recent misdemeanors come hot on the trail of a bizarre late season indiscretion, when ‘Super Mario’ was caught throwing darts from a second-storey window at youth players while at City’s Carrington training venue.
So it is fair to say that the young Italian might have a little bit to learn…
Because of this, Roberto Mancini’s decision to demonstrably remove Balotelli can certainly be understood.
In his spells coaching Balotelli at City and Internazionale, Mancini has had a difficult time managing consistent acts of teenage petulance from the striker, and would rightly feel that he must stamp his authority and demand Balotelli mature.
As a manager, it is his right to do so. But does that give the right for his teammates, the crowd and the Galaxy coach Bruce Arenas to have their say?
Firstly, Nigel De Jong is in no position a take the high ground on anything – his ‘respect’ for the opposition was plain to see on his horrific assaults of Hatem Ben Arfa and Xabi Alonso last year, which has saw him banished from his national team.
Secondly, despite the attempt to dress-up the ‘World Football Challenge’, it was a meaningless friendly, and one that no City player would really be interesting in playing.
Lastly, so what if Balotelli wants to be a lair?
Granted, his execution of the Zidane-esque pirouette-and-backheel was a miserable failure, but what would the reaction have been if he had pulled it off? Would the crowd still have booed?
Did they boo after he nonchalantly (and, yes, most would say arrogantly) rolled his penalty into the corner of the net?
From Maradona to Messi, acts of brilliance on the football field do, and must, contain a little bit of arrogance. It is what makes the game special. The impossible appear momentarily possible.
Sure, Balotelli must respect his opponent, but let Mancini make him learn this.
The rest of us should hope we continue to witness the one of the most prodigious talents in Europe blossom into the superstar he rightly should be.
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