Italy coach Roberto Mancini admits Mario Balotelli ought to be at the ‘peak’ of his career, but has proved to be ‘disappointing for all of us who knew him as a person and a player.’
The striker turned 31 last month and is currently struggling to get a goal for newly-promoted Turkish Super Lig side Adana Demirspor.
It comes after failing to last a full season at Serie B club Monza, Brescia and Olympique Marseille.
“I worked with Balotelli when he was young and did really well. He was and still is in terms of technique a great player. Let’s not forget he is 31 years old, so ought to be at his peak,” Mancini told RAI Sport.
“Clearly, it was disappointing for all of us who knew him as a person and a player that in the last five or six years he was unable to do what he was capable of doing.”
Mancini trained SuperMario both at Inter and Manchester City, famously clashing with him in training and during a pre-season friendly to bring their rapport to an early end.
Balo went on to Milan, Liverpool and OGC Nice, never fully reaching the potential that he so obviously had.
His Italy career also stalled with 14 goals in 36 senior caps, most recently featuring in the Nations League draw with Poland in September 2018.
The coach at the time was again Mancini, just starting out his tenure on the Azzurri bench, which would eventually lead to triumph at UEFA EURO 2020.
lets never mention him again. itll only make him bitter and angry. his career didnt turn out all that bad, made tons of money, owns lambos and ferraris, dates european super models, etc. hes had more than his share of great chances and choices in life.
14 goals in 36 games while immobile has 15 in 53….he could be of help to the azzurri instead of this dizzy immobile
Balotelli unfortunately was the master of his own destiny. I remember I was so excited when he broke out so young so much promise. Seemed to me after his stint at Liverpool things started to go downhill very fast. Very unfortunate one of many young Italian players who had so much promise and flopped.
I know it’s trendy to bash Ciro, but playing Balotelli instead of him is one of the most ridiculous suggestions imaginable.
The British Press cannot deny its role in the demise of Super Mario’s carrier. To deny bad Press did not affect Balotelli psychologically will amount to hypocrisy. We have witnessed the similar treatment of black players in England played out over time and Euro 2020 tournament confirmed what black football fans and players have had to live with. Sterling, Saka, Rashford, Alli have had their share of bad British Press. And those before them (black players) were neither spared.
Balo is better than all of there strikers upto date no doubt about that he is naturally gifted, He still got place in that national team
As for me, immobile is more than a day day old dead chicken that can’t even do anything. He’s so lazy, so dull, so terrible in lack of any technical gift and kept wondering why a bad trash as immobile should be leading the line up front for a side as good and as wonderful as the azurris. It’s so unfortunate that Mr manchini has not found out that his team’s lack of goal scoring in all campaigns is as a result of a very poor uncharacteristic finishing from a strike everyone had taught would have taken the entire world by storm.
Therefore, immobile for me should even be asked to go home from the azurris camp after all, I can’t even imagine a lit of players in a squad where virtually some 30% of them are doing nothing to helping the azurris team clinch unto what they got in the euros.
Super Mario balotelli was known for his on and off field troubles yet I still believed that if his insolences were a little more tolerated, then he would have been made a very better footballer now that he should be at the peak of his career at the age of just 31. Let’s not forget that @antonio conte did contribute to why balotelli never really had a commanding role in the azurris squad whilst not even inviting him for the last euros where Italy crashed out against Germany in a penalty shootout despite balotelli still being at his very best at that time.
Sadly now it will always be a case of what might have been. At least I can watch his demolition of the Germans on youtube and remember what a fantastic player we had on our hands!
Mancini knows the remedy for this team striking options. He knows balotelli needs to be in this squad . To offer a different dimension to their game. This is good criticism to get into Mario’s head to make him determined. We’ll see his return shortly . A much needed return
Balotelli and kean upfront
Balotelli should have stayed in the Serie A when he decided to go for money to the EPL. He is solely to blame for his current predicament. Not even an afterthought when his country needs someone with his NATURAL talent infront of goal…. what does the (nasty) attitude help now?
Balloteli is not a flop and will never be a flop. Immobile is an additional player on a team.