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Misbehavior would provide Balotelli’s downfall

By on October 23, 2014

What do Roberto Mancini and Jose Mourinho have in common? They both coached Mario Balotelli. Moreover, the have all lost patience with Balotelli. At some point in his time with all of them, it’s not his performances on the pitch that drive the managers nuts, but the personality that comes with it. Not even necessarily his personality – Mancini at least seems to have a good relationship with the Italian striker based on that which they have said – but his disciplinary issues.

From fireworks to pranks and erroneous acts, Balotelli has driven managers nuts. Balotelli’s dismissal in a Manchester City match drove Mancini to the point where he was “finished”. Mourinho has voiced some choice words about Mario as well. Nonetheless, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers took the risk of brining Balotelli on over the summer. It was on the cheap, but still a risk.

Why? Because Balotelli will surely become the scapegoat if the move goes wrong. So far, it has. With just one goal in his first eight matches for the club, questions are being asked. He is struggling to adopt Rodgers’ philosophy. He will be the scapegoat if he has disciplinary problems. It will for easy for him to become one then. Just one false move.

Balotelli is already on the brink. He was subbed at halftime in Liverpool’s clash with Real Madrid, in part possibly because he traded shirts with Pepe a halftime, when his side was 3-0 down. Recent allegations of him harassing a women taking pictures of him in his car will not help. Balotelli needs a clean act or he will be out. Rodgers has already warned him and given him a two month period to start to perform. But even if he does start, any good will be overwhelmed by and small disciplinary trouble.

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.