Mario Balotelli [On the Road to Ballon d'or)

[Gazzla]

I personally thought the substitute appearance from Balotelli on Thursday was his best performance in a red shirt, I find any criticism of that performance absolutely bizarre, just give the poor ****er a break.

[captainfog]

I have absolutely no problem at all with Brendan's management of Mario.

Everyone is different. Everyone needs managing differently. Some people need the cliched arm around the shoulder, others need to be continually booted up the arse.

I prefer to look at the outcomes rather than the methods. Pretty much every player that Brendan has given public critique about has come back much improved, working harder and more productive.

If the manager thinks that Mario could improve further, and he's not reaching his potential, then that is fine with me.

I don't buy that. It's been relentless criticism that hasn't worked for most of the season. Now Mario has played well for 20 minutes it's worked and Rodgers is a genius?

The odd public kick up the backside is fine, but it's all Rodgers has done since Mario joined. It just feeds the media circus surrounding the player. Keep it in house, don't play this **** out in public.

Unless of course Rodgers has another agenda.

[Chris]

I don't buy that. It's been relentless criticism that hasn't worked for most of the season. Now Mario has played well for 20 minutes it's worked and Rodgers is a genius?

The odd public kick up the backside is fine, but it's all Rodgers has done since Mario joined. It just feeds the media circus surrounding the player. Keep it in house, don't play this **** out in public.

Unless of course Rodgers has another agenda.

Nah, thats a load of ****, he was defending him loads earlier in the season. (If I went back and searched I guess I'd find you hammering Rodgers for defending him too)

http://www.teamtalk.com/news/2483/9525525/Brendan-Rodgers-defends-Liverpool-striker-Mario-Baloteli

http://www.thisisanfield.com/2014/10/brendan-rodgers-defends-mario-balotelli-despite-liverpools-goalless-draw-hull/

[captainfog]

Nah, thats a load of ****, he was defending him loads earlier in the season. (If I went back and searched I guess I'd find you hammering Rodgers for defending him too)

http://www.teamtalk.com/news/2483/9525525/Brendan-Rodgers-defends-Liverpool-striker-Mario-Baloteli

http://www.thisisanfield.com/2014/10...ess-draw-hull/

Good luck finding those quotes.

For every supportive comment you can find loads more negative ones. After his first game he was chatting **** about how Balo had never marked anyone at a corner before and things haven't changed much since then.

As far as I'm concerned it's indefensible gob****ery.

I'll leave it to Marcus to point you in the direction of all the negative stuff, after all, he's the one who trawls through the internet looking for mud to throw at Rodgers. Ain't that right Marcus

[Chris]

After his first game he was chatting **** about how Balo had never marked anyone at a corner before and things haven't changed much since then.

You know you are struggling when you use that as evidence of an "attack" from the manager! It's more of a dig at his past managers if anything.

Here's the vicious Rodgers attack in full :

"He was very good. I think you all saw Mario’s workrate, pressing and effort out there today. He was disappointed not to score.

"He’s a good guy and a good man. If you take away the circus around him, control the background noise and get him to solely focus on football, you can see his quality.

"It’s the first time ever he’s marked at a corner. I’m being serious - and he's an international player. We were working on corners in training and he said ‘I’ve not marked at a corner before’. I said ‘you do now’. You need to treat him as an adult."

[dom9]

I don't buy that. It's been relentless criticism that hasn't worked for most of the season. Now Mario has played well for 20 minutes it's worked and Rodgers is a genius?

The odd public kick up the backside is fine, but it's all Rodgers has done since Mario joined. It just feeds the media circus surrounding the player. Keep it in house, don't play this **** out in public.

Unless of course Rodgers has another agenda.

Well, you're entitled to your opinion, and as usual it's wrong.

Nobody is suggesting that the manager is a genius either.

[captainfog]

I'm not attacking Rodgers for saying that (although it wasn't true, he had marked at corners before). I was just pointing out it was the first negative thing he said about him. I also never claimed he has never said anything positive about him.

There has been a clear pattern of Rodgers criticising Mario, this latest one being the most bizarre. I'm not saying I haven't agreed with some of the criticism, but what I do disagree with is so much being said in public. I don't think Rodgers wanted to sign Mario and don't think he's changed his mind on that, James Pearce (his mouthpiece) has said as much in the Echo. Now, that raises the question as whether all this public criticism isn't Rodgers fighting internal battles out in the open, something that I really do not like to see.

[captainfog]

Nobody is suggesting that the manager is a genius either.

figure of speech

[dom9]

figure of speech

That's the trouble with the internet. People paraphrase, summarise, then reinterpret into the black and white, then the arguments become polarised and ever more extreme. When in truth, the opinions on all sides are somewhere in between.

[Vermilion]

Look look, he. is. back!!

[ame="http://youtu.be/9eE-AhANU0w"]Mario Balotelli Screamer in Training - YouTube[/ame]

[marcus50bucks]

You've done it about 10 times in the last month, barely a word of credit for the run we are on but instead trawls every interview he does to find something to criticise. Don't start crying when you insult the manager and get a bit back! at the rest, is that meant to be intimidating or something?!

You and the other whining babies kicked off the other week about Rodgers comments and what do you know Mario suddenly started performing, perhaps Rodgers knows him better than you, Jon Jones.

You can take my post which ever way you like Chris but I'm done firing shots on the internet. My posting style obviously irritates you hence your cheap shots. I've said it to you before and I'll say it to you again if you have problem with me send a pm and we'll take it from there. Quit running your mouth behind your keyboard.

[muddym2002]

You can take my post which ever way you like Chris but I'm done firing shots on the internet. My posting style obviously irritates you hence your cheap shots. I've said it to you before and I'll say it to you again if you have problem with me send a pm and we'll take it from there. Quit running your mouth behind your keyboard.

[Chazza]

Sending a PM would still be behind a keyboard though

[RedRum]

I'm not attacking Rodgers for saying that (although it wasn't true, he had marked at corners before). I was just pointing out it was the first negative thing he said about him. I also never claimed he has never said anything positive about him.

There has been a clear pattern of Rodgers criticising Mario, this latest one being the most bizarre. I'm not saying I haven't agreed with some of the criticism, but what I do disagree with is so much being said in public. I don't think Rodgers wanted to sign Mario and don't think he's changed his mind on that, James Pearce (his mouthpiece) has said as much in the Echo. Now, that raises the question as whether all this public criticism isn't Rodgers fighting internal battles out in the open, something that I really do not like to see.

Its not that bizarre really, Brendan said he stopped working hard after the penalty had been scored. I doubt many people watching the game noticed but obviously there is far more the manager can see from the touchline. I think Brendan is going about it the right way.

[captainfog]

I'm amazed people think its acceptable for the club to wash it's dirty linen in public.