Liverpool's Mario Balotelli close to wearing out his welcome with boss Rodgers and team-mates
Nov 29, 2014 22:30 By Steve Bates
At least one senior player has voiced concerns to manager about striker accused of staying up to 2am the night before a game and letting pals into Melwood
Brendan Rodgers was forced to tell wacky Italian striker Mario Balotelli to get himself to bed just hours *before a Champions League game in Switzerland, writes Steve Bates in the Sunday People.
The hotel incident is just one of a string of episodes that have left Balotelli’s days at Liverpool numbered – with the star finally *driving Kop boss Rodgers close to *complete distraction.
Today we can reveal the behind-the-scenes events that have left Rodgers *realising the signing of £16million Balotelli from AC Milan was a major *mistake now *undermining his own position.
Misfit Balotelli has been a *massive flop on the pitch for the Reds – but it is his off-field antics which have impacted most on Rodgers’ view of the off-beat star once branded “unmanageable” by Chelsea chief Jose Mourinho.
And with dressing-room harmony and internal club discipline at stake, Rodgers has held talks with close staff members about their future strategy with – or without – the 24-year-old.
Rodgers had considered paying a premium of up to £4m to trigger the release of Belgian striker Divock Origi, who was bought for £10m by Liverpool last summer and allowed to remain at Lille until next season.
Like Roberto Mancini at Manchester City before him, Rodgers was *prepared to accommodate Balotelli’s wild streak if the Italy star was delivering where it matters most – on the field.
But without a Premier League goal since November 28, 2012, when he scored at Wigan for City, Balotelli’s disruption of Liverpool’s season is extending way beyond the pitch.
At City Mancini was eventually forced to give up and sell protege Balotelli to AC Milan – and Rodgers is facing a re-run.
Like any manager, for Rodgers the concept of maintaining a disciplined environment is key to the overall team spirit in the club.
But Balotelli has made it *increasingly difficult for Rodgers to keep a balance of fairness within his squad.
And that was never more evident than in Liverpool’s luxury Swiss hotel the night before they played Basel in the Champions League in October.
According to informed club sources, Balotelli welcomed an entourage of Italian friends, who had driven across the border to link up with their pal.
Balotelli, who was not drinking, sat in the hotel lounge laughing and *chatting with his friends. But while other team-mates *gradually drifted off to bed around 10pm the striker showed no signs of calling it a night.
Rodgers was alerted by other staff members and had words with Balotelli not to be up too much longer as the clock ticked towards midnight.
Startled hotel guests say it was around 2am when Balotelli finally said farewell to his friends and turned in – hours before Liverpool lost 1-0 to the Swiss side to put the skids under their Champions League campaign.
And one source told Sunday People Sport: “Brendan Rodgers had to come and tell Mario not to stay up too long. He went over, tapped his watch and said, ‘Not much longer Mario’.
“But he was having fun with his friends and didn’t look about to curtail his night.” Ironically, Liverpool must beat Basle at Anfield a week on Tuesday to go through to the knockout stage of Europe’s elite competition.
Whether Balotelli is still at the club when the Champions League resumes in February is open to debate.
For Rodgers is concerned at the reaction of other Anfield stars to Balotelli’s antics. The Liverpool boss sees the club’s Melwood training ground as a *sacrosanct area where the crucial preparation work for matches is *carried out.
But we understand on more than one occasion a group of Balotelli’s friends have turned up at the training ground gates to see the Italian.
And it is believed Balotelli has let them into the complex – a strict no-no for many of the other players. At least one senior England player has carried concerns over Balotelli’s behaviour to Rodgers in recent weeks.
Having gone so close to their first League title in 24 years last season, Boston-based owners John W Henry and chairman Tom Werner have *growing concerns at the way Liverpool have gone backwards in the last six months.
Even though Luis Suarez was sold to Barcelona for £75m, the club’s *hierarchy expected a strong title tilt, especially after a summer investment of more than £115m.
So far those hopes have unraveled – with maverick Balotelli seemingly the focal point of everything that has gone wrong this season.
The dilemma for Rodgers is how much longer he can let that continue.
Nov 29, 2014 22:30 By Steve Bates
At least one senior player has voiced concerns to manager about striker accused of staying up to 2am the night before a game and letting pals into Melwood
Brendan Rodgers was forced to tell wacky Italian striker Mario Balotelli to get himself to bed just hours *before a Champions League game in Switzerland, writes Steve Bates in the Sunday People.
The hotel incident is just one of a string of episodes that have left Balotelli’s days at Liverpool numbered – with the star finally *driving Kop boss Rodgers close to *complete distraction.
Today we can reveal the behind-the-scenes events that have left Rodgers *realising the signing of £16million Balotelli from AC Milan was a major *mistake now *undermining his own position.
Misfit Balotelli has been a *massive flop on the pitch for the Reds – but it is his off-field antics which have impacted most on Rodgers’ view of the off-beat star once branded “unmanageable” by Chelsea chief Jose Mourinho.
And with dressing-room harmony and internal club discipline at stake, Rodgers has held talks with close staff members about their future strategy with – or without – the 24-year-old.
Rodgers had considered paying a premium of up to £4m to trigger the release of Belgian striker Divock Origi, who was bought for £10m by Liverpool last summer and allowed to remain at Lille until next season.
Like Roberto Mancini at Manchester City before him, Rodgers was *prepared to accommodate Balotelli’s wild streak if the Italy star was delivering where it matters most – on the field.
But without a Premier League goal since November 28, 2012, when he scored at Wigan for City, Balotelli’s disruption of Liverpool’s season is extending way beyond the pitch.
At City Mancini was eventually forced to give up and sell protege Balotelli to AC Milan – and Rodgers is facing a re-run.
Like any manager, for Rodgers the concept of maintaining a disciplined environment is key to the overall team spirit in the club.
But Balotelli has made it *increasingly difficult for Rodgers to keep a balance of fairness within his squad.
And that was never more evident than in Liverpool’s luxury Swiss hotel the night before they played Basel in the Champions League in October.
According to informed club sources, Balotelli welcomed an entourage of Italian friends, who had driven across the border to link up with their pal.
Balotelli, who was not drinking, sat in the hotel lounge laughing and *chatting with his friends. But while other team-mates *gradually drifted off to bed around 10pm the striker showed no signs of calling it a night.
Rodgers was alerted by other staff members and had words with Balotelli not to be up too much longer as the clock ticked towards midnight.
Startled hotel guests say it was around 2am when Balotelli finally said farewell to his friends and turned in – hours before Liverpool lost 1-0 to the Swiss side to put the skids under their Champions League campaign.
And one source told Sunday People Sport: “Brendan Rodgers had to come and tell Mario not to stay up too long. He went over, tapped his watch and said, ‘Not much longer Mario’.
“But he was having fun with his friends and didn’t look about to curtail his night.” Ironically, Liverpool must beat Basle at Anfield a week on Tuesday to go through to the knockout stage of Europe’s elite competition.
Whether Balotelli is still at the club when the Champions League resumes in February is open to debate.
For Rodgers is concerned at the reaction of other Anfield stars to Balotelli’s antics. The Liverpool boss sees the club’s Melwood training ground as a *sacrosanct area where the crucial preparation work for matches is *carried out.
But we understand on more than one occasion a group of Balotelli’s friends have turned up at the training ground gates to see the Italian.
And it is believed Balotelli has let them into the complex – a strict no-no for many of the other players. At least one senior England player has carried concerns over Balotelli’s behaviour to Rodgers in recent weeks.
Having gone so close to their first League title in 24 years last season, Boston-based owners John W Henry and chairman Tom Werner have *growing concerns at the way Liverpool have gone backwards in the last six months.
Even though Luis Suarez was sold to Barcelona for £75m, the club’s *hierarchy expected a strong title tilt, especially after a summer investment of more than £115m.
So far those hopes have unraveled – with maverick Balotelli seemingly the focal point of everything that has gone wrong this season.
The dilemma for Rodgers is how much longer he can let that continue.
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