Mario Balotelli Appreciation Thread

missingtime

After reportedly pulling up at a petrol station in Manchester last weekend and treating everyone on the forecourt to a full tank of car juice, it seems that Mario Balotelli has been sharing the wealth once again – moseying into the The John Rylands University Library (JRUL) at the University of Manchester yesterday afternoon and offering to pay off any overdue book fines for the students therein.

Such a charitable old soul. I mean, what’s not to love? It’s exactly the kind of thing I’d be doing if I was earning £200,000-a-week and working for three hours a day.

Anyway, JRUL themselves have Tweeted that the rumours of Balotelli paying off the student’s fees are untrue, though there is a suspicion that they may just be referring to the fact that their staff are said to have refused Mario’s generous offer and that all library debts remain in place. They haven’t actually refuted the fact that he stopped by on his travels.

To slightly mis-quote Marvin Gaye, it’s probably wise to “believe half of what you see, and none of what you hear” when it comes to Balotelli, though it has to be said – the more reports you read of his benevolence and childlike curiosty, the more difficult it becomes to dislike the chap.

As opposed to most cut-and-paste, media-trained-to-the-eyeballs footballers, Balotelli is in possession of a shred of and idiosyncratic humour and intrigue and, as such, the footballing press have latched on to him like limpets. He’s the gift that keeps on giving. Literally, it appears!

He’s not ‘mad’ and nothing he does comes close to qualifying as ‘madness’, but you can see how he seems completely frog-conkers loopy compared to the rest of his insipid cohorts.

Long may he reign.

http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/man_city/106386/stop-me-if-youve-heard-this-one-before-mario-balotelli-walks-into-a-university-library.html

ASOT

Cantona's Collars

He was caught on camera doing magic tricks in one of the private boxes at the game the other night.

Jimmy Iovine

zerks wrote: »

He was caught on camera doing magic tricks in one of the private boxes at the game the other night.

He wouldn't want to quit the day job anytime soon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ChoB4IYRr0

yermandan

He's the gift that keeps on giving

Bodhisopha

Not sure if i'm sick of him or sick of people going on about him. Will do some soul searching and report back when i find out.

retalivity

Mario kicked out of the Trafford Centre in Manchester because he wouldnt take down his hood

Fuhrer

retalivity wrote: »

Mario kicked out of the Trafford Centre in Manchester because he wouldnt take down his hood

Good to see the BBC reporters doing good work.

AgileMyth

Amazing what passes for news these days.

Totally understandable that he'd want to remain as anonymous as possible. Also totally understandable that the security has this no-hoody rule in place.

kfallon

retalivity wrote: »

Mario kicked out of the Trafford Centre in Manchester because he wouldnt take down his hood

That is a complete non-story tbh :rolleyes:

Neil3030

Sorry lads:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17311138

He didn't buy the petrol for everyone at the station
He didn't give the tramp £1000
He didn't drive around dressed as Santa

However he DID come back with all that crap after being sent out to buy the ironing board!

:pac:

ASOT

Neil3030 wrote: »

Sorry lads:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17311138

He didn't buy the petrol for everyone at the station
He didn't give the tramp £1000
He didn't drive around dressed as Santa

However he DID come back with all that crap after being sent out to buy the ironing board!

:pac:

His antics are like unicorns, even though they dont exist we still believe!

Giggsy11

Very honest with his answers.

Noel Gallagher: So, Mario, I gotta say, it's an honour for me to meet you.

Mario Balotelli: Honour for me.

NG: As a Manchester City supporter, I've supported Manchester City for 40 years, 40 YEARS can you believe that? That's a long time. What I wanna know is when you first got the call about coming to Manchester City, had you heard anything about the club at all?

MB: No, nothing.

NG: Nothing at all?

MB: No.

NG: Apart from we play in blue and we were rubbish apparently.

MB: No I didn't know nothing.

NG: Had you heard anything about the city of Manchester … apart from Man United?

MB: I came three years ago, I played in the game with United so I came here.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/mar/10/noel-gallagher-manchester-city-mario-balotelli

Reekwind

I can understand why the below was cut from the TV broadcast, painful interviewing technique on display

NG: I'll ask you about that, where do you hail from, originally? Where your …

MB: I born in … oh originally?

NG: Yeah.

MB: Or where was I born?

NG: Where were you born?

MB: In Palermo, Sicily.

NG: And where are your ancestors from?

MB: Who?

NG: Your parents …

MB: My natural parents oh, from Ghana.

NG: From Ghana? OK. And have you ever been to … have you been back there?

MB: Never been to Africa in my life.

NG: No?

MB: Never.

NG: I've only been to Egypt, it's very hot. Now listen, I am … I used to be in Oasis and now I've gone solo coz my brother was a bit crazy like you.

Melion

Im proud to have started the first thread about him in this forum

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=55010996

What an absolute legend this guy is

Turtyturd

Reekwind wrote: »

I can understand why the below was cut from the TV broadcast, painful interviewing technique on display

Only the last line was cut from it.

Reekwind

No, I watched the interview on BBC this morning. There was no mention of Africa

Turtyturd

Reekwind wrote: »

No, I watched the interview on BBC this morning. There was no mention of Africa

It is shown in the link above (3:10 onwards)...maybe they cut it out of what was shown on tv though.

wonderboysam

the video if anyones interested

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRB-2kNvlpM

Xavi6

:pac:

ASOT

colly_06

Don't mind me, I'm just randomly walking through a press conference,

http://blogs.thescore.com/footyblog/2012/03/27/24898/

Neil3030

colly_06 wrote: »

Don't mind me, I'm just randomly walking through a press conference,

http://blogs.thescore.com/footyblog/2012/03/27/24898/

Who is that to Stramaccioni's right? Looks the image of Silvio Berlusconi.

theteal

colly_06 wrote: »

Don't mind me, I'm just randomly walking through a press conference,

http://blogs.thescore.com/footyblog/2012/03/27/24898/

it was just on SSN, quite bizarre. . .

Otis Driftwood

I really hope he doesnt leave in the summer.

thomond2006

What a legend.

pickarooney

Stramaccioni looks a fair bit like Jamie from Shameless.

That_Guy

EDIT: Posted already. Appearing at the Inter Milan press conference.

willmunny1990

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-city/9172487/Manchester-Citys-Mario-Balotelli-screamed-at-by-Roberto-Mancini.html

its just one incident after another with him isn't it? people can call him a legend all they want but it's **** like this that could have a detrimental effect on citys title challenge (or already has)

the lad is a bad apple.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

willmunny1990 wrote: »

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-city/9172487/Manchester-Citys-Mario-Balotelli-screamed-at-by-Roberto-Mancini.html

its just one incident after another with him isn't it? people can call him a legend all they want but it's **** like this that could have a detrimental effect on citys title challenge (or already has)

the lad is a bad apple.

Coach yells at player in training. How is this newsworthy?

upandcumming

I like him. But I didn't like that he did there at the Inter press conference. Real attention seeking. Nice thing he did, but undone it by doing it like that.

Blatter

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1490627_breaking-mario-balotelli-unhurt-after-car-crash-at-deansgate-locks-manchester

lol, I know it wasn't his fault but this is getting slightly ridiculous at this stage. :pac:

The Floyd p

Beast.

castletownman

SUPER MARIO AVOIDS BEING KARTED OFF TO HOSPITAL

ScummyMan

Hmmm very quiet in here now.

The man is a pr!ck of the highest order. He's basically just cost his team the title as a result of his own stupidity. Maybe I'm biased as a United fan, but how anyone can love an idiot like this is beyond me.

Fuhrer

I love that hes at City

amacachi

I was done with him when he tried to stamp on another player's head.

Paul Tergat

Man.UnitedLad wrote: »

Hmmm very quiet in here now.

The man is a pr!ck of the highest order. He's basically just cost his team the title as a result of his own stupidity. Maybe I'm biased as a United fan, but how anyone can love an idiot like this is beyond me.

Explain how

Fight_Night

Hmm, the public may begin to turn on him now.

Richard Hillman

Sky's treatment of him was disgraceful today.

ASOT

Paul Tergat wrote: »

Explain how

Dont mind him he obviously takes everything gary neville says as gospel.

kryogen

Thank you Mario, I appreciate you.

Paul Tergat

Fight_Night wrote: »

Hmm, the public may begin to turn on him now.

the problem is a big % of the country are numbskulls who take the view of whatever the backpages tell them.

ScummyMan

Paul Tergat wrote: »

Explain how

He's been a total distraction from the word go! Last week prime example when he threw a hissy fit about taking a free kick and had to be dragged away. What's that meant to do for team morale? Every single press conferance with Macini questions are asked about him. How many times this season have we seen petulance from him like the stamp today?

Contrast that with Man.Uniteds performance vs Blackburn. The team played for each other, that's why they will win the league. City may have the better players, but team spirit wins a league.

MD1990

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Sky's treatment of him was disgraceful today.

Rooney used to be like Balotelli at his age
but he was just showing his passion

ASOT

Man.UnitedLad wrote: »

He's been a total distraction from the word go! Last week prime example when he threw a hissy fit about taking a free kick and had to be dragged away. What's that meant to do for team morale? Every single press conferance with Macini questions are asked about him. How many times this season have we seen petulance from him like the stamp today?

Contrast that with Man.Uniteds performance vs Blackburn. The team played for each other, that's why they will win the league. City may have the better players, but team spirit wins a league.

If it wasnt for him they would have lost last week.

Paul Tergat

Man.UnitedLad wrote: »

He's been a total distraction from the word go! Last week prime example when he threw a hissy fit about taking a free kick and had to be dragged away. What's that meant to do for team morale? Every single press conferance with Macini questions are asked about him. How many times this season have we seen petulance from him like the stamp today?

Contrast that with Man.Uniteds performance vs Blackburn. The team played for each other, that's why they will win the league. City may have the better players, but team spirit wins a league.

So you reckon its just him? you dont think tevez should take any blame? mancini for some frankly weird subs. City were rocking before the last 2 matches in which, granted, Mario should have acted a little better.

Im a Utd fan so not complaining but this should not turn into some sort of scapegoat situation. Who of City's attacking players played well today?

Phoenix Park

Fight_Night wrote: »

Hmm, the public may begin to turn on him now.

Why wouldn't they. He tried to break a man's leg today. A coward's tackle. Sometimes the obvious is correct. If i were a City fan i'd be desperate to see him sold in the summer.

ScummyMan

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Sky's treatment of him was disgraceful today.

This has to be taking the p!ss? What exactly were they meant to say?

Oh hard luck Mario harsh red card, you only stamped on a players knee, went in twice high and finally did it by sliding in late. You also contributed nothing to Citys attack, and were generally a pain in the arse. But still, well played son.

KittyeeTrix

Man.UnitedLad wrote: »

This has to be taking the p!ss? What exactly were they meant to say?

Oh hard luck Mario harsh red card, you only stamped on a players knee, went in twice high and finally did it by sliding in late. You also contributed nothing to Citys attack, and were generally a pain in the arse. But still, well played son.

I don't think anybody is saying that Sky should've praised the lad today at all!!

I believe it to be like the scenario of a bridge overloaded with cars. The bridge collapses at a certain point, now, it would be unfair to blame the driver of the last car onto the bridge as he did not collapse the bridge alone

---

it was a group effort if ya get me.

The same applies to Balo, he is responsible in part for some of City's disastrous end of season but he certainly isn't alone:)