Bored, irrational and unmanageable: Why Mancini's 'Balotelli Project' at Man City ...

By
Ian Ladyman

PUBLISHED:

18:30 EST, 29 January 2013

|

UPDATED:

18:30 EST, 29 January 2013

It is hard to think of many people in the history of English sport whose habits, personality and behaviour are more extreme even than the caricature of them developed by the media.

George Best may fall into that category; John McEnroe also. Most certainly, Mario Balotelli does.

Balotelli leaves Manchester City this week without us really knowing him. Certainly we do not know him as a footballer. Rarely, if ever, did we see the young genius people talked about when he arrived in August 2010.

Changing faces: Mario Balotelli has always courted controversy, or a few laughs at Manchester City

A DATE FOR YOUR DIARY

The Milan derby! Balotelli will line up in AC colours against his former club Internazionale on Sunday 24 February.

What we did hear and see was rarely
about the football. Ultimately, that is why City manager Roberto Mancini
— his single biggest champion for most of the striker's two-and-a-half
years here — has sanctioned his sale this week.

Sadly, Balotelli's life in Manchester
was full of more unhappiness, loneliness and irrationality than reached
the TV screens or the pages of the newspapers. City's efforts to
integrate him could not have been more comprehensive or indeed more
futile.

He leaves simply as one troubled young sportsman who just could not be helped.

In the early days, Mancini thought he
could fix Balotelli on his own. He afforded him special privileges, overlooking some of his smaller misdemeanours. And, sensing his young
protege's loneliness in his Manchester flat, he used to send his son
Andrea to entice Balotelli into the first team's social circle. It did
not work.

Now you see him, now you don't: Balotelli shows off his camouflaged Bentley and quad bike

Now you see him, now you don’t: Balotelli shows off his camouflaged Bentley and quad bike

Later on, when Balotelli did develop a
social life in the north-west, it involved the wrong people and the
wrong places at the wrong hour.

Over time, life coaches, City's own
player-support staff and even the club chaplain devoted an increasing
number of hours to what some at the Etihad Stadium called 'the Balotelli
project'. However, it has been clear to all but the most blinkered that
the battle was lost some time ago.

Mancini feels disappointed, both in
Balotelli and himself. The City boss is as hard on himself as he is on
his players and feels he has failed. His staff, though, feared the worst
within weeks of Balotelli arriving and told Mancini so.

'I have never known anyone like him in all my years in the game,' said one at the time. 'He is impossible to handle.'

Bust-up: Balotelli was involved in a furious shoving match with Roberto Mancini at training earlier this month

On the training field, Balotelli would
react in one of two ways to his own mistakes. He would either feign
injury — often simply falling to the floor — or take out his
embarrassment on other players. Usually verbally, occasionally
physically.

Mancini's staff identified this not as a symptom of malice but, more worryingly, of mental weakness.

Away from the club he would isolate
himself. On away trips he would remain in his hotel room and request
room service. On other occasions, he would seek stimulation away from
the hotel when he knew he was not supposed to.

Infamy, infamy... why have they all got it infamy? Baloteli celebrates scoring his first goal at Old Trafford in October 2011

Balotelli

Down to a T: Balotelli celebrates scoring his first goal at Old Trafford in October 2011 (left)

Balotelli smoking a cigarette

Balotelli

Balotelli smoking a cigarette and in his famous chicken hat

Among his team-mates, Balotelli was
not unpopular. Many indulged him. During a recent community event at the
Etihad, Balotelli's boredom as he waited for the arrival of a group of
underprivileged children threatened to spiral out of control until
another senior player let him use his iPad.

'It's like having your kid brother with you,' said the player, with a smile that portrayed something close to affection.

Two hours later, after Balotelli had
charmed his young visitors, he roared off in his camouflage Bentley,
having forgotten he had promised Micah Richards a lift home. It was
minus one outside and the injured Richards was on crutches. 'I should
have known that would happen,' shrugged the defender.

The fire brigade were called to Balotelli's Cheshire home after he set off fireworks in the bathroom

The fire brigade were called to Balotelli’s Cheshire home after he set off fireworks in the bathroom

Balotelli fronted a fireworks campaign after the incident in his bathroom

Balotelli's love of cars is well known
and one story provides insight into his peculiar mind. Fed up of
being followed by photographers, he was advised to change his
distinctive car. On arrival at the showroom, however, he was about to
choose an almost identical model until someone reminded him why he was
there.

On the field, Balotelli did have his
moments. Goals against Manchester United and Norwich (off his shoulder)
stand out. He was also a consummate penalty taker.

Reaction among senior staff at City to
his starring role in Euro 2012 was telling, though. 'He will be just
the same when he gets back here,' said one. Sadly, those words turned
out to be prophetic. This season, Balotelli's contribution at City has
been negligible.

As he became more desperate for a solution, Mancini's
treatment of Balotelli became more irrational. The problem was affecting
both men, hence Mancini acquiescing to his staff's desire to get rid of
the striker even before he grappled with him earlier this month.

Balotelli was involved in a car crash in Manchester just weeks after signing for City in August 2010

In a tangle: The Italian struggled to put his bib on before a Europa League clash with Dynamo Kiev

One of Mancini's recent chats with
Balotelli was about fatherhood. Mancini was encouraging him to visit his
newborn child in Italy, offering him time off to do so. At the end of
the conversation, Mancini was not sure the younger man had been
listening.

In Manchester, he will be missed.
Neighbours at his original city centre flat left wine on his doorstep at
Christmas. They liked him.

It is a sign of our times, though,
that a footballer who contributed so little to our game should reach
such heights of notoriety. Many will blame the media and we certainly
played our part. We gobbled it up but were spoon-fed so often it was
hard not to.

Balotelli, remember, arrived here with his old Inter manager Jose Mourinho labelling him 'unmanageable'.

He leaves with that reputation firmly intact.

MEANWHILE, ON THE PITCH…

Roberto Mancini and Mario Balotelli

Youssuf Mulumbu

Up and down: In his third Premier League game for City, Balotelli scored his first two goals for the club before getting sent off for a challenge on West Brom’s Youssouf Mulumbu in November 2010

Again: The volatile Italian was sent off in a 1-1 draw at Anfield a year later

Nasty: Balotelli was given a retrospective four-game ban for this stamp on Scott Parker in January 2012

Repeat: Balotelli's second red card of City's title-winning season, and his fourth in all competitions since joining the club, came at the Emirates in April 2012

Repeat: Balotelli’s second red card of City’s title-winning season, and his fourth in all competitions since joining the club, came at the Emirates in April 2012

VIDEO: Balotelli’s backheel miss in a friendly against LA Galaxy

CITY IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE

Mario stats