JAN 26 — It is always an exciting weekend when Mario “The Brat” Balotelli hits the headlines as it would likely to have been about the great goals scored on the weekend.
But somehow the Manchester City striker decided to behave like a park player last Sunday against Tottenham Hotspur and then showed cowardice when he “only” half-stamped on Scott Parker’s face.
Be a Joleon Lescott and give it like a man as the City defender did to Younes Kaboul or Roy Keane on Alf Inge Haaland all those years ago.
Just do not be a coward like Balotelli. And then to defend such an act is cowardice in itself.
Furthermore, to then defend a referee who got it wrong in a World Cup final, too, is a joke.
Now, to problems of a different kind and Carlos Tevez being fined for going AWOL. This man is an insult to his profession. He waits to pick up his wages but does absolutely no work or rather refuses to work.
He should quit his job but he won’t because he is too greedy. Enough said.
Another player who seems to have gone by the wayside is from Blackburn Rovers.
When all hands are needed at the pump, Chris Samba decides he has not the stomach for a fight. He’d rather be at another club despite the situation and circumstances being the same.
Obviously, bigger wages are the attraction and motivation. One cannot deny him that but integrity and credibility goes out the window, too easily these days, it would seem.
But there is hope out there in the English Premier League (EPL).
So, I shall move on to the better things that have somehow gone under the radar as the EPL somehow tends to tilt towards the “show” — the non-football stuff —- and not so much the football, as we all know.
Some cracking goals, especially from the “wrong foot” of Danny Guthrie, did brighten the weekend.
There were drives, half volleys and some freekicks to make David Beckham proud. And truth be told, that is another reason why we miss Beckham, as he was a “show” unto himself and yet he certainly could deliver in most weeks.
My respect for him has grown in his absence from the Premiership.
Just a thought, there are so many coaches in the game, goalkeepers’ coach, defensive coach, strikers’ coach but a “freekicks” coach is sorely needed and quite perhaps Beckham could hold summer clinics on freekick taking?
Over in Spain there are rumblings at Real Madrid as Jose Mourinho repeatedly fails to defeat Barcelona despite his Rest of the World XI. Or is there any player in the world who could help Mourinho bury the Barca jinx.
It is difficult to think of one who could, too, as Real quite simply have the lot . . . well, maybe Pepe is the only player who needs replacing.
Another coward in the Balotelli mould, but to be frank, he had already been around before “Muddled Mario.”
Pepe perhaps is the only player who does more damage to Real than Barca. The team is quite simply starting with 10 men if Pepe starts in defence or, worse still, midfield.
Could a David Silva or a Luka Modric make a difference to the team now?
* The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.
