“Why Always Me” - I
started to hate this slogan actually quite fast after Mario made this
one a world domain. Of course it's truly great guts, displaying such
a message on derby day away at Old Trafford – with the recent
fireworks incident very fresh in everyone's memory. It made Mario a
cult hero, and it wasn't for the first time he showed some brilliance
for just being himself. The reason why I started to dislike that
moment is the way it snowballed into the wrong direction. During that
October month, David Silva was by far the best and most consistent,
influential player of the blue team, but lost the Player of the Month
award to Mario due of that single moment alone. Showing that such an
award is no longer a fans based issue, it became one for the one-day
shoppers.
I do have a soft spot
for Mario. It's a love/hate thingy, but I definitely love him most of
all. I can remember he was once stopped by police and caught him carrying £50.000 cash. When the officers asked him why he had
that much money on him, his clear cut answer was: “because I'm
rich”. I'm still giggling about that quote.
And don't forget that
moment during the 2011/12 season, home against Tottenham where he
converted an injury time penalty into the winning goal. He folded his
arms and leaned on one foot, showing 'this is how we do it'.
Arrogance? Not at all. Mario is simply a genuine entertainer, he
likes to joke. Like that spontaneous moment he went to the Xaverian
College and asked if he 'could please use the toilet'. Of course it
was simply an excuse to give the youngsters the time of their lives
by just showing up. Randomly selected, and compliments to the school
teachers to let him walk around for a moment with all students
following him in every single step.
And how about the
moment he asked a youngster why he was at the trainings ground and
not at school? The boy replied that he was being bullied and could
not bring it up to have another day of abuse. Mario was angry. He
took the boy and his mum to the school and demanded a meeting with
the headmaster and to ask for an explanation, and solution – which
happened as Mario orchestrated it in full. Stunning!
But, what is now
causing Mario's behaviour at stages? We all know about those split
seconds in which he made a weird foul, sometimes harshly punished by
a sending off. Or lack of spirit on the (training) pitch. When was it
that the press started to name him a 'bad boy'? Here's my
observation.
This is a part I assume
the most of you are aware of, but, this is for an important step up.
Mario was born in Italy
by Ghanaian parent – the Barwuah family, but sadly at a very young
age he suffered some life-threatening complications regarding his
health and had to undergo multiple operations. After a short lived
recovery process he was going downhill again, with his parents not
able to financially support the conditions. They agreed with social
services that Mario would be adopted by a foster family, the
Balotellis. In the beginning he still went to visit his biological
parents during the weekends, but soon that stopped. It was that
awkward moment Mario became famous, and out of nowhere his biological
parents turned up at his house and asked him to move back in with
them. He refused to and sent them away, accusing them of 'glory
hunting' now that he was suddenly starting to make some good money.
Oh my, the press took notice! Mario was a 'disgrace' for treating his
parents that badly. However, his parents now were the Balotellis and
what he did was protecting them by not turning his back towards them
after all the unlimited loving he had been receiving. Time had simply
moved on and things changed, but it was then where his private life
issues started to kick off.
Let me start with a
very recent happening. Prior to the Euro2012 final between Italy and
Spain, a long documentary was being aired with Mario's biological
family. Some quotes here: “we don't want him with us because of
his money, we want him here as he's our brother”, and: “when
he pulled his shirt off [during the semi final game vs Germany] I
ALSO pulled my shirt off! Yes, I did that to feel connected with
him”, etc etc. The whole Barwuah clan had their say and all
were keep on piling pressure onto Mario. What kind of choice did he
had? He already declined to be re-united with the Ghanaians as his
heart and life forever belongs to the Balotellis in Italy. His semi
finals celebration – in which he pulled his shirt off and stood
like The Hulk – was due of the fact he had received the wonderful
news that his ex partner is expecting his first baby, and dedicated
it all to his mother Silvia. A bigger statement he couldn't give,
showing it to the world and underline to who only it was aimed at.
Also: why was Mario
being highlighted after the Euro final? He was crying – of course,
you have a dream and have been working hard for it. It was a great
tournament but the final was a deception. But does it mean he is not
allowed to cry? And there were more players on the pitch, however of
course he being the only black Italian, how could I forget. Cameras
pelting all over him.
In the mean time his
biological mother refuses to stop her part of the pressure. She moved
to Greater Manchester in 2011 and works as a cleaning lady in the
region. Mario – who gave £1.5m of his own salary during 2012 to
African child support organisations – tried to be polite and
offered her some money to have at least a bit or a normal life. She
declined, of course she was not interested in Mario's cash. She was
'just happy to live close to her son', simply playing a mind game if
you ask me honestly. And in the mean time? Mario remains silence,
fearing that the press could call him 'a disgrace' again for telling
the world he doesn't want the Barwuahs around him, as he's not the 3
year old any more.
Why always him – I
could be completely wrong with digging for the roots of this all. But
I do know he looks like strugging and that every young person will
feel 'chained up' if their parents and family do not grant them to a
certain freedom – a space to become an individual. If you feel you
can't go anywhere, and being chased around, being watched in every
move, you result in moments of craziness without realising it. I hope
Mario can become the person and the player he really is, even if that
is somewhere else than in Manchester, as the rumours are echoing more
loud that he's due to move to Milan on a permanent base. Sad.
( image credit to @cfmcfc )
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