[Fillipo Simone]

I think it's just tactics. And even if, there'll sure pop up another buyer.

[Rossoneri7]

Balotelli leaving Milan is a matter of formality, IMHO.

If I was the man incharge, I would put the player on the market. Bring in someone consistent and ready to give 100% for his team. As I think. Balo has psychological issues that Milan can not afford to accommodate.

[Forza Milan!]

Mediaset says we're interested in Leandro Damiao. His price is around €10-12 million, but we're willing to offer Robinho to lower it.

Link

From what I know Damiao has been really bad in the last couple of years. Injuries, inconsistent, plus he seems rather slow and sluggish. And that's in Brazil. Who knows how he'll cope with Serie A.

My vote is 'no'.

Agreed, I am not overly impressed either. What little money we have to spend should not go for more mediocre or questionable players. As for Robinho, I fear we are stuck with him until his contract expires (his salary is way too high for anyone to be interested, and he no longer even has the incentive of making the WC squad, so I don't see him wanting to go somewhere just because he is more likely to play - thank you, Galliani!)

[Forza Milan!]

Balotelli leaving Milan is a matter of formality, IMHO.

If I was the man incharge, I would put the player on the market. Bring in someone consistent and ready to give 100% for his team. As I think. Balo has psychological issues that Milan can not afford to accommodate.

If he had impressed at the WC, we would have a decent chance to sell him. As it stand, I don't see anyone willing to spend enough money to make it worth while. And if that is the case, I would rather take a chance and hope that Pippo may be a positive influence (I realize the chances are rather slim, but the potential replacements I hear mentioned are not all that exciting - only name that gets me interested is Dzeco, assuming we can even afford him).

And, in fact, Galliani now claims Balo is staying (link).

This post has been edited by Forza Milan!: Jun 25 2014, 06:30 PM

[X-Offender]

Galliani said Thiago Silva is 100% staying four days before he was sold. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[Danny]

"I am proud to have given everything for my country. Mario Balotelli has given everything to the national team and has not made a mistake. Perhaps, as some of you say, I'm not really Italian. The Africans wouldn't have blamed one of their brothers. Never. In this, we black, as you call us, we are light years ahead of you. Disgrace is not one that misses a goal or runs less or more. Disgraceful are these things [unfair criticism]."

Hating Mario more and more with every piece of self-righteous indignation bordering on arrogance and playing the race card like this he produces.

I am going to find it very, very VERY hard to support him next season if he's still here. He'll have to play 4000% of the quality he showed us last season.

[X-Offender]

Hating Mario more and more with every piece of self-righteous indignation bordering on arrogance and playing the race card like this he produces.

I am going to find it very, very VERY hard to support him next season if he's still here. He'll have to play 4000% of the quality he showed us last season.

It is unfair that people criticize him the most, though. Nobody from Italy showed up, nobody. So why make Balotelli the scapegoat? Everyone should be criticized an equal amount. It's not like Immobile did anything more, yet nobody calls his name.

And if you read comments on Facebook, you'd be disgusted at how many people say "You're not Italian, go back to Ghana or wherever you're from" and all kinds of racist crap. I tell you, Italians are some of the most uncivilized people of the western world.

So, I can understand his reaction. If I were in his shoes, I'd get extremely pissed about it as well.

[Danny]

It is unfair that people criticize him the most, though. Nobody from Italy showed up, nobody. So why make Balotelli the scapegoat? Everyone should be criticized an equal amount. It's not like Immobile did anything more, yet nobody calls his name.

And if you read comments on Facebook, you'd be disgusted at how many people say "You're not Italian, go back to Ghana or wherever you're from" and all kinds of racist crap. I tell you, Italians are some of the most uncivilized people of the western world.

So, I can understand his reaction. If I were in his shoes, I'd get extremely pissed about it as well.

Actually it's not STRICTLY unfair - he's the fulcrum of the team and he did f*ck all this world cup. Just like Ronaldo is being rightly criticised at this world cup more than any of his team mates, so should Balotelli. Immobile isn't supposed to be as good a player as Balotelli is, so for me that argument doesn't hold water.

I do accept that Pirlo got away Scot free after a dismal world cup himself, but he's bizarrely loved by everyone.

You expect more from the star players, so when they don't show up they get the most grief. That's the cost of getting £150,000 a week from your club.

[X-Offender]

Actually it's not STRICTLY unfair - he's the fulcrum of the team and he did f*ck all this world cup. Just like Ronaldo is being rightly criticised at this world cup more than any of his team mates, so should Balotelli.

Is he, though? The fulcrum of the team, as you put it? Perhaps it's everyone that have hyped Balotelli too much and expect a lot from him. The guy is not a super star in Ronaldo's mold. He has a decent set of skills, but having seen him play with our shirt for more than a year, I really don't think he's the kind of player that can carry the team on his shoulders. Just because he earns €4 million per season does not mean he is obliged to perform better than the rest. Robinho used to earn that much, yet he was as useful as a chocolate teapot.

[Jack Sparrow]

I think the match was lost yesterday due to Marchisio and his rash tackle. Yet not one word was raised against him.

Instead a sub-par performance by Balotelli is supposed to be the reason Italy are out?

I find it ridiculous. Prandelli got his tactics wrong with the forwards. And Marchisio is the person who turned around a game that Italy pretty much had under lockdown. Yet no blame to that Juve merda. Once again Juve specialise in playing the victims.

[han2503]

Galliani said Thiago Silva is 100% staying four days before he was sold. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

Correction; he said 99.99% (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

I think the match was lost yesterday due to Marchisio and his rash tackle. Yet not one word was raised against him.

Instead a sub-par performance by Balotelli is supposed to be the reason Italy are out?

I find it ridiculous. Prandelli got his tactics wrong with the forwards. And Marchisio is the person who turned around a game that Italy pretty much had under lockdown. Yet no blame to that Juve merda. Once again Juve specialise in playing the victims.

Yep, all the Juve players were appalling in this World Cup. Chiellini never puts a foot wrong for Juve yet the mistakes he kept making were just unbelievable to see. Pirlo bar a couple of moments in the England game was completely out of it. I don't think he had the physical capacity to play in such conditions, he was at a walking pace throughout the entire games played in this world cup. Marchisio was okay in all the games (I'm personally a fan of his so this could be coming from a place of bias) and I really don't think it was his fault that he got sent off, it wasn't even a tackle that he made FFS. The referee was just looking for a reason to give the S. American side the advantage.

I thought Balo did okay as well taking into consideration that he was isolated for all the minutes he played thanks to Prandelli's ridiculous use of his ridiculously talented midfield

[X-Offender]

I thought Balo did okay as well taking into consideration that he was isolated for all the minutes he played thanks to Prandelli's ridiculous use of his ridiculously talented midfield

No, just no. He had plenty of playable balls against Uruguay and he didn't combine jackshit. He had the opportunities to score against Costa Rica and he blew them. When I was defending Balo earlier it was because I don't think he should become the scapegoat when the rest of the players were just as bad. But his overall performance was abysmal, no ifs or buts, just abysmal.

[han2503]

No, just no. He had plenty of playable balls against Uruguay and he didn't combine jackshit. He had the opportunities to score against Costa Rica and he blew them. When I was defending Balo earlier it was because I don't think he should become the scapegoat when the rest of the players were just as bad. But his overall performance was abysmal, no ifs or buts, just abysmal.

He had 2 chances from long balls against Costa Rica, which yes he blew but aside from that he was very isolated throughout the tournament.

See, this is where I don't get people, they get mad at Balo if he drops deep, saying he's trying to be Ibra and they get mad at him if he plays like a target man and stays up high, saying he wasn't involved and didn't link up play.

I'm just seriously over this Balo thing at this point. The man can't win no matter what he does

[Jack Sparrow]

He had 2 chances from long balls against Costa Rica, which yes he blew but aside from that he was very isolated throughout the tournament.

See, this is where I don't get people, they get mad at Balo if he drops deep, saying he's trying to be Ibra and they get mad at him if he plays like a target man and stays up high, saying he wasn't involved and didn't link up play.

I'm just seriously over this Balo thing at this point. The man can't win no matter what he does

EXACTLY! Thanks honey, that is exactly my point. I personally found that Italy's tactics on the attack were just plain confusing. By the way there is more, from football-italia.

Italy’s more experienced players were reportedly ‘decisive’ in Cesare Prandelli opting to resign as Coach.

Following the Azzurri’s group stage exit from the World Cup and in spite of having agreed pre-tournament to a two-year extension, the 56-year-old announced his intention to resign as CT.

The Gazzetta dello Sport report that crucial to his decision was alleged discontent among the squad’s more senior players, their ‘senatori’, specifically Daniele De Rossi and those from Juventus.

It is alleged that this group were left unhappy with a number of aspects, beginning with squad named, calling for another striker to have perhaps been included, namely Giuseppe Rossi.

Then, the location of the team’s training retreat in Brazil, situated at Mangaratiba, was considered ‘too rural’, whilst the group of senior stars also apparently took issue with the ‘relaxed attitude’ of the likes of Lorenzo Insigne and Alessio Cerci, particularly during the match with Costa Rica, which the team lost 1-0.

The side’s ‘defensive attitude’ also apparently came in for criticism as did Prandelli’s perceived ‘continued defence’ of Mario Balotelli.

It is understood that these complaints levied against Prandelli, followed by Gigi Buffon and De Rossi’s words made to the media, weighed heavily in his decision to step down as boss.

WTF. Really? Daniele De Rossi? The same guy who elbowed a US player and got sent off? That guy is suddenly a figure of morality and authority.

And how unsurprised I'm at Juve's holier-than-thou attitude. I hate those imps and their sanctimonious bullshite.

Blame it all on Balotelli. Sure.

I'm actually glad that Galliani has come out in his defence. I want us to keep Mario. I then want him to score 20 goals next season and go hug Pippo every single time. F@CK ALL OF YOU H8ERS!!

</rant>

[X-Offender]

He had 2 chances from long balls against Costa Rica, which yes he blew but aside from that he was very isolated throughout the tournament.

See, this is where I don't get people, they get mad at Balo if he drops deep, saying he's trying to be Ibra and they get mad at him if he plays like a target man and stays up high, saying he wasn't involved and didn't link up play.

I'm just seriously over this Balo thing at this point. The man can't win no matter what he does

He was isolated, yes, I'm not claiming otherwise. But he had plenty of playable balls nonetheless, especially against Uruguay, and every single time he looked like a paraplegic coming out of a coma or something. Absolutely disgraceful.

WTF. Really? Daniele De Rossi? The same guy who elbowed a US player and got sent off? That guy is suddenly a figure of morality and authority.

And how unsurprised I'm at Juve's holier-than-thou attitude. I hate those imps and their sanctimonious bullshite.

Blame it all on Balotelli. Sure.

I'm actually glad that Galliani has come out in his defence. I want us to keep Mario. I then want him to score 20 goals next season and go hug Pippo every single time. F@CK ALL OF YOU H8ERS!!

</rant>

De Rossi is a respectable senior. He elbowed someone 8 years ago in a moment of play, and that's your basis for accusation? Now, now...