AC Milan Transfer News: Mario Balotelli

He joined the team like a bolt of lightning, the catalyst to an epic run of form. The true Balotelli supporters will forget that Milan's unbeaten streak started far early than the arrival of Super Mario. On the wings not of the CF, but on the future, Stephan El Sharaawy. It is no coincidence that since the arrival of Balotelli, El Sharaawy has struggled, and now those struggles have befallen the team as well.

Truth be told, I absolutely LOVE this guy. I love what he stands for, I love the athleticism, and I love the intensity he brings to the game. The problem is the other stuff that he brings...the immaturity, the laziness, the apparent flip of a mental switch that makes him go from World beating footballer to certifiably insane. Everywhere Balotelli has gone has started with a bang, and ended in fiery plume of smoke and rubble. He is in a sense a proverbial March, to borrow a silly old saying, in like a lion, out like a lamb. I fear his time at Milan will be no different.

Mario, in a sense is just a child, his immaturity is painful. He seems to be a child of a modern era. Saying this makes me feel old, but at thirty, I have been criticized for being "old school." Yes, I have the newest tech gadgets, yes I subscribe to twitter, but I still resist facebook. I read real books. I believe strongly in the virtue of patience and value work ethic above all else. I don't see that anymore, part of me needed a break from Coaching because I didn't understand kids anymore. Constantly on their phones, constantly talking about themselves, constantly looking for someone else to take responsibility. Instead of saying my fault, they would reach out to their parents to discuss things instead of taking ownership. Mario Balotelli is no different, the fact that we know more about Balotelli's pig, cars, and girlfriend than we do about his work ethic is painful. I come from an era where my footballers existed only on the pitch, and I understand the change to what we have today, but can you imagine Maldini being plastered across the inter-webs on twitter and facebook!? Can you imagine Baresi with a "handler" to assure he stays out of trouble? Nonsense...

The other point I need to bring up about Balotelli is his play on the pitch, when it's on, it is surely on. But the problem is he is like the moon instead of the sun. The sun can brighten those around him as they revolve around it, the moon is a giant rock sucking at the very core of the Earth. Balotelli doesn't always compliment those around him, he sort of sucks them in, and while he has shown he is capable of playing the beautiful slip pass (to Kaka against Barca last week) he often gets into a funk when things aren't pulling his way. The other thing to notice last season was his goals for Milan were mostly from the spot, and while taking nothing away from his spot kick prowess, some of the last season's last minute miracles were in fact just that, miracles.

At the end of the day AC Milan needs to be rebuilt from the core. From the ground up, for far to long this house of cards has been propped up with tape and patching. This can no longer happen, I also don't believe our current management are the right people to do this, two men who have long lost the understanding of the modern game. The point is Balotelli is not the wholesome good natured, strong work ethic and moral character to build this team around. The future is already here, and none of the are Super Mario. My suggestion; thank him, send him away with the best of wishes but cash in after the 2014 World Cup. It was fun while it lasted...