Showboating 2

It's not been long since I visited the subject of showboating in football, but within a matter of a week I've felt the need to re-visit it. The reason - a certain attempted backheel by Manchester City protege Mario Balotelli. Here's what all the fuss is about:

I know it didn't go in and he looks like a complete plonker, but what if he'd scored? Let's imagine for a second the back heel cleverly slotted past the LA Galaxy keeper. I doubt Mancini would have taken him off had he put them 2-0 up. The boy would have been labelled a maverick, yes he's a nightmare to manage but with flashes of brilliance that other players wouldn't dare attempt, it would be crazy of Mancini to restrict this talent. It's not like it was in the Champions League final either, it was on a lucrative pre-season tour of the USA, which is more an exhibition match than anything else. I made the argument for Awana Diab and his penalty that because he scored any flack he received is irrelevant. I'm more than aware this was quite embarrassing for Mario but if we don't have players trying this sort of thing then it will completely disappear from our "beautiful" game.

I can't help but admire the balls of someone who is through on goal, almost certain to score should he sidefoot the ball into a corner, who instead chooses to pirouette and try a fancy back heel. Great stuff! An argument could be had that he's not taking his profession seriously, but I'd sooner pay to see a Mario Balotelli than I would a grafter of a centre forward who finds the net with a simple shot at goal. Had it been my team in a game of importance, this would be the source of massive frustration and I'd be sure to throw a few expletives towards my player, but not in an exhibition match! There is a player for my team, Cambridge United, who looks like he might carry the swagger to pull this sort of thing off. Right from his debut for the super U's, Adam Marriott has carried himself around the pitch with a great air of arrogance. Some don't like it as he doesn't appear to graft as much as other players, but I'd rather have a player who isn't busting a gut for 90 minutes who can show a flash of brilliance and win you a game. I think my attitude is the opposite of most English fans in this instance, where for the most part they'd rather see a Bryan Robson, Terry Butcher, Stuart Pearce type player who fears nothing. Adam is a skillful, diminutive striker and he scores great goals. I think carrying a certain air of arrogance is a good quality for a striker, almost turning your nose up at the fact you have to share the pitch with other players. It breeds confidence and composure, two vital ingredients in the make up of a top class striker. Cantona had it, Berbatov has certainly got it and so has Drogba.

Balotelli has earnt the right to a certain amount of arrogance, he's 20 years old and has won 3 Italian titles and also the Champions League. It's not like he has broke through and needs to prove himself, he is without doubt a world class striker and Mancini knew what he was getting himself in for, so it seems strange that he would haul him off. We need to let our gifted players put on a show, maybe the pressure from owners at clubs for success is what is causing our managers to want to stamp out such 'behavior'. If we don't let our flair players flourish, we'll be watching 2 teams of tactical robots carry out set instructions. Who wants to pay to see that?