Mario Balotelli is not a bad guy - he's just foolish, a man-child who doesn't think about consequences so there is no point trying to educate him, it won't stop him being stupid

• Mario Balotelli finds trouble in the most unlikely places
• He can't even try to post anti-racist sentiment without it going very wrong 
• Balotelli didn't really understand the punchline to his Instagram post 

By Martin Samuel - Debate for the Daily Mail

Published: 03:18 EST, 4 December 2014 | Updated: 06:06 EST, 4 December 2014

Why always him? Maybe because he can’t even attempt to post a sentiment of anti-racism without the whole thing blowing up like a faulty Catherine Wheel. Mario Balotelli is no Nicolas Anelka, but he does have an unfortunate habit of finding trouble in the unlikeliest places. Brendan Rodgers, his manager at Liverpool, though that all he needed was a club with family values, although he might now be waking up to reality. I wrote about Balotelli’s latest misdemeanour here, you replied and now here we are. Topical music to play us in, too. 

He’s lazy and useless. I’m so glad Manchester City got rid of him. Alanauckland, New Zealand.

I don’t think he’s useless, Alan. I just think there is a ratio between maintenance required and worth to the team, and Balotelli’s numbers don’t stack up.

Yawn. You’re trying too hard to create a circus round Balotelli due to laziness and lack of ability to dig out real stories – you might as well create one and feed on it all season. The post he deleted was not just an insult to Jews, black folks, too, got a mention and Italians and Mexicans, and no one is feeling insulted. Give it a rest and go do a proper job. Guess who is the dumb one now? D53, London.

I’m guessing it’s you if you equate being ‘an Italian plumber’ or ‘looking like a Mexican’ to ‘grabbing coins like a Jew’. Why would Italians or Mexicans feel insulted by the text? The whole post uses the guise of anti-racism to build up to an anti-Semitic pay off line, which sadly passed Balotelli by, and if you cannot see that you are in no position to lecture on intellect.

Balotelli has himself to blame. It is easy to stay out of trouble, if you want to. Ekenaka, Nigeria.

I really don’t think he was looking for trouble here, though, Ekenaka. This wasn’t throwing darts out of windows or letting off fireworks in the house. I genuinely think he meant well. But that’s all part of the problem. He has an immature nature that coupled with his profile and wealth, finds trouble. It is a problem for him, and his club.

Sadly, the man will be one of the great wasted talents in football. He will never achieve what he is capable of, because he is a total buffoon. Davebrad, Manchester.

Interesting choice of words, Dave. It implies you don’t think he is a bad guy, just foolish. I agree. What is rarely explored is what happens to him when the football is done. Believe it or not, clubs protect him as much as they can. They advise, they sweep up the mess. After the firework fiasco, when there could have been serious repercussions, Manchester City arranged for him to front a campaign to use fireworks safely on bonfire night. It helped smooth over what could have been a very difficult situation. That back-up will be lost when he retires, but one imagines his man-child nature will not change. And what then?

Mario Balotelli's Instagram post (left) and with a 'No to Racism' pennant before a Champions League match

I guess the Football Association have to decide if Balotelli’s post was malicious or simply ignorant. In some ways I feel sorry for him, particularly if he had intended it as anti-racist. In this case, rather than beating him up I wonder if some education might help? I certainly think Rio Ferdinand could have done with it, on top of his recent ban and fine, as he clearly does not understand that he was causing offence with his sexist tweet. Manhope, Manila.

Personally, I don’t think Balotelli got the punchline in his post and while I appreciate that in some cases education would help, I’m not sure it would prevent a reoccurrence here. If Balotelli was genuinely anti-Semitic it would be a way forward but if he just messed up – as is more likely – then given his spontaneous nature what is there to do? He needs to think more, sure. But he doesn’t think, that is the problem. He is an opportunist. He considers the fun of the moment, not the consequence. I’m not sure how we move beyond that. I think most FA punishments in this area should come with education – and you have a point about Rio Ferdinand’s ‘sket’ tweet – but would Mario listen? He hasn’t as yet.

Well in theory then, people like the creators of Family Guy and South Park should be in trouble too for poking fun at the Jewish faith – but then again they are Jewish and can make jokes about it. I don't see this as offensive and a couple of Jewish friends of mine don't either – it’s just pointing out a stereotype. This is more Mel Brooks humour than Mel Gibson. I think because it's Mario some people and media outlets like the Daily Mail have jumped on it. You clearly have an agenda against him and you have since day one. You wait for him to screw up and if there's no story, you make one up or turn a small issue into a big problem, just to feed your addiction to watching those in the limelight fall. Theamateur88, Bristol.

To compare the half-baked piece of twaddle that Balotelli retweeted to the complex social satire that is often the driving force of South Park is beyond preposterous. Equal opportunity offenders, that is the mantra of South Park. Everyone gets it. Everyone doesn’t get it in the Balotelli post. To recap: ‘Be like Mario. He’s an Italian plumber, created by Japanese people, who speaks English and looks like a Mexican…jumps like a black man and grabs coins like a Jew.’ Where is the equivalent offence to English, Italians, or Japanese in that? Mexicans and blacks endure a mild physical stereotype, and Jews are portrayed as greedy, money-grabbers. It’s not a draw, and it’s certainly not Mel Brooks. There is no agenda against Balotelli here and there never has been. I’ve hardly mentioned him this season, beside the odd Liverpool match report. Even the piece about his post was a fraction over 400 words long and not even the lead item in the column. Do you know why it was then taken out and used as a stand-alone item online? Because stories about Balotelli are widely read. So think about who actually has the addiction to the Balotelli car crash? It’s not me, sunshine.

Balotelli did not seem to get the punchline of his post but he does not think before he acts

Come on, let's climb down from the high horse. Is this really rampant racism? Go after real racists, not some daft lad. Innocent people, including children, are being killed in the Middle East every day. That's racism using bombs and bullets, not tweets. Martin, if you want to draw attention to racism, and it's great that you can use your column in that way, then what is your view of one nation depriving women and children of water and medicines; of a nation terrorising another over a land dispute? Use your skills and platform to highlight the effects of jet fighters against civilians, bombs used against busses full of innocent people. That's where the real insult to humanity lies. Not some lad with a tweet account and a diamond studded phone that has more intelligence than he has. Abergele, Abergele.

I didn’t write a column about racism. I wrote about the problem Balotelli causes his various clubs, and how misguided Rodgers was to think it would be any different at Liverpool. As for addressing the wider issues in the Middle East, I have written at length on four occasions in the last year about Qatar’s links to terror. One article was published as recently as Monday. Maybe you missed it. Anyway, here they all are again - here, here, here and here.

Why is saying that black men can jump high racist, yet there is a film called White Men Can't Jump? Is that not the same thing? HammerDan113, Romford.

No. Firstly, I didn’t say that the idea black men can jump high was racist. It may reinforce a mild stereotype about black people and athleticism and there is an ongoing debate about whether this then impacts on black coaching opportunities because it leads to black athletes being valued for brawn, not brain. But that’s for another day. As for the film White Men Can’t Jump – the title was ironic because the white basketball player mocked in the title is about the best out there, and uses the stereotype about his race and athleticism to hustle money in street games.

I’m not his biggest fan, but I don’t think he’s done much wrong here. You can only be offended if you let words offend you. I choose not to. Ather7on, County Durham.

Very big of you, Athers, but unless you’re Jewish it really isn’t your choice.

Balotelli, laughing in the stands, seems to have a problem focusing on and off the pitch

This is ludicrous and I am ashamed of the Football Association and the newspapers for lacking common sense. Balotelli had no intent to insult Jewish people. It was a mistake. He has apologised and that should be the end of it. Mu4Evra, Melbourne.

I am aghast at the attempt by some to condemn Balotelli for a post that he immediately apologised for once he realised it may offend. He believed it to be anti-racist and considered it inoffensive. As a child he was taken in and raised by Jewish people that he considers his parents. People should wind their necks in and stop being so touchy. Rob Base, London.

While I agree about his intent, I am only guessing, just like you, and I don’t know how the FA can presume any of that without seeking explanation.

If he concentrated on football as much as he did silly gimmicks he would be a world-beater. Cheyenne, United Kingdom.

Focus would seem to be an issue, I agree.

It's a gamble that hasn't paid off. Most clubs take them. Does Rodgers stick or twist? Personally, I wouldn't let him wear the shirt again. To think we might have got Wilfried Bony for the same money. KK7, Belfast.

Why would you not let him play again, K? Not over this, surely? Bony versus Balotelli looks no contest at the moment, I agree, but I don’t think Swansea City would have sold for £16m. Liverpool thought they were getting a world class player on the cheap. And they were. But there was a reason for that. There always is.

You can say Yorkshiremen and Scotsmen are tight or cautious with their pennies and they will laugh along with you and probably call you something back in banter. But say the Jews are careful with their money and it’s called anti-Semitic. Surely they can see Balotelli meant no slur on their race and the post was to support anti-racism. Rhino, High Peak.

I dropped history after A level, so I probably missed the bit where Scots and Yorkshire folk were herded to their death in the millions allied to propaganda about their people controlling all the money. The same with America’s policy in the Middle East. I’ve lost count now of the times I’ve heard it blamed on the Royal Bank of Scotland and the Halifax Building Society. What do they say, Rhino? ‘Derbyshire born, Derbyshire bred, strong in the arm, thick in the head.’ Don’t worry, it’s only banter. I’m just trying to explain why the Jews might be a tad sensitive. Not this next one, though.

Liverpool thought they were getting a world-class striker on the cheap but rarely have they seen this

I'm a Jew, Martin, far more religious than you and I'm not insulted. Don't talk on my behalf. AJ Barnett, London.

See that name in big letters at the top of the column, Mr Barnett. That’s who I talk on behalf of – not you and not anyone else. Nowhere in the column did I say I was personally insulted or that anyone should be. The column wasn’t even about anti-Semitism, although like many others you do not appear to have understood this. You are right on one aspect though. You will be far more religious than me. Indeed, unless you are Richard Dawkins or Stalin it would be hard not to win that one.

Balotelli’s intelligence is at best childlike. He believed he was making an anti-racist comment, but missed the point horrendously by tweeting something based on awful racial stereotypes. He needs a manager like Bobby Robson. Richwandsworth, London.

I don’t think it happened because Rodgers is a bad man manager, Rich. Roberto Mancini was as close to a father figure as Balotelli has in football, and even he couldn’t control him.

If Jose Mourinho couldn't handle him at Inter Milan, then nobody can. I bet they couldn't believe their luck that Liverpool wanted to pay money for him. This was the start of Rodgers demise at Liverpool, a silly gamble that smacks of arrogance. PVB, Northampton.

In Rodgers’ defence, his first choice was Alexis Sanchez. What is mystifying is that he didn’t seem to have a second choice, and Balotelli was a late bargain buy.

Balotelli (second left) with Pepe just before he ill-advisedly swapped shirts with the Real Madrid defender

This is the usual excuse-making for what, with white players, would be indefensible. Perhaps an English player will shortly say something equally inoffensive and you can railroad him like you did John Terry. Steadfast, Winchester.

Nobody is making excuses. They are merely trying, as ever, to work through the problem fairly. If you think what John Terry was accused of saying to Anton Ferdinand was comparable, however, you’re off the deep end.

If I was the owner of any major sports team, I would have it written into every contract than no Twitter accounts could be maintained whilst in our employ. DessertFoxx, Sheffield.

Yes, but clubs have Twitter accounts, too, and frequently get into trouble for ill-advised posts. This genie is out of the bottle, I’m afraid.

Balotelli’s tweet got over 20,000 likes so obviously not everyone finds it racist. Jon Smith, London.

Yes, but equally that could mean there are 20,000 racists or 20,000 anti-racists too dumb to spot a racist joke. Also, popularity isn’t proof of credibility. ‘What about the elephants, have we lost their trust?’ sings Michael Jackson on Earth Song. And he was regarded as the King of Pop, not a complete berk.

Everything is right until the Jews disagree with it. That's the kind of world we're living in. We have all seen that picture somewhere before Mario thought of posting it. Does it make me a racist – to copy and paste? One love. Alvin Jack Houston, London.

Not only do you not understand anti-Semitism or racism, you really haven’t got a clue about Bob Marley either. Lennox Lewis used to come into the ring to this one. Happy days. 

You wrote: ‘Indeed, the only reason Balotelli’s post does not appear to have attracted the same widespread disgust as Nicolas Anelka’s anti-Semitic quenelle gesture is because he is presumed to be almost childlike in his perspectives.’ Really? It has nothing to do with the fact that one obviously has a political and racial connotation, while the other is a tweet that has been shared for months or even years without any notion of racism? Johnny Mnemonic, Derby.

A lot of people are arguing this, that Balotelli’s tweet had been around for a long time without being flagged up as dubious. I hadn’t seen it, but to those that had – really? Really, not dodgy? Really, nothing wrong with that? Really? As for Anelka, my point was that if people thought Balotelli genuinely believed what he was saying they would be revolted, as they were once the message behind Anelka’s gesture became clear. As it is, most – including me – think Balotelli made a mistake while attempting a positive message. He should maybe think a little more deeply in future, but the two events aren’t the same. That is what I am saying – they aren’t the same. Aren’t.

I'm not on Twitter, but isn't there a difference between posted and retweeted? Otis Redding, Belfast.

I’m not on Twitter, either, Otis – but if I posted racist statement and you redistributed it, we’re as bad as each other really.

The only offensive aspect is that people got offended. That's the real crime here. Metallicuh, Belfast. 

Er, no it isn't. 

That post has been around for ages and everyone laughs about it. I'm black, I'm not offended. I can't jump. The idea is that people should not be racist based on stereotypes. I can see how the Jewish part upsets people but I never thought of it in this way until Balotelli put it up. It's unfortunate especially given Dave Whelan's recent comments and historically, Jews have been persecuted by people believing stereotypes. Mario should know better. Silentobserver, Manchester.

Possibly my favourite post ever. You could almost hear the penny drop halfway through. ‘What’s the problem…I’ve never thought it racist…mind you there was that bloke at Wigan…and six million of them did get killed because the Nazis thought they grabbed coins…yeah, actually, come to think of it, what was Mario playing at?’ It’s like the whole debate column in one letter. More posts like this and I could knock off at lunchtime.

Balotelli and Roberto Mancini both needed looking after - as incidents like this bust-up at City demonstrate

On realising his mistake he deleted and apologised? I think that should read, ‘On having his mistake pointed out to him, he was told to delete and apologise.’ I'm sure Balotelli saw nothing wrong in what he had written and would never have thought independently of taking any mitigating action. Someone at Liverpool has got the thankless task of babysitting him. Theo, Warrington.

My point exactly. In the end the level of maintenance outweighs the benefit to the club. They certainly found that at City. Balotelli and Mancini both needed a lot of looking after.

Wake up Brendan and get rid in January. Send Simon Mignolet with him, too. LFC5UTD2, United Kingdom.

I think the word is that Rodgers wanted Tim Krul, the goalkeeper at Newcastle United, in the first place. Buying and selling is done by committee at Liverpool, don’t forget.

Out of all the ethnic groups he offended, only one has got angry. Apple Rocks, San Francisco.

Yes, the only one that was the subject of an offensive statement. Are those rocks in your head, mate?

I almost died from laughter when Rodgers said behaviour was a big thing for Liverpool. That could explain why they kept Luis Suarez so long considering he bit players and was involved in a racist altercation with Patrice Evra. If Balotelli was scoring goals by the truck load, Liverpool wouldn’t mind what he did. Justin Slayer, Manchester.

I don’t think Liverpool have censured him over this, Justin. I think they’ve probably swooped in and arranged the statements of contrition. With the poor handling of the Suarez-Evra affair such a recent memory, however, I do think lectures about standards of behaviour are asking for trouble though. They are asking for denunciations like this next one.

The then-Manchester City striker fronting a fire safety campaign after fireworks were set off in his bathroom

Martin, it’s OK for him to be ignorantly racist because his club fights to protect the right of its players to be so – they are probably preparing T-shirts claiming it is a sign of affection in Italy to speak of Jews in this way. Yes, he's an idiot, but his club should have learned its lesson about educating its players on racism by now. Maybe they don't care. Anyway, if he gets a ban expect Liverpool and their fans to be up in arms about it and marching to the ground to protest against yet another example of the establishment is being against them. Sack the Juggler, Douglas.

Actually, Juggles, partisan support for Balotelli has been conspicuous by its absence. That might change if he is banned but I’d say the majority of Liverpool fans recognise the point the article was making, about Rodgers’ presumption when the signing was made. I don’t blame Liverpool for this latest misstep at all – the error came back in August.

By reading most of the comments it would appear the majority doesn't think that a racist slur was intended, so well done to the Daily Mail for keeping a non-story alive. Then again, it is typical of the journalism on this paper – keep kicking someone when they are down, deserved or not. Whyohwhy, Swansea.

Who’s down? Mario Balotelli is a young, fit man, very well rewarded for doing a job he loves. And it is the FA investigation that keeps this story alive, not the media. Finally, it does not matter what the majority on here think. A lot of people didn’t think Anelka’s quenelle gesture was an issue – but the FA were spot on pursuing it.

If that post was an insult to Jews, then it was a doubly insulting to Balotelli himself as it mentioned blacks and Italians. I find it very hard to believe that anyone would genuinely be offended by the post and have great pity for those who are that sensitive. It is clearly just playing on a few harmless stereotypes. Will Jesuis, United Kingdom.

Yes, and here’s that harmless ‘grabs coins like a Jew’ stereotype at work in an educational book, Der Giftpilz, published in Germany in 1938. The first line of the text beneath reads, ‘The God of the Jew is money.’

It’s not even offensive. He mentioned the word Jew, and black, therefore he’s an anti-Semitic racist. Burn him alive! Basically, people jump on the bandwagon because the left-wing try to drill it into people that it’s extremely offensive. Most of the people get offended without even knowing why they're offended. Wolf91, United Kingdom.

No, the offended know why they’re offended, but you don’t. So don’t try to pass your ignorance off as theirs.

The FA failed to act against Richard Scudamore over his sexist e-mails, so if they act against Balotelli, they should act against Scudamore. There was no difference, both made stupid remarks. Flett, Hampshire.

Scudamore’s remarks were private, Balotelli’s public. That’s a big difference.

The only thing he did wrong was apologise. CUFC, Cambridge.

Actually, that’s what he did right. If he avoids FA punishment, it will be because he recognised his mistake soon after it was pointed out to him, and tried to make amends for it.

Who is Rodgers trying to kid? He always goes on about Liverpool's great ethos. What a joke. You could fill a book with the bad stuff the club has done. Supporting all of Suarez’s wrongs, trying without success to copyright the Liver Birds, which belong to our city and not Liverpool FC. And what about no apology for the dead at Heysel, a tragedy they try to whitewash out of their history? Those of us around at the time though will never forget what Liverpool fans did – before closing ranks to try to avoid the blame. Dave321, Liverpool.

I cannot imagine there is any Liverpool fan who does not feel sadness over the Heysel disaster, Dave. Overall, though, you have a point. Every club – and I mean every club – has moments of which they should not be proud and that is why Manchester City felt so slighted when Rodgers started talking about ethics and values with regard to Balotelli. It was as if those qualities were not present elsewhere.

Give the guy a break. He was actually trying to do the right thing. Eric the Red, Manchester.

I think that, too, Eric. Nowhere do I say otherwise.

Balotelli was trying to do the right thing and send an anti-racist message, hence this apology when it went awry

Racism is the KKK, the National Front, Combat 18 or certain sections of fans making monkey noises or throwing bananas. It isn’t some daft idiot posting a picture which clearly has an anti-racist sentiment. Uber Ash, Portsmouth.

Leaving Balotelli aside, Ash, I don’t think racism has to be as overt as you make out. It can be sly, sinister and cunning, too. Not in this case; but in others.

This whole affair has left me sick. People going after Mario act like they are totally innocent and above us all. My grandmother use to drum one story into my head, whenever I went to visit her. She said when she came over from Montserrat it was incredibly hard for black people and finding somewhere to live was next to impossible. In all the adverts it said no blacks, no Irish and no dogs. When I look back and think what it must have been like to grow up then, it frightened me and I thought I was so fortunate not to live in that time. It is now 2014 and I fear for my children for a different reason: I'm afraid of the world they will live in, where a harmless joke is blown out of proportion and any reference to race will be deemed racist. Soundslikefallacy, London.

We’re not so far apart on that last point, Fallacy. I think we often look for offence where none is intended. But look at it another way: are you not pleased your children will grow up in a world where instead of white people seeing a sign intended to exclude black people and thinking nothing of it, they are sensitive to insults and insulting language, even when it is unwitting? Yes, we have got to allow ourselves to breathe and to note our differences, but I think our awareness of unkind words is a positive step, too. It wasn’t newspapers or the FA that first picked up Balotelli on his mistake, it was ordinary people. Now, I don’t want to get the pitchforks out every time someone mis-speaks; but today’s environment is surely healthier than the one your grandmother encountered?

I am a Manchester United fan, and have every reason to dislike Balotelli, but I think this is a bit over the top. It's not a straight up racial slur; it's a bit of tongue in cheek. People are mentioning bans? Come off it. Leave the kid alone to be a kid. CynicalReader, Milton Keynes.

He’s not a kid, CR. He’s 24.

I saw the picture and wondered what all the fuss was about. If anything, it says that black people are great athletes and Jews are great bankers. Hardly a smear is it? IWWT, London.

Banks are not mentioned, anywhere. The phrase ‘grabs coins like a Jew’ does not imply banking. It implies this:

And that’s not good.

The issue isn't that he meant to be racist; the issue is that he is completely gormless. Sao Paulo Blue, Sao Paulo.

And that this in turn makes trouble for his club. Exactly, SP. My friend is going to Sao Paulo soon. If he can find a DJ Patife gig while he’s out there, I would. 

This picture and quote has been doing the rounds on social media for months now being re-posted and re-tweeted from pillar to post. Nope not me, Saint Barthélemy.

Well, you should all be ashamed of yourselves.

Everyone else knew Balotelli was more trouble than he's worth. Rodgers is a terrible judge. HAL, Coventry.

Not just Rodgers in this case. Don’t forget the five-man committee behind him.

Balotelli with his famous 'Why Always Me?' T-shirt after scoring against Manchester United in 2011

Again why is it the typical white British male can give and take banter, but nobody else can? Oh that's right - they are racist towards the white British male. Off to the pub for a bit of banter now. AdeC, Blackburn.

That’s right. It’s white British men that are discriminated against. When will they get their turn to run the country, eh? When will we be free?

I find it funny that Balotelli is being investigated for racism because he posted a photo that advocates not being racist. The FA has no right to censure tweets by individuals, and anyone who was offended by a joke I've seen a million times on Twitter and Facebook need to get a hobby or a friend. HarvSpecter, North Korea.

Or maybe some new friends if the ones he is hanging around with are so thick they don’t get what was offensive about the last line of the Balotelli post. Mind you, the idea that the FA leaves the policing of tweets to, well, the police, is worth debating. Let’s say they did that and only got involved in incidents that took place on the field. Might that be a dereliction of duty over matters such as Rio Ferdinand’s ‘sket’ tweet? It was, after all, offensive. But it certainly wasn’t a police matter. Who then guards the reputation of the game, and tells the individual within where the boundaries are?

I just love the soap opera that Liverpool have become. They are now better known for drama than football. Mutha Plucker, Salford.

Why do you think City sold up? In part it was the frustration at being the back page story every week, and they held Mancini, Balotelli and Carlos Tevez largely responsible. All are now gone.

Racism is getting out of hand now in football. The slightest little thing that's said or written that offends is automatically called racist. I don't believe for one minute that Balotelli or Whelan are racists but is a very easy card to play. Pwalshy1, Cork.

Indeed it is, particularly when people post or make racist statements. Indeed you may notice a correlation between that and folk playing the race card. It’s uncanny. Until next time.

www.kicca.com/MartinSamuel 

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