Mario Missing His Chances

Player plays for big club but doesn’t quite cut it.

So player moves to other big club.

Again, doesn’t quite cut it.

So player moves to another big club, albeit a lesser one.

The destination for Daniel Sturridge.

And now the destination for Mario Balotelli.

It’s remarkable how the careers of these two strikers both transpired to see them end up at Liverpool for their last chance saloon.

Both twenty three at the time.

Both with a lot to prove.

Both having failed to live up to expectations before.

Daniel will argue he wasn’t really given his chance at the Etihad.

In reality, he failed to make the grade at a top club who had a lot of talent at their disposal.

His time at the club will ultimately be looked upon as a failure.

Daniel will argue his wasn’t played in the right position at Stamford Bridge.

In reality, he failed to make the grade at a top club who despite having a lot of talent in the squad, actually struggled up front during his time there.

Again, his time at the club will ultimately be looked upon as a failure.

It was only when he took a step back to join Liverpool did he finally start to fulfill his potential.

He took his chance to light up a club that had finished mid-table three seasons in a row and helped catapult them up closer to where they belong.

Since joining Liverpool, Daniel has scored a quite remarkable 36 goals in 54 games.

He had only 38 goals before he signed and that was from 140 games.

Liverpool went from 8th to 2nd in just under two seasons.

Having only earned 1 cap in 6 and a half seasons at Manchester City and Chelsea, he then earned 15 caps and scored 5 goals in the past 18 months.

Played and scored in a World Cup.

Was selected in the PFA team of the season.

All signs that Daniel is finally ready to fulfill his potential.

All because he took his chance.

Had he not gone this way of course and gone the way he had of his days in blue, his next move would not have been a step forward.

A step back again.

Having already gone backward to a team finishing mid table, a step backward again would see Daniel well and truly out of the top drawer.

A long way back to the top from there.

Even a Champions League club is a long way from there in the Premier League.

And this is exactly the same situation that now faces Mario.

He came through the ranks at Internazionale.

The season they conquered all under Jose Mourinho, his chances were limited as he was continuously dropped from the squad for altercations.

Sold to Manchester City after a largely unsuccessful period in Italian football despite his team’s success.

A team on the up.

Soon to be Champions.

Soon to be too good for Mario to play a starring role.

Another step backward came as he returned to Milan.

This was his time to settle.

His big chance.

He was home.

A sleeping giant in need of waking up.

A giant who ended up happiest with Mario on the day he was sold.

From a £24 million player.

To a £20 million player.

To a £16 million player.

Mario has been missing his chances.

His next chance is to join forces with Daniel at Anfield.

To join Daniel on the same path he was on.

Join Daniel in the last chance saloon.

Mario now faces the same abyss that Daniel once faced.

His next move will be up to the level his new striking partner is hitting and a shot at fulfilling his potential.

Or a further step back to a team more suited to a good cup run and a shot at qualification for the Europa League if the season goes well.

Not much chance of him reaching his potential from there.

Not the same chance he has at Liverpool where after ten Premier League games he has yet to register a goal.

Not the start he would have wanted.

But far too early to make a call.

He hopes.

Brendan Rodgers needs him to start hitting the target.

And Mario needs to start hitting his targets.

His potential goal is being missed.

The same goal Daniel finally found at Anfield.

The same goal Mario must find soon...

The Less Fashionable Managers are Setting the Trend

When the manager of the year award gets handed out at close of play - Sir Alex Ferguson will be pretty close to top of mind again this season.

And deservedly so.

Should he take this team to their 20th league title, it would be enough to win him the MOTY award 9 times out of 10.

But while his usual competitors for the crown are nowhere to be seen, it’s the less fashionable names that will come closest to knocking him of his perch.

The Chelsea manager, the Arsenal manager and the Liverpool manager will be more focused on trying to keep their jobs than winning the manager award.

And while Manchester City’s manager would usually have a shout if he took his club to second place, he will now see that as a failure considering the amount he has invested in the squad.

Instead, this seasons contenders will come from managers punching above their weight.

They may not have come close to winning any trophies.

They certainly didn’t do well in Europe.

But they did all exceed expectations at theirs clubs this season.

Who would have thought Brendan Rodgers would be 3 points behind Liverpool after 31 games.

Same can be said of Paul Lambert and his Norwich side.

Both only promoted to the Premier League this season.

And should Blackburn survive then Steve Kean should get an honourable mention.

But for me the MOTY so far has to be Alan Pardew at Newcastle.

Many people scoffed at Alan’s appointment just over a year ago.

Especially considering Chris Hughton had been doing such a good job.

Alan had relative success at teams like West Ham United and Reading but never had he the chance to work at a club the size of Newcastle United.

The club was in a sordid mess since Mike Ashley had began his reign and the way he treated Chris only fuelled belief that things would continue in the same vein.

Alan comes in on a 5 and a half year contract as a show of stability from Mike and all most people could think was - that’s going to be a big payday when he gets fired.

Not only does Alan have to deal with the circus that surrounds Mike but over the coming months and subsequent summer he had to watch arguably the 4 best performers of last season leave the club.

Andy Carroll and Jose Enrique headed to Anfield.

Joey Barton left for Queens Park Rangers.

And club captain Kevin Nolan joined up with West Ham United.

Take the top 4 performers out of any side and they would struggle, let alone an average team like Newcastle were.

Alan had other ideas though.

He wanted to put his own stamp on the club.

The talent in the departing 4 was obvious.

But there was a question mark over the character of at least 3 of them.

Alan obviously felt the juice wasn’t worth the squeeze and aimed to spend the transfer fees recouped on players he wanted at the club.

Demba Ba was picked up on a free transfer.

Demba has scored 16 goals in 26 games so far.

£9m was spent on Papiss Demba Cissé to partner him up front.

Papiss has scored 7 from 7 so far.

Add to this a central midfield partnership of Cheick Tioté with Yohan Cabaye and the team that Alan built was really starting to take shape.

So much so, that after 31 games, Alan finds himself level on points with Chelsea in 5th place.

Still in with a shout of a Champions League place.

And well clear of the chasing pack for European spots.

It’s a remarkable turnaround for a team only promoted to the Premier league last season.

Even more remarkable considering Mike Ashley is still in charge.

Alas, there is still a lot to play for this season.

And if Sir Alex does win the league title this season, it will be hard not to hand him the MOTY award.

But should Alan catch the 2 London clubs to secure Champions League football - the decision might not be so foregone...