Balotelli - what a scumbag

[swee'pea99]

Apparently he could get a four match ban. He bloody well ought to.

 

[NormanD]

I totally agree, there's no need for that sort of underhanded dirty play, he'll loose respect from every player and some will seek revenge

 

[Globalti]

Didn't look deliberate to me; he was just trying to regain balance. Once he realised his heel had connected with the bloke he allowed himself to fall.

 

[yello]

He's just unfortunate.... trouble seems to follow him around.

No question in my mind that it was deliberate.

 

[Keith Oates]

It's hard to tell if it was deliberate or not, for me I'll just say it looked suspicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[potsy]

I'm 50/50 on whether or not it was deliberate, but I'd ban him anyway just to make sure

 

[fossyant]

Hmm - exagerated foot going backwards ? City

 

[philk56]

I may be biased but he was moving forwards and his backfoot went in an unnaturally backwards direction. Of course he was then going to fall over to deflect any suspicion. In all the furore over this, Lescott's forearm smash on Kaboul got rather overlooked. that also didn't look entirely innocent to me!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

He is a professional wendyballer. What did you expect him to do, bend down and help Parker up?

 

[swee'pea99]

I'm not familiar with the term wendyballer. I do, though, think that deliberately stamping down on a prone opponent's face with a studded boot is, regardless of the 'sporting' context, a 100% shitty thing for any human being to do to another. And something that the vast majority of footballers would never do - or defend. It amazes me that anyone can look at it and have any doubts that that's what took place. There's no way that foot movement was anything but a piece of deliberate, calculated malice. And as Redknapp said, it's not like the man doesn't have form.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Didn't look like someone putting a foot down to regain balance to me. Looked like a fast downward strike. He's a very odd character.

Lescott should have walked too.

 

[potsy]

Bet Mancini wasn't waving his 'red card' about this time was he?

 

[martint235]

Didn't look deliberate to me; he was just trying to regain balance. Once he realised his heel had connected with the bloke he allowed himself to fall.

I think this too. Watched the video a few times and to do that deliberately while not looking, you'd have to be pretty good.

Plus bear in mind this was Scott "Show me the money" Parker

 

[User482]

I think this too. Watched the video a few times and to do that deliberately while not looking, you'd have to be pretty good.

Plus bear in mind this was Scott "Show me the money" Parker

Player moves to club for more money therefore deserves to be stamped on?

Balotelli's move was not one you'd make to regain your balance.

 

[User482]

He is a professional wendyballer. What did you expect him to do, bend down and help Parker up?

I really don't think that football has anything to learn from rugby wrt violent conduct...