For his next trick, Mario Balotelli should round the goalkeeper, run the ball up to the goalline, kneel down and then nod it into the empty net. It would be worth it just to witness the response from Roberto Mancini, who was so enraged by Balotelli's rather ill-advised attempt to score with a backheel during Manchester City's pre-season friendly against LA Galaxy, he instantly replaced him with James Milner.
Edin Dzeko, who was up alongside Balotelli as he tried his harmless trick, threw his arms up in exasperation. On the touchline, Mancini remonstrated with his bench and then told Milner, the ultimate English tryer, to get ready to come on. The crowd whistled, Balotelli's number went up and as he trudged off, he argued with his manager. Once he sat down, he threw a water bottle on to the pitch, before being left to stew on yet another controversy in his short career.
When did football become so very pious and serious? Read Mancini's quotes and insomnia will never be a problem again. "In football you always need to be professional, always serious and in this moment he wasn't professional," said the Italian. Always professional, always serious, just like Mancini was when he scored this backheeled volley for Lazio against Parma. To paraphrase Bart Simpson, whatever happened to you Roberto? You used to be cool.
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