Inter Milan brass taking massive gamble with Balotelli sale
Soccer Betting Lines
07/26/2010 -
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With reports surfacing that Inter Milan are
prepared to transfer Mario Balotelli to Manchester City for a fee in the range
of 30 million Euros, the young star's tumultuous time with the club seems to be
at an end.
The 19-year-old Balotelli is a supremely gifted player with the ability to use
his strength and quickness to elude opponents and create quality scoring
opportunities. Even at a young age, the skill set the young Italian possesses
is of an elite nature.
Should Balotelli continue to progress, he could eventually become one of the
best players in the world, a factor that makes his sale a reluctant one for
Inter. It should be noted that Inter does not need to sell Balotelli at this
point as a result of any financial constraints - they're choosing to because of
issues with his character.
While Balotelli does possess top-level skill, his mental stability and petulant
behavior has caused concerns in Milan, so much so that some fellow teammates
reportedly want to see him removed from the team's roster. Spats with Inter
fans and former coach Jose Mourinho are well-documented, while his appearance
on national television wearing heated rival AC Milan's jersey did not sit well
with Inter supporters, to say the least.
So intense were his issues with Mourinho that he was benched for long stretches
throughout the season, the last for throwing his jersey on the ground after
fans booed him for a poor display in a Champions League match against
Barcelona.
Balotelli is without question lacking maturity at this point in his career, yet
it didn't stop some of the top clubs in Europe from inquiring about his
services. The growing pains for Balotelli have been a constant throughout his
career, but were not surprising given that he's been under the microscope since
the age of 17.
His conflicts with coaches and fellow players are alarming, but will likely
lessen once Balotelli matures in age and is taken under the wing by an
established soccer mind. Balotelli's former Inter coach and current Manchester
boss Roberto Mancini seems adept at taking on such a challenge and it's one
that could reap huge benefits for both Balotelli and Mancini.
Considering his age, the risk of bringing in Balotelli from a Manchester City
point-of-view is minimal, and the club's new owners have declared they'll spend
whatever money is necessary to compete in the English Premier League, along
with contending in other European competitions.
The risk is much greater for Inter, considering the club's reputation in parts
of Italy. With a roster boasting very few Italian players, the sale of
Balotelli will likely not sit well with purists who believe Italian clubs
should groom their own home-grown players over foreigners. While the sale
amount of 30 million Euros is nothing to groan about, if Balotelli is able to
put both his mental and physical game together, he will likely be worth double
that amount in a few short years.
With Rafa Benitez taking over the club from departed manager Jose Mourinho, the
opportunity is there for a fresh start for Balotelli at Inter. The Spanish
manager has the chance to instill a vote of confidence in the young star that
he felt was waning with Mourinho. Whether or not Balotelli has burned too many
bridges over the last few seasons to make that possibility a reality is
questionable at this point. One thing that's not in question is Balotelli's
skill set, but whether he takes advantage of such talent is squarely on the
shoulders of the young Italian himself.
It's said that patience is a virtue and, in the case of Balotelli, it could
prove either a catastrophic risk or magnificent judgement. At this point, it
seems to be a 50-50 proposition but one that could see Manchester City benefit
much more than Inter Milan, should the sale go through.
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Oddsmakers have released the odds for the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and Seattle Seahawks linebacker Aaron Curry has been made the opening favorite.
Bet on NFL Football
Seattle took Curry with the fourth overall pick in April's NFL draft and plan on inserting him into its starting lineup right away. The Hawks traded linebacker Julian Peterson in the offseason, so Curry is expected to have a significant role in Seattle's defense next year and that's one of the primary reasons he is the favorite to win the NFL ROY Award.
Oddsmakers from online sportsbook MySportsbook.com have made Curry a 5/1 favorite to win this year's NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. Given that he was the best defensive prospect in this year's draft and how he'll have plenty of opportunities to make plays in '09, Curry offers a ton of value at 5/1.
Another thing working for Curry is the position he plays. A linebacker has won the defensive ROY award six straight times and eight of the last nine years. Jerod Mayo, Patrick Willis, DeMeco Ryans, Shawne Merriman, Jonathan Vilma, Terrell Suggs, Kendrell Bell and Brian Urlacher were the most recent linebackers to take home the award.
Following Curry at 5/1 are Tyson Jackson (Chiefs) at 7/1, James Laurinaitas (Rams) at 8/1, Brian Orakpo (Redskins) at 10/1, Rey Maualuga (Bengals) at 10/1 and Jerry Peria (Falcons) at 10/1.
All the players mentioned above are expected to start for their respective teams, but Jackson and Peria are going to have a tough time being recognized on a national level given they're both defensive linemen. D-linemen rarely put up the numbers that it takes to win an individual award like the ROY.
A couple of players with some value are Clay Matthews (Packers) at 12/1 and Larry English (Chargers) at 15/1. Matthews is expected to start at outside linebacker in Green Bay's new 3-4 defense and could rack up a ton of tackles. English, who was an impressive player at Northern Illinois, is expected to be a situational pass rusher for the Chargers and could rack up a ton of sacks.
For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, see below. And for complete odds for the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, click the link provided.
2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award
Robert Ayers (DEN) 12/1
Ron Brace (NE) 25/1
Everette Brown (CAR) 16/1
Darius Butler (NE) 40/1
Patrick Chung (NE) 30/1
Aaron Curry (SEA) 5/1
Brian Cushing (HOU) 12/1
Vontae Davis (MIA) 30/1
Louis Delmas (DET) 30/1
Larry English (SD) 15/1
Evander Hood (PIT) 25/1
Tyson Jackson (KC) 7/1
Malcolm Jenkins (NO) 25/1
Paul Kruger (BAL) 50/1
James Laurinaitas (STL) 8/1
Sen'Derrick Marks (TEN) 20/1
Clay Matthews (GB) 12/1
Aaron Maybin (BUF) 15/1
Rey Maualuga (CIN) 10/1
Roy Miller (TB) 20/1
Michael Mitchell (OAK) 45/1
Fili Moala (IND) 30/1
Brian Orakpo (WAS) 10/1
Jerry Peria (ATL) 10/1
B J Raji (GB) 7/1
Clint Sintim (NYG) 35/1
Alphonso Smith (DEN) 40/1
David Verkune (CLE) 20/1
Jason Williams (DAL) 30/1
Field (Any Other Player) 6/1
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