Mario Balotelli Accused of Angering Liverpool Team-Mates with Poor Attitude

Mario Balotelli apparently hasn't taken long to alienate his new Liverpool team-mates. The maverick striker is reportedly irking more than one fellow squad member with his selfish demeanour.

That's according to an ESPN report from BT Sport's Ian Darke:

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Mario Balotelli has been on Merseyside for only a few weeks and already he has found himself out of the Liverpool and Italy teams. Sources have told me that some of his team-mates at Anfield are none too impressed by his individualistic approach.

It does not sound as if manager Brendan Rodgers is doing cartwheels of delight either. 'He is not hitting the numbers he would have liked in terms of goals' was his response to a return of just one so far.

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Perhaps the only real news here is that it has taken Balotelli this long to court controversy. He's made a career out of upsetting successive managers and leaving team-mates infuriated.

That's the right word to describe Balotelli. It is infuriating that a striker who can be close to unplayable for defenders when at his best so often seems content to let his talent pass him by.

In theory, Balotelli has every attribute he needs to dominate the game. He possesses an awesome physical power, lightning pace and quality technique.

At just 24, the mystifying malcontent even has youth on his side. But the reality is far different from the theory.

In reality, Balotelli is at his fourth club since 2010. He's tried and failed to make Milan his theatre with both Inter and the Rossoneri.

Even the presence of a fellow countryman, in the form of Roberto Mancini, along with collecting a Premier League winners medal at Manchester City, couldn't placate Balotelli.

Liverpool should be his safe haven. After all, Rodgers managed (just about) to get notorious but outrageously gifted bad boy striker Luis Suarez to focus long enough to dominate England's top flight.

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

Even though it's early days, the current signs aren't good he'll be able to do the same with Balotelli. In fact, Darke has suggested signing the perennial misfit was a panicked reaction to seeing Suarez leave for FC Barcelona:

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Rodgers has been banging on to journalists about Liverpool's need to improve as a team. Asked why in that case he bought a player hardly renowned for his team ethic, his reply was both telling and damning: 'It was a question of availability and affordability at a late stage in the window.'

Translated, that would seem to suggest Liverpool bought Balotelli almost as a last resort. (Remember their plan to sign Loic Remy rather mysteriously broke down at the last moment, and he went to Chelsea eventually.)

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Balotelli's latest malaise led to him being left out of the team's recent 2-1 home win over West Bromwich Albion. Despite Daniel Sturridge still not being fit, Rodgers preferred plodding target man Rickie Lambert to lead Liverpool's attacking line.

That decision seemed to be a reaction to Balotelli's woeful showing in the UEFA Champions League against FC Basel. The Reds were beaten 1-0 on Swiss soil, and Balotelli's supposed lack of application was singled out, per Simon Rice of The Independent:

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Mario Balotelli ignored Brendan Rodger's [sic] request to applaud the travelling Liverpool fans last night following the 1-0 defeat to Basel in the Champions League.

After the final whistle, Rodgers gestured to Balotelli to go and acknowledge the Liverpool fans who had made the 700 mile trip from Merseyside. However, the Italian opted to head straight down the tunnel.

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Rodgers moved quickly to play down that incident, but the fact that he even had to address the topic reveals the painful reality of life with Balotelli in your team. Rodgers is dedicating more air time than any misfiring striker deserves to fending off questions about Balotelli's conduct and mood.

Obviously, a certain amount of spin should've been expected when considering the player's history. It's also important to be a little wary of every report of this nature.

For instance, the "individualistic approach" Darke referenced is a pretty broad phrase. Does it mean Balotelli isn't trying or does it mean he's simply a loner who's having trouble fitting in? Remember, this is a player who has been on Merseyside for less than two months.

It's always easy to assume the worse with Balotelli, and that's not totally without merit. However, until he becomes a more regular fixture in this Liverpool side, one Rodgers still has to balance amid a plethora of new signings, let's put off condemning Balotelli just yet.