Balotelli - what happens next?

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Mario Balotelli urged to seek professional help by union official

By Richard ConwayBBC Sport

Mario Balotelli needs "professional help" for his disciplinary problems, according to a leading official from the world union for footballers.

Theo van Seggelen, general secretary of FIFPro, tweeted this week that the Manchester City forward "desperately needs professional mental support".

Van Seggelen, who represents 60,000 players worldwide, said the 21-year-old must realise he has "a problem".

"I think professional help is the only solution," he told BBC Sport.

Balotelli, who joined City from Inter Milan for £24m in August 2010, was sent off in City's defeat by Arsenal last weekend, his fourth red card in two seasons.

He was banned for four matches earlier this season when the Football Association took retrospective action to punish a stamp on Tottenham's Scott Parker.

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The Italy striker has also been involved in controversial incidents off the field, includingletting off a firework in his house andthrowing a dart at a City youth-team player.

"I'm optimistic. I think he is a good guy but he has to change his behaviour for two reasons," Van Seggelen said.

"First he is a role model, but also he is playing in a team and he is playing against another team and he has to respect his colleagues.

"I think that we have to realise and conclude that, after all these incidents, my personal opinion is that he needs, really, professional help.

"I don't want to blame Manchester City because it is his own responsibility, but Manchester City [have] their responsibility. Within the pitch he has to behave himself like all the other players.

"But he has proved he cannot do it by himself and therefore I said he really needs professional help.

"You cannot always apologise afterwards and say, 'yes, I'm sorry', but he must realise that he has a problem.

"When he realises that, I'm sure - I'm convinced - that professional people can help him and he can solve his problem."

Van Seggelen's comments come after Marcello Lippi, the World Cup-winning Italy manager, told Balotelli to "wake up".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17707083

[Lake Bells tits 1]

I freely admit I havent seen that much of him other than the odd City game... is he really THAT good?

[Besty 4]

Not really no, few bits of brilliance but not consistent enough. Wouldn't want him here.

[Kitman 2207]

meh