Crio’s Question: Rolling the Dice on High Risk Recruits?

Liverpool’s signing of Mario Balotelli has arguably been the biggest of a series of huge headlines accompanying the start of the new EPL season.

The discussion, of course, is just another of the many risk/reward debates which make for great sporting discussions (indeed, it is pivotal to most topics, whether it is politics, health, economics…).

Super Mario “has form”. He was once described by Jose Mourinho as “unmanageable”. He’s crazy. But he can play and people will watch.

If he stuffs up the Reds will be scorned so soon after the Suarez embarrassment. The upside, however, is irresistible – the ultimate cult figure delivering the long-awaited Championship.

It is a selector’s (list-manager’s) big call.

Trading season is upon Australia’s winter sports.

The Fev move to Brisbane will be cited by naysayers.

Plugger’s to Sydney retaliated.

Buddy’s remarkable season will have opened cheque books (and many sceptics’ minds) at the prospect of betting big to win big.

But the road to “heaven” is littered with potholes.

Sometimes the messiah, alas, is just a naughty boy.

Comments

  1. Wayne Carey to Adelaide was a good call, unfortunately ruined by THAT goal post injury.

  2. What about the dogs getting Allen (i’m on the check at Menangle) Jacovich, came to them pre-season having consumed a large heard of Wilderbeest over the summer months.

  3. The People's Elbow says

  4. How can you not love a footballer who crashes his Audi in to a womens prison because he was ‘curious’ or pays all of the students overdue fines at Xaverian College in Manchester? I heart Super Mario!

  5. Oh come on Litz, Ratts wasn’t THAT bad!

    (Who the hell’s that bloke behind him?)

  6. Trying to think of a risky player in the AFL that has been the difference between 5-8 obscurity and a grand final / premiership as many have been touted over the years. More often the team’s over ambition is exposed than the promised land realised.

    A case for Brian Lake (from 2nd to 1st anyway). Hardwick was a successful gamble at Port Adelaide (the gamble being on his body rather than mind, however). So successful that they are letting his team wear their home strip this weekend.

  7. Mick Jeffrey says

    NBA has so many examples but one to me that sticks is the Lakers getting Karl Malone and Gary Payton only for the Pistons to knock them off.

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