Brendan Rodgers has said that his present period in charge of Celtic is the happiest period of his coaching life, and who wouldn't find contentment swatting away the challenge of every team in Scotland? Celtic are on course for a domestic treble, with two trophies already secure. Their Old Firm dominance is remarkable, too: beginning and ending their clashes with Rangers this season with a couple of 5-1 thumpings.
Rodgers is in such good form, he is willing to make gags about Mario Balotelli.
Last night, Rodgers spoke at Celtic's Player of the Year awards, and with a number of supporters in the building too, he participated in a Q and A with fans, who had submitted their questions beforehand.
One question asked Rodgers to name the best player he has ever trained. Given Rodgers has worked with the likes of Steven Gerrard, Raheem Sterling, Phil Coutinho, and Luis Suarez along with a bunch of Champions League winners at Chelsea and Iago Aspas, there's a pretty decent selection from which he could choose. That's before accounting for the likelihood Rodgers would say a Celtic player to pander to the crowd.
So Rodgers was asked, the room erupted in anticipation, and with impeccable comic timing, Rodgers said Mario Balotelli.
Who is the best player Brendan Rodgers has ever coached? ?? (all videos via @Dafabet) pic.twitter.com/jLWTtrSVaS
— talkingbaws (@talkingbaws) April 30, 2017
Rodgers was largely doomed when Liverpool floundered in trying to replace Suarez, and ended up with Balotelli. After a three-hour screening by Rodgers, in which he drew Balotelli a stickman wearing a crown to show how he is the king of his own destiny, Balotelli abdicated responsibility in spectacular fashion, scoring a single league goal before being shipped out on loan.
In fairness to Mario, he has found a home in Nice, and was important in their 3-1 win over PSG last night, virtually ending the title race while cutting PSG's advantage over Nice in second place to just three points.
