4 Aug 2014

'He's wonderful': BR admits LFC kept a 'close eye' on £25m star, & confirms transfer is not on the agenda

Over the weekend, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers lavished praise on AC Milan star Mario Balotelli, sparking a wave of speculation that the Reds could make a transfer bid for the controversial striker. Despite his colourful history, many fans like the idea of Balotelli at Anfield, but Rodgers has quickly moved to deny any LFC interest in the player.

On Saturday, Rodgers described Balotelli as a 'big talent', and confirmed that Liverpool were, at one point, considering a move for the Italian. He noted:

"We [Liverpool] had a real close eye on him there [at Man City].

"He's got all the qualities. He's 6ft 3ins, he's quick, his touch is terrific; he can score goals. If his focus [and] concentration is right and he leads the lifestyle of a top player then he can play for any team in the world"


Liverpool have been linked with £25m-rated Balotelli several times in the past, but when asked yesterday if there's any truth to the transfer rumours, Rodgers told reporters:

“He [Balotelli] is a wonderful player, but he is an AC Milan player. I just gave my opinion of him, but doesn’t mean I will be signing him.”

Given Rodgers' effusive praise of Balotelli, it's hardly surprising that the speculation snowballed. The manager's initial comments can arguably be viewed as an open challenge to the striker: prove that your focus is right, and staring living the 'lifestyle of a top player', and we may be come in for you in the future.

LFC fans are are clearly open to the transfer. Indeed, in a recent poll on the site, 53%** of 13400 (approx) participants voted YES to Liverpool signing Balotelli, so it shows that a lot of Reds fans like the idea of bringing the striker to Anfield.




A whole host of ex-LFC legends will be happy with Rodgers' decision, though. Amongst former players, Balotelli is one of the most despised footballers on the planet.

* In 2011, Graeme Souness dismissed Balotelli as a 'liability'.

* Last season, Alan Hansen maligned Balotelli as a 'damaging distraction', and warned that 'you don’t need characters like him who seek out confrontation with referees and opponents'

* In 2012, Dietmar Hamann insisted that he 'wouldn't want Balotelli in my team'.

* Soon after, Mark Lawrenson labelled the Italian an 'absolute disgrace' and 'not worth the aggravation'.

* In 2013, Tommy Smith called Balotelli a 'nutcase' who would 'not have lasted five minutes' under Bill Shankly.

The stunning hypocrisy here never ceases to amuse me. Souness et al were constantly on Balotelli's back, but rarely offered the same critique of Luis Suarez, who caused far more serious problems for Liverpool. But I digress...

Liverpool desperately need another striker, but given Balotelli's unpredictability, it's probably for the best that the club is not interested at this time. That said, I wouldn't rule out a move in the future.

Even when dismissing the rumour, Rodgers lavished further praise on Balotelli, and if he makes a manifest effort to change his ways, and works on becoming a top professional, it wouldn't surprise me to see LFC make a concrete move at some point in the next 2 years.

** As of today. Poll is still ongoing so figures may change.

Author:


63 comments:

  1. He's a liability, could we really trust him in the big games? I don't think so, I would rather we have Bony.

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  2. will be happy with BR's decision or will not be happy?
    IMO, he is a bargain for quoted 14mn price, I use to envy city when they played Mario. He has spectacular footballing ability and if BR can mould him into a player he can be, Liverpool will benefit a lot from him.

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  3. Agree. If I had to choose between the two, I'd rather take Bony at this stage. Balotelli may change as he matures, and then he'll potentially be a hell of a player.

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  4. would like Bony, but then again i think Mario will really warm to the fans and the fans will warm to him. but we might as well just go for bony who can play backup or lone striker or partner sturridge. if we dont sign a marquee player this summer though, Like Marcos Reus i will be very dissapointed. Reus will cost just £45M and is already world class. we should also buy Yarmolenko to use as an alternative winger and striker. he would be a great buy also

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  5. you never know what you'll get. One game hes amazing ... the next 4 hes terrible. And he'll sulk. I think we have a good chemistry in the club and he has the potential to disrupt that. I think hes a good player on his day; but he wants to be the star. He wants all the goals and probably wouldn't accept Sturridge being there too.

    Bony would be an all-rounded better buy in my opinion. Great feet, doesnt need an invitation to shoot and fantastic in the air. And probably wouldn't mind not always being a starter either.

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  6. Balotelli's mad as a bicycle, but I can't help the feeling that, sooner or later, some lucky club might just have a complete beast of a forward on their hands. I'm definitely concerned about waltzing into the new season with Sturridge (who's hamstrings are in fact made from compressed straw and wasp spit) and Lambert as our main centre forwards. It's abundantly clear that we need another goalscorer and there aren't too many options about, certainly not that are available at a relative bargain price of 15 or so million.

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  7. An explosion looking for a place to happen....no thanks

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  8. your right Jaimie. you see it the same way i do. Balotelli has destroyed some top teams in his days and has already lifted alot of trophys for his tender age. i think in terms of potential we should buy Balotelli. he could go on to hit 35 goals every season. hes a world beater, but needs the right coach. Rodgers is perfect fot Mario. LFC always go back after players so dont be suprised to see us bid for him in January or the summer

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  9. Yeah, agree. No doubts about his ability at all but in the big games with things at stake I could easily see him getting sent off. It's slightly worrying that with less than two weeks to go before the start of the season we still haven't got the Suarez replacement and we're picking up injuries.

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  10. the problem is jk is that if he does that you can add 20m to the price for me it was a gamble if i was rogers i would have put a low ball bid in say 10m or offered some of our dead wood ..

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  11. i just look at the money we have churned out on dross and i think its a no brainer,i think if we signed him now hed still score 20 goals min this year.We have spent 20m on lazer and he is just pure potential and may well not get into the team Balo would start for that im sure ,we could spend 20m on bony and he may struggle to get into the team and like lambert i think would struggle to play any other position bar Cf

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  12. Balotelli's agent is working very hard to find a club willing to take on his immaturity and you won't tell me what to do attitude. Problem child...


    AC Milan might have to release him for free and to be honest, taking him for free ain't worth it either.

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  13. well logster get some other ideas to rogers as we are approaching kick off with lambert as our only fit cf ...add into that Cl fixtures add into that all the others clubs have bought add into that utd are not in the Cl and we could be in for a tough six months ....

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  14. LFC should consider Ahmed Musa from CSKA Moscow. absolutlely explosove, womderfully gifted player. i remember being on holiday in Nigeria and i actually watched the young kid play twice. the Nigerian league is a league with strong defenses, but yet this kid managed to break the league record at 17 with 18 goals. he then moved to Holland and tore up that league as well. he got his big move to CSKA and he has been a top player ever since, despite his young age of 21. against Argentina at the world cup, Ahmed Musa was for a day, on the same level as Lionel Messi. Ahmed Musa isnt just fast hes incredibly fast, just ask Zabaleta and Mascherano. he ran riot on them, and they felt his ful wrath. he scored 2 fantastic goals and really kept Nigeria in the game. When Messi scored, it took a minute for Ahmed Musa to score, a world class goal is was as well. Messi scored again befor half time. Ahmed Musa comes out second. half and scores again. he will fit in perfectly with Sterling and Sturridge. he has fantastic linkup play and is very quick with alot of agility. he is very similar to sterling but more of a striker. he proved on the world stage he can play against the best, he was Nigeria youngest, but best player at their good World Cup

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  15. the kid looked good but is he for sale and if so what are we talking its just a pain that we had to loan ogari back

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  16. The club would have been working on other targets since the Remy deal was called off. There are another 4 weeks left of the transfer window so be patient.

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  17. what i dont want is for us to pay 25m for someone who cant score in a brothel ..

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  18. Yes Bony is the safe option but we've plenty of safe players already. You need players who can change big games (for the better- hopefully)


    But BR has stated quite clearly we are not signing him so no point discussing it further, Welcome to Anfield Mario.

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  19. the kid is extremely good. as in for Nigeria, he is there Suarez. hes takes up that Mantle as the best player. Rodgers really should have went for him and not Markovic. but more explosive players wont hurt. Musa has nothing to prove after that spectacular World Cup at his age with such a poor national team. Musa ran the show and he is only going to get better. in 167 proffesional football games Musa has got 55 goals/ 43 assists. which is a fantastic achievement for some1 so young, and he deserves a big PL move IMO. he is so underrated and i knew he would shine at the world cup. but no1 has swooped him up yet

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  20. They are supposed to have been working on signings for the past few years with the stated aim of getting them on early on in the transfer window.


    We will probably end up with someone like Bony who will do a job just below the very top level.

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  21. Knowing our board and our love for Southampton players, I can see a a seat for Dani Osvaldo on a certain man's Harley.

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  22. Fred for free it is then...

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  23. Anfield should have been renovated by now too with a Nando's built in the middle of the pitch as well. Our players can just work the ball around it.

    Add to that a massive complaints box right in front of the Shankly Gates where everyone can drown their sorrows on paper :-)

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  24. I can't seem to shake this Remy saga! I still maintain it was a risk worth taking! The medical stuff seems really difficult to believe as he played for the Geordies & was selected for the WC.
    Otherwise just get Bony who will guarantee goals & is a more effective version of Lambert! We have enough mobility in our midfield to compensate for Bony's lack of mobility.

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  25. Please. No Balotelli. I have seen the comparisons between Suarez and Balotelli and cannot comprehend them. Suarez at least had a passion and desire to win but Balotelli is just completely disinterested. He will throw his toys out of his pram if things are not going well and will definitely damage the team morale. My pick would be Lacazette but I would be willing to give Kristoff Peterson a chance as well or even Sterling as a striker.

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  26. a midfield with gerrad in isnt mobile

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  27. For an attacking team I feel it doesn't make sense to be crowding the team with all those defenders we are linked with. I think focus should be on adding a tried and tested striker who can hold forte when DS is out injured like is the case at the moment

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  28. I am all for competition in the squad, but I think its going to be difficult to accommodate another out and out number 9 a la Balotelli... a lot of our defensive problems stemmed last season, from trying to get our 2 strikers up top and so often left us horrifically exposed. If we play 4-3-3 which is obviously BR's preference, there is room for one striker. I think we can take it as red that will be Sturridge when fit. So yes we need back up, which we have in Lambert.
    We do need another forward, but someone more multi-dimesnional (to coin a rodgersisim), someone who can play up top, out wide or maybe just behind sturridge if we need to change things. I don't think Balotelli is that man. To be fair there aren't that many players who are good enough, which is why it was such a blow missing out on Sanchez.

    There is one lad who plays for Dortmund who has been linked with us a few times, can't think of his bloody name though...

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  29. We have bought a few creative players now its time to get someone who can finish it off i believe Marios our man.
    At the quoted price of 14 mill and with the ability this guys got its a no brainer i like Bony but being there is not much in the way of available strikers Swansea will rip us off.
    Personally i would like the club to go out and take a punt on Lacazette if Balotelli is not an option but i doubt that's going to happen.

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  30. I was thinking Hendo/Allen/Can with the likes of Lallana & Sterling coming in from wide positions. But you've also raised a good point abt SG. Do you think BR has tge guts to drop him as & when?

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  31. I stand by my previous assessment. Balotelli was criticised for the impact he had on the team and the belief from these commentators was that he didn't just play up on the pitch, he also had a negative impact in the dressing room. That may or may not be true but it's what those guys seem to believe. That's just not the same scenario as Suarez. For all that Suarez was a nut-job he always gave 100% for his team and always did whatever he good to get the result. He was unquestionably a team player, even the nutty things he did were borne out of frustration that the team wasn't doing well.


    These commentators are not making a moral judgement on Balotelli, saying that he's simply a bad guy, someone you wouldn't have around because he damages a clubs image, they're suggesting that how he acts is not good for the team. Suarez absolutely did things that negatively impacted on Liverpool but his day to day attitude was very good, very team-oriented. Overall it's hard to argue that the football contribution he made to Liverpool was a negative one. He played brilliant football, was essentially never injured, scored a ton of goals and was sold for a massive profit. The problems he caused that you highlight were ones of moral standards and image. Maybe we don't know the truth about Balotelli but the stories that have come out are not one of a team-oriented player who would do anything for the win. It's a totally different personality and there is no hypocrisy in that.

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  32. Getting him sent off would be the tactic of every PL team...and it would work too. If Balotelli is so frickin good, then why is ACM willing to sell him a a loss? Why was City willing to sell him at a loss? Answer: selling him at any price was not a loss.

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  33. Nonsense...Mancini considered him 'like a son.' That didn't matter did it?

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  34. He is a good player but seems quite immature. He has experienced a difficult upbringing coupled with the continuous racism that he faces being in Italy. Suarez misdemeanors made Balotelli's antics practically school boy. I'd take him over Borini everyday and possibly Lambert.

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  35. Meanwhile some Spanish paper is saying LFC offered Barca 5m for Dani Alves. Now that would be a good deal. He's 30 and he is a world class FB. He's a bit of a hot head but that might be good for our defense.

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  36. in an ideal world id like our midfield to be can, hendo llana with a front 3 of lazer/tino sturridge sterling i think can sitting in fronr of the two cb will allow the fullbaks to get forward but we need two decent fullbacks

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  37. Do yourself a favour, google the following

    World Cup Jerk Watch: Mario Balotelli Is the Paul Bunyan of International Soccer



    It is an article about Balotelli. It will have many links too and the reply to me what you think of it and whether you believe he is a player that would be good for our dressing room.

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  38. pandle is lamberts dad

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  39. That's true. I belive if anyone can turn a players football life around its BR.

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  40. There are too many who want to be the next team to fail at creating a worthwhile team member out of Balotelli. Mancini tried...twice...and failed. Mourinho tried...and failed. Prandelli tried...and failed. He has been criticised by senior players for his poor attitude. He has even been criticised by his own manager for his poor attitude. The media circus surrounding Balotelli at LFC would dwarf that around Suarez. BR clearly does not want to spend 90% of his time baby-sitting Balotelli to the detriment of the rest of the team. Clearly Balotelli thinks he is bigger than any team he joins. LFC fans who want Balotelli are probably the same ones who were angered by Suarez as being bigger than the team. He has been been sold at a loss by both City and now ACM for one reason. Both those teams concluded they were better off without his baggage than they were with his abilities. We need a striker, but this striker is a deal with the devil that LFRC will soon regret.

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  41. To be fair I don't think the 'nightmare' of Balotelli signing for LFC will ever come to fruition.

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  42. I never did see the wisdom in Lambert. I figured he would lead the line in LC or some early FA Cup matches...maybe even spell out Studge or Mr X (if he ever arrives) in some PL matches...but he is slow and doesn't look like much of a leader either.

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  43. The difference between Suarez and Balotelli first and foremost is consistency. Suarez performs every time he's on the pitch to an incredible level whereas you never know which balotelli is gonna show up. Also off the pitch Suarez is a settled family man whereas Balotelli is a one man riot.
    When I saw that interview with Rodgers, I thought the media will be rife with stories about us wanting to sign Balotelli and sure enough, every other website/newspaper is reporting that we're preparing a bid. Personally I breathed a huge sigh of relief when Rodgers clarified we're not after him. I'd rather give Borini another crack than take a huge punt on Rodgers being able to tame Balotelli both on and off the pitch. That would be a full time job in itself

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  44. Balotelli doesn't want his life turned around. He likes his life.

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  45. Mr. Point Of View2:44 pm, August 04, 2014

    i strongly suggesting we get a new LB b4 another FWD

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  46. Good article that basically says that in Balotelli, you're getting one of the most gifted players around, who has a boatload of cash but the personality of a child...not exactly what I would describe as Liverpool traits. Pretty suprised that many people think we should buy him!
    On a side note, intersting that Balo gets a 3/10 jerk rating and Suarez gets a 9/10. Not sure I believe Suarez is three times the jerk balo is haha

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  47. Have you been to a nightclub? Not every woman is a saint. Not condoning violence against them just saying that without knowing the full details it's always easy to jump to the defence of a woman when in actual fact, they are the instigators of a lot of the trouble.

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  48. Calm down Mary. Self absorbed brat - what nonsense. I don't want him at my club purely because he doesn't consistently work hard enough.

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  49. Call him anything you want, praise his abilities and claim he's misunderstood to anybody who will listen...just let some other team baby-sit him until he implodes again...which he inevitably will.

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  50. The big difference with Suarez and Balotelli is, Suarez always gave 100% of his effort when he was on the pitch. Balotelli can't be bothered half the time and that is unforgivable. All the off field antics could easily be looked past, if he was 100% committed as Suarez on the pitch.


    He may grow up and mature and I hope he does, because he's a special talent and a unique personality.

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  51. I plead patience since we still have August. I just remember last Summer when it seemed we waited to do anything until the last minute and didn't get much. We're way ahead of where we were last Summer at this time. Still need a reliable LB and another striker...unless BR plays Sterling at the position...which I think would be a good answer.

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  52. I think they had some good times since Benitez was there when Lucas had his good two year spell before the injury at Chelsea. either way they're not getting the right protection, but at least the football has been entertaining :-)

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  53. What?? Why are we such big proponents of nobody is bigger than the team except for Balotelli? Why does BR have to orient his coaching to Balotelli? Does he have to do this for every player or do the players enter the team orienting themselves to the coach?

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  54. Did you just double take?? Very late reaction. You replied to my comment 2 hours ago then went in to spread more 'insight' on Balotelli. I get it, you don't like Balotelli and you don't want LFC to sign him. Did Balotelli not sign your autograph or something back in the day? Don't mention Balotellli more than 3 times Pandle might appear...

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  55. Balotelli has all the traits to make him one of if not the best forwards around,hes big,strong,powerful,fast,while having amazing football ability.The only problem with him is between the ears and a perceived lack of effort on the pitch week in week out.The club need to decide whether they believe they have the necessary support structure in place to change the mental side of his game or if its even possible.But just think that if we took the gamble on him and managed to turn his mental approach to the game around,we would have a striker who would destroy premier league defences and bring trophies home to anfield where they belong.For me balotelli has the potential to be better than suarez and one of the best in the world,taking him would have to be a calculated risk,but sort out his brain and theres a massive upside.its just down to whether the risk is one the club want to take.

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  56. Huh?


    What sort of passes does Gerrard make compared to our defenders?

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  57. And as usual, you completely miss the point.


    Sent from Samsung Mobile

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  58. We would be the first to 'turn him around' when other high profile managers, who were personally close to him, could not. This is a pipe dream. Why make the team focus on Balotelli when Balotelli should focus on the team just like every other pro? Following this path is an admission that Balotelli is bigger than the club. He's not and we should let some other patsies baby-sit him.

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  59. i get the picture that hes not your cup of tea.and i get it,your right he could be more disruptive than a matchwinner,but and i know its a big but,he could be the only player at the moment who could replace what suarez did for us.Sure he needs to improve his attitude and the rest of his shortcomings,but he has the potential in my opinion to be the best in the world with the right mindset.as far as his other managers go,mancini doesnt strike me to be a good man manager he seems to always loose his cool,i truly beleive that rodgers and the support staff liverpool have in place,we could get the best out of balotelli.I was of the same opinion as you about him,but after plenty of thought have changed my opinion.To me he may be worth the gamble,and if he lives up to his massive potential and his head is in the right place,we could have the best replacement for suarez that we could find,and this guy on his game week in week out will bring us a premier league title along with the other players brought in this season.

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  60. Just making sure no pro-Balotelli statements go unanswered. My arguments against are supported way better than any argument I have seen for signing him. You call it repetition. I call it persistence.

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