Source: Daily_Mail
Is Mario Balotelli worth the grief at Manchester United?
The frustrations felt by Manchester City fans are shared by the club's coaching staff.[LNB]Ever since Mario Balotelli began to feign injury to mask poor performances in training at the start of last season, Roberto Mancini's aides have swung somewhere between exasperation and despair.[LNB] Angry reaction: Mario Balotelli's bizarre effort on goal attracted criticism from his team-mates[LNB]One City source told Sportsmail: 'Mario is like nobody I have ever seen or dealt with. At times he is almost impossible to control.'[LNB]Mancini has been seen as the only vehicle capable of moving the 20-year-old somewhere near to normality.[LNB] Man-management is not one of the City boss's great skills. As one ally once said: 'If you are not in his team then you may as well be dead.'[LNB] Angry exchange: Roberto Mancini and Balotelli clashed after the striker was substituted in the first half[LNB]But Mancini makes something of an exception with Balotelli because he thinks the striker's talent is worth the sideshow. Like someone trying to control an errant teenager, Mancini seems to use praise and criticism in almost equal measure.[LNB]Some indiscretions are overlooked. For example, Balotelli never gets chastised for parking his sports car where he shouldn't at City's training ground. But it is different when his actions begin to affect results.[LNB] Mancini was scathing when Balotelli's red card helped seal City's exit from the Europa League at the hands of Dynamo Kiev last season. And there was no mercy shown at the Home Depot Center on Sunday.[LNB] Troubled: Balotelli has racked up a long list of fines for parking his car illegally[LNB]At the heart of Balotelli's unpredictability is loneliness. At least that's the theory at City. He doesn't mix well and, after a difficult childhood, does not trust easily either.[LNB]Mancini has instructed his own son Andrea on City's books as a striker to act as a conduit between Balotelli and the rest of squad, and is one of the few players to have been invited inside Balotelli's city-centre apartment.[LNB]Until Sunday, Balotelli's conduct and attitude had been pretty good on the club's American tour. With Balotelli, though, one senses there is always another moment of madness around the corner.[LNB] CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE FANTASY FOOTBALL GAMEHe's infuriating his manager and now even his team-mates are telling Mario Balotelli he risks turning into the Italian yob!LA Galaxy 1 Man City 1 (City win 7-6 on pens): Balotelli in furious row with Mancini VIDEO: Balotelli's backheel and five others who failed to show some R-E-S-P-E-C-T!All the latest Manchester City news, features and opinion [LNB]
