Man City's first-team coach David Platt feels Mario Balotelli is now repaying Roberto Mancini's faith.
City coach insists Italian youngster is a pleasure to work with
Manchester City's first-team coach David Platt feels Mario Balotelli is now repaying the faith shown in him by manager Roberto Mancini.
The young Italian striker has taken time to adapt to the English game since his big-money move from Inter Milan last summer and he has rarely been out of the headlines due to his antics both on and off the field.
While his ability is beyond doubt, there have been question marks over Balotelli's attitude given his surly nature, and at other times his behaviour has been seen as immature.
Balotelli has also racked up more yellow and red cards than goals but in recent weeks has begun to show the effort and work-rate expected of him, such as during Saturday's FA Cup Final win over Stoke at Wembley.
Only a fine save from Thomas Sorensen denied Balotelli a superb opener but it was his willingness to track back and tackle that pleased City fans, and Platt feels the misunderstood youngster is now showing why his former Inter boss Mancini was so keen to bring him to Eastlands.
"You've got to give the credit to Robbie, though. Robbie believes in him," Platt said.
Different country
"For anybody to leave a country and come to play in a different style of football, it's very difficult to hit the ground running especially, when you are only 20.
"He also had injuries as well at the start of the season. There's no doubt about it, he does things sometimes that bring him into the forefront of the newspapers and the media that he could perhaps negate a little bit.
"But I think in terms of him as a person, he's very easy to manage. He's a great boy.
"You've just got to do it on a constant basis. His performances, when he's at it, are second to none."
