Liverpool manager tries to keep spotlight off Balotelli
BRENDAN RODGERS has warned that he will not allow Liverpool to become ‘‘ the Mario Balotelli show’’ as he attempts to limit a level of interest that he feels could destabilise both the player and his new club.
Since joining Liverpool for $ 31.7million (£ 16m) from AC Milan last week, Balotelli has been the subject of extensive scrutiny, with photographers monitoring his every movement at the club’s Melwood training ground and reports focusing on the food and drink he ordered at his hotel.
Rodgers has consequently made it clear that, while such media attention may be inevitable, he will not allow it to undermine either Balotelli’s reacclimatisation in the English Premier League or the team ethic that he has built at Anfield in his two years as manager.
‘‘Mario is fine, he has settled in very well,’’ Rodgers said. ‘‘He has looked fantastic in training and he is a good lad. The focus is very much on his football and he has done very well. He has moved to Merseyside. He is a Liverpool player.
‘‘ Mario wants to prove how much he loves this country. He left as a young guy a couple of years ago but he now really appreciates it here.
‘‘ I have spoken at length to Mario since he has been here. He is definitely a mature boy. He is very, very bright. I think he now feels that it is time to show exactly the type of player he is.
‘‘Everyone knows his quality and we have seen it this week in training. We have seen the sheer power and pace and the touch that he has. He wants to score goals and I think he wants to do it consistently now.
‘‘ That is why we are working really hard on his football. This won’t be the Mario Balotelli show for the press every week. I will tell you that now. He is going to be treated the same as every player here, that’s for sure.’’
Rodgers believes that Liverpool’s ‘‘different style’’ will help to prevent Balotelli from adding to the reputation he acquired during three stormy seasons at Manchester City, from 2010, which produced 30 goals from 80 appearances in and a series incidents.
However, the Liverpool manager has yet to decide whether to pick the forward to start against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane overnight. With Balotelli still to reach full fitness, the Liverpool manager, who also has doubts over Alberto Moreno and Martin Skrtel, may opt to name him among the substitutes.
‘‘We will see,’’ Rodgers said. ‘‘I will decide tomorrow. He has looked great in training. He has trained with AC Milan before he joined us. If I need to put him in, I will. I won’t have any fears. He is engrossing himself in the club and the people here, but more importantly in his football.
‘‘I look forward to seeing that development over the coming years. He is a good player, a talented player. But he has a lot of work to do here. We have a number of top-class players – and the star of this team will always be the team.’’ all of competitions
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