10 Man City Players Who Weren't Worth The Hassle

4. Mario Balotelli

Oh, Mario. The troubled maverick with a heart of gold. Cheeky and playful at times, often mixed with stroppiness and volatility, maybe it was Mario Balotelli, and not chocolates, that Forrest Gump was referring to. Whenever he would pull on the City strip, it was anyone's guess what he would be serving up. If he was in the mood, it could well be a 25 yard bicycle kick. If somebody had taken the jam out of his doughnut, on the other hand, it could be a bad-tempered afternoon of scowls, non-existent work-rate and dangerous lunges. And that was just his on-pitch behaviour. If you were to show somebody how to keep Mario Balotelli on a leash, they would instantly show you a bare-faced liar. Roberto Mancini shouldn't be blamed for the Italian youngster's midemeanours at Eastland's - it was his own unprofessionalism that contributed to a troubled stint in Manchester. While he may have been adored by the public for his charming persona, there was never a period where the £20 million frontman established himself as a consistent starter for the club. There were wonderful moments, including his Man of the Match display in an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United, his two-goal salvo in a 6-1 demolition at Old Trafford and the crucial assist for Sergio Aguero's title-winning goal against QPR in May 2012. But on the whole, Balotelli was an uncontrollable menace, an embodiment of unprofessionalism held in stark contrast to that of exemplary captain Vincent Kompany. Disciplinary problems marred his stay at the club, with constant bust-ups with former Internazionale boss Roberto Mancini. He was suspended for four matches for a perceived stamp on Spurs captain Scott Parker, was involved in a petulant squabble with team-mate Aleksandr Kolarov regarding the taking of a free-kick, and drew the public wrath of his manager in April 2012 for a reckless challenge on Bacary Sagna, resulting in a red card which appeared to have derailed City's title bid.