Liverpool; Rodgers: Balotelli Is Prepared To Work Hard
The Italian, who has a reputation for being difficult to handle, has impressed his new boss following his move from AC Milan this summer.
“He’s well in tune with the history, not only of the club but of Liverpool. He’s prepared to work.,” Rodgers told Sky Sports.
“You saw his work-rate, and okay the ball bounced off him a couple of times and we’re trying to improve him in the transitions so that when he makes a mistake he can go after it, but I think you can see what he’s trying to put in for the team. He needs to do more of it, and it will come.”
The Northern-Irishman then added that high-maintenance players are part of the job, before saying that he considers Balotelli to be maturing.
“I think in general as a coach you will always have players who are high maintenance and players who are low maintenance for different reasons," he added.
“I’ll spend a lot of time with a lot of the players but he’s a good boy and I think you can see he’s prepared to work.
“Mario has really looked into the history of the club. He understands the great strikers of the past.
“We’ve spoken about Suarez and his time here but if you’re clever, you’ll learn and remember he’s still young and still learning the game and he still has this hunger to do well.”
Balotelli scored his first goal for the club against Bulgarian side, Ludogorets, in Liverpool’s first Champions League tie since 2009.
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