Paolo Di Canio believes it will be ‘difficult’ for Mario Balotelli to rescue his career – 'he uses football to be a celebrity’.
The former Lazio and West Ham United striker was well-known for being a fiery character during his career, as well as attracting controversy by performing a fascist salute after a Rome derby.
Despite this, Di Canio has offered his thoughts on Liverpool striker Balotelli, insisting he now speaks from the perspective of a Coach.
“I’m talking as a Coach,” he told Fox Sports Italia.
Paolo Di Canio believes it will be ‘difficult’ for Mario Balotelli to rescue his career – 'he uses football to be a celebrity’.
The former Lazio and West Ham United striker was well-known for being a fiery character during his career, as well as attracting controversy by performing a fascist salute after a Rome derby.
Despite this, Di Canio has offered his thoughts on Liverpool striker Balotelli, insisting he now speaks from the perspective of a Coach.
“I’m talking as a Coach,” he told Fox Sports Italia.
“I think at some point you have to realise what it means to play with your teammates, sharing good and bad moments and it doesn’t seem like he [Balotelli] is doing that.
“Many Coaches have tried to change him. [Roberto] Mancini has been like a father to him, but even he won’t reunite with him at Inter.
“[Jose] Mourinho understood immediately, he’s good at understanding players, and he realised that he could change him. Now he hasn’t got anyone to rely on.
“He’s still young, he’s physically strong, and he’s an incredible athlete, but he’s never taken advantage of his great potential.
“Sometimes in football you think you can just hog the ball, show off in some way and let your teammates run for you, but you can’t, football is about sacrifice, and a bond with your teammates.
“That doesn’t mean off the pitch in a bar, but being generous on the pitch. I hope he’ll recover, but I can imagine it’ll be very difficult, as he spends to much time on social media.
“It seems like he uses football to be a celebrity, rather than the opposite.”