Kidd says City life may prove the perfect tonic for ‘homesick’ Balotelli

BRIAN KIDD has pleaded for understanding as Italian Mario Balotelli tries to combat the destructive power of homesickness.

In the aftermath of his hat-trick against Aston Villa on Tuesday, the Manchester City striker attempted to play down claims he is unhappy in the north-west and wants to return home.

Yet manager Roberto Mancini acknowledged the 20-year-old does miss home comforts in Milan and speculation linking him with a transfer to AC Milan, who finally look ready to challenge for the Serie A title.

After scoring eight times in 11 appearances for the Eastlands outfit, City are eager for Balotelli to stay, even if his failure to celebrate goals is driving Mancini to distraction.

Assistant manager Kidd feels there should be some recognition of Balotelli’s plight — a millionaire footballer he may be, but he is also human.

“There has to be an empathy towards players,” Kidd said. “When they do feel this homesickness, you don’t brow beat them. The players have been very good with Mario too. There is an understanding there. Everyone tends to look at the materialistic side of things, but it is never easy.”

Contrary to Balotelli’s image — which paints the picture of a lazy, disaffected young man — Kidd reports a striker who is eager for work and popular in the dressing room.

“Mario is working hard in training and all the lads were genuinely pleased for him when he got his hat-trick,” he added.

Whether Balotelli would be too impressed if Mancini told him his services were not required against Blackpool today is another matter. However, with Carlos Tevez amongst those who are set to return, room must be found somehow and, according to Mancini, another potential sacrifice, James Milner, was outstanding.

These are the problems Mancini must handle without too much rancour if City are to maintain their status as title contenders, and the work will only get harder when Edin Dzeko completes his move from Wolfsburg. That deal has inched a little closer following confirmation that the Bundesliga strugglers are on the brink of sealing a deal with Dynamo Moscow for Germany striker Kevin Kuranyi.

All should become clearer once the weekend is out of the way and the transfer window opens up properly. By that time City could be top if Blackpool are seen off and city rivals Manchester United fail to win at West Brom. Not that Kidd is taking anything for granted.

“Everybody wrote them off but Ian Holloway obviously told his team to express themselves and they have been tremendous,” Kidd said.

“They gave us a severe examination at Bloomfield Road, where we managed to win, but since then they have gone from strength to strength. If Ian keeps them in the league he has to be manager of the season, there is no doubt about it.”

For his part, Blackpool boss Ian Holloway is looking for revenge when his side visit Eastlands. He was incensed at the way the Seasiders lost to City in October, claiming that three crucial wrong decisions had swung the game.

“I want some revenge if we can possibly be good enough to get it,” Holloway said. “Man City have improved massively in the period since they played us and they are going from strength to strength, but we are going to go to their ground and I want to see if we can beat them this time.’’