Roberto Mancini says Mario Balotelli has only himself to blame for not being Italy's first-choice striker, and told L'Equipe he used to simply hope the Nice forward's "head would work well on matchdays."
Balotelli, 26, spent the international break watching Italy on TV after he was not called up for their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Macedonia.
Mancini gave Balotelli his Serie A debut while Inter Milan coach during the 2007-08 season, and then signed the striker at Manchester City when he was appointed manager of the Premier League club in 2010, and he says the forward's international exile is self-inflicted.