The question of Jo ?

This week City boss Roberto Mancini told the media he believes Jo is a great player.  Mancini recalled that he remembered Jo from his days at C.S.K.A.  Moscow. Jo came to City with a £18m price tag and to be fair not a lot of of us had ever heard tell of the lad. With poor performances and a partying lifestyle Jo was sent on loan to Everton. At Everton he kept his hard partying and lack of respect up by jumping on a plane and jetting of to Brazil with out permission from the Club. This was seen as the last straw and Moyes told Jo to pack his bags and go back to City, that and Everton knew quite well they had not got the Cash to add him to their squad.

While only back a wet day at City sorry that’s wrong,  the SAME day he returned, City again loaned him out,  this time to Turkish side Galatasaray. Jo true to form was out all night partying and being the playboy, Turkish Police were called to his apartment many times by his neighbours for load music and partying in the middle of the night.  Jo’s  little time in Turkey was seen as a waste of time by many Galatasaray fans, scoring 3 times in 13 appearances was not enough for the Turkish side to see fit to try and buy him from City.

Jo has looked good in pre season and most would have believed this playing time was to showcase him for sale. Mancini has however seen something in him and has had him on the bench and brought him on a sub against Liverpool on Monday night.

Jo is only 23 years of age, and maybe had gone a little wild with the pitfalls that football bring with it  money, glamour models, & fame.  Its easy to get drawn by the trappings and forget why you are there in the first place. At 23 and a love for the partying lifestyle Jo lost his way, hopefully he has his head right and realised that a footballers career is short and to be the best you have to want it and sacrifice a lot to become respected and sought after otherwise its the scrap heap for you.

Has Jo finally grown up and seen his career slowly falling away ?

Do you think he can get it together and become a first team regular ?

Or

Has Mancini gone mad in beliving he can change this young man into a top flight footballer ?

The Jury is out on Jo at present, I would love to see Jo go on to prove he  can cut it in the premiership. That he can be a grown up and do his job, showing the City faithful why the club paid £18m for him. That all being said so many of us are amazed he is still at the club and looks like he may be in the squad.