Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has told Adam Johnson he is not yet a top player and should not believe hype to the contrary.
The 23-year-old former Middlesbrough man yesterday admitted he is finding life on the bench difficult, but Mancini reckons the England international needs to "think more" and work harder for the team.
Quoted in several newspapers, the Italian said: "England is like Italy. When a young player plays five games very well all the newspapers say 'oh this Adam Johnson is a fantastic player'.
"When you are young you read the newspapers and think 'I am the top, I am the top'.
"But Adam Johnson is a young player and doesn't understand the game very well. I think he can improve a lot more if he thinks more when he plays.
"He's a good player but he's just 23 years old, he's played 20 games in the Premier League and it's impossible to think of him now as a top player.
"For this, he must work, he must think, he must work for the team - not two dribbles, two crosses. In a top team you need more.
"If you're only doing two dribbles you can't be the best player on the pitch. You must do dribbling, score a goal, you must defend, you must help your team-mates. There is more expected of him."
