Paolo Di Canio has agreed a two and a half year deal to become the new manager of Sunderland Football Club after Martin O’Neill was sacked last night.
The former West Ham United playmaker was most recently the manager of Swindon Town in League One until he resigned from the club last month after almost two years in charge of The Robins. While at Swindon, Di Canio managed Swindon to promotion from League Two to League One at the end of the 2011-12 season.
Di Canio’s expedited appointment to become Sunderland manager didn’t sit well with Sunderland director David Miliband who resigned his post as a result of Di Canio being appointed. Miliband said, “in the light of the new manager’s past political statements, I think it right to step down.”
Di Canio is a self-proclaimed Fascist, but insists he’s not a racist, and has supported anti-racism campaigns.
Miliband, meanwhile, quit his post last week as foreign secretary to take a post in New York City as head of a charity. The former politician’s comments about Di Canio are a quick attempt to distance himself away from a politically volatile situation.
Di Canio, meanwhile, begins his first day of work at Sunderland tomorrow when he meets his players for the first time. In a recent interview, here’s what Di Canio said about his philosophy regarding management:
“The right place for me is the place that has the ambition and the staff who want to bring in a winning mentality. The club needs to have set rules, which for me are discipline, desire, passion, work ethic and a determination to get the right results to make everybody happy, namely the board, the fans and the club’s players and staff.”
What do you think? Will Paolo Di Canio be able to help Sunderland stay up this season?
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April fools.
I just don’t get this appointment.
Sunderland will be playing in black shirts for the rest of the season…
will not go down as a very smart decision from Sunderland management.sure they will get a lot of press but for all the wrong reasons.a confirmed Fascist by his own words now a manager of a EPL side (for 7 more matches).
The guy is a loose canon. His fascist salute in a Rome derby got him suspended and his pro Mussolini stance won’t sit well with many. Swindon lost a sponsor because of his political views.
Not sure if he will be able to keep Sunderland up as he has never managed in the EPL. Swindon are a League 1 club, 2 divisions lower, so I don’t get this appointment. He is supposedly a good motivator so we shall see. The guy is not boring that’s for sure.
Should be easy to beat Sunderland now as they won’t be playing from the left 🙂 .
Bold move but well done to Sunderland for going with an an up and coming manager rather than a re-tread or has-been. This guy is not lacking in self belief but can he transmit that to the players. My guess is it ends in tears but it will be fun while it lasts.
I suppose it also means the Hammers are stuck with fat Sam.
Nice job, Sunderland. Really rooting for them to get relegated now.
This will end well……
Sunderland were quite easily the most unwatchable team in the Premier League this season. Not the best timing for a sack and I love Mr. O’Neill but as with Villa, he clearly took the team as far as it could go.
Di Canio is a true Hail Mary but he may have the passion to help them stay up or make the playoffs next season.
Sunderland have been absolutely terrible for the last 4 months, They only need 8 points out of 23, a new fiery manager like PDC will probably be the swift kick up the but the players need.
I don’t think they would have gone down with MON, they looked terrible for sure, but I just don’t believe they would have gone down, I don’t care how “good” villa look, they cant win games, end of.
6 Apr 2013 v Stoke (A) —Draw/Loss
13 Apr 2013 v Fulham (H) —Draw/Loss
22 Apr 2013 v Man Utd (A) —loss
29 Apr 2013 v Sunderland (H) —Draw/Loss
4 May 2013 v Norwich (A) —Draw / Win
12 May 2013 v Chelsea (H) —Loss
IMO its a maximum of 6 points for Villa from those games. Benteke can not save them single handedly… It wont Happen.
Sunderland have far more experienced and talented players:
7 Apr 2013 v Chelsea (A) —Loss/ Draw/Win 1st game for PDC,also depends on CFC mood after FA Cup and Europa league results.
14 Apr 2013 v Newcastle (A) —-derby ?? Loss/Draw/Win
20 Apr 2013 v Everton (H) —Draw/Loss
29 Apr 2013 v Aston Villa (A) —Win
4 May 2013 v Stoke (H) — Win
12 May 2013 v Southampton (H) —Draw/Win
All though I think PDC is a Fascist Prick… he could motivate the team, he could get the best out of a better crop of players than Lambert has, you put those squads injuries and all side by side then if both managers get the “best ” out of them Sunderland win all day!
In what universe is di canio better than o’neil?!!!!!
At least Sunderland won’t be boring while Di Canio will be on the sidelines. If anyone can light a fire under the players it’s Di Canio. The problem is you also need tactics and it’s a big leap from League 1 to the EPL. This is either a genius move or a train wreck. Time (a short one at that) will tell.
All Sunderland need to do now is hire Roy Keane as Director of Football and we’ll have the best soap opera in football. Imagine those two working together? Priceless.
Should be interesting, I’m hoping for nazi salute on the half way line if he keeps them up.
We can call it the Di Canio wave
Well it is clear who I am rooting for to go down now.
A self-proclaimed fascist who claims he’s not racist…(does that include anti-semitism?)
Is that like a Klan member saying he’s got nothing against Jews & Catholics and forgets to mention the obvious thing?