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Di Canio's Tumultuous Start at Sunderland Is No Surprise Di Canio's Tumultuous Start at Sunderland Is No Surprise
(about 3 hours later)
LONDON — Paolo Di Canio is probably the most dangerously beguiling personality associated with English and Italian soccer over the past two decades.LONDON — Paolo Di Canio is probably the most dangerously beguiling personality associated with English and Italian soccer over the past two decades.
And that, with Mario Balotelli still active, is some statement.And that, with Mario Balotelli still active, is some statement.
Momentarily, it seemed an April Fool’s joke when Di Canio was rumored to be joining Sunderland as its manager and coach, starting Monday morning.Momentarily, it seemed an April Fool’s joke when Di Canio was rumored to be joining Sunderland as its manager and coach, starting Monday morning.
But when that news was confirmed, a media frenzy erupted.But when that news was confirmed, a media frenzy erupted.
The gamble of Sunderland in firing its seasoned manager, Martin O’Neill, and replacing him with a man without a single day’s experience coaching top-level sports, is in itself a desperate act. The trigger on both the firing and the hiring came from Ellis Short, the Irish-American equities trader based in Dallas who has owned the Sunderland soccer club for two years. The gamble of Sunderland in firing its seasoned manager, Martin O’Neill, and replacing him with a man without a single day’s experience coaching top-level sports is in itself a desperate act. The trigger on both the firing and the hiring came from Ellis Short, the Irish-American equities trader based in Dallas who has owned the Sunderland soccer club for two years.
Short and his board of directors might possibly have read the signals from the players’ dressing room correctly. The team was in free fall, plummeting toward a drop from the Premiership, with its consequent loss of £60 million, or $91 million, per club per season in television income alone. Short and his board of directors might possibly have read the signals from the players’ dressing room correctly. The team was in free fall, plummeting toward a drop from the Premiership, with its consequent loss of £60 million, or $91 million, per season in television income alone.
O’Neill looked and sounded bereft of ideas. He appeared depressed, a manager famed for his motivational qualities seemingly at breaking point Saturday after losing to Manchester United at home with an own goal. The board may have reacted on gut instinct, feeling that the time to make the change was now or never.O’Neill looked and sounded bereft of ideas. He appeared depressed, a manager famed for his motivational qualities seemingly at breaking point Saturday after losing to Manchester United at home with an own goal. The board may have reacted on gut instinct, feeling that the time to make the change was now or never.
Di Canio was unemployed after walking away from Swindon Town — a lower division club that he had managed in financially desperate circumstances until an ownership takeover at the end of January. Di Canio was unemployed after walking away from Swindon Town, a lower division club that he had managed in financially desperate circumstances until an ownership takeover at the end of January.
Typically of Di Canio, he had even made up a shortfall in salaries owed to Swindon’s players from his own bank account. But then he quit abruptly when his ideas were challenged by the new owner. He had even made up a shortfall in salaries owed to Swindon’s players from his own bank account. But then he quit abruptly when his ideas were challenged by the new owner.
That is Di Canio. He is a serious thinker about the game that rescued him from a troubled, overweight childhood to become almost a great player. Born and bred in a district of Rome that traditionally supports Roma, he was drawn as a boy to the rival team, S.S. Lazio.That is Di Canio. He is a serious thinker about the game that rescued him from a troubled, overweight childhood to become almost a great player. Born and bred in a district of Rome that traditionally supports Roma, he was drawn as a boy to the rival team, S.S. Lazio.
He has at times scored goals out of nothing, strikes out of the imagination that live in the memory long after he called time on his playing career.He has at times scored goals out of nothing, strikes out of the imagination that live in the memory long after he called time on his playing career.
But the same man, when he returned to Rome as an aging prima donna, caused a furor by ripping off his light blue jersey and giving the straight-arm, flat-hand Fascist salute to the notorious neo-Nazi fanatics in the Stadio Olimpico’s north stands.But the same man, when he returned to Rome as an aging prima donna, caused a furor by ripping off his light blue jersey and giving the straight-arm, flat-hand Fascist salute to the notorious neo-Nazi fanatics in the Stadio Olimpico’s north stands.
It was not simply the gesture. It was the vicious look on Di Canio’s face, the clenched teeth, the tattoo on his right biceps dedicated to Il Duce, the Fascist leader Benito Mussolini. It was not simply the gesture. It was the vicious look on Di Canio’s face, the clenched teeth, the tattoo on his right biceps dedicated to Il Duce, the Fascist leader Benito Mussolini. In that same year, 2005, he gave interviews in which he said he was “a fascist, not a racist.”
Di Canio insists now that he was misquoted in the papers at the time. He talks at high speed. Passion pours out of him, for soccer, for his late mother and father, for his daughters.Di Canio insists now that he was misquoted in the papers at the time. He talks at high speed. Passion pours out of him, for soccer, for his late mother and father, for his daughters.
He talks when asked of his admiration for the Samurai warriors, and his street culture instincts that once prompted him to sell his own brother’s bicycle to buy sweets. He expands when asked of his admiration for the Samurai warriors, and his street culture instincts that once prompted him to sell his own brother’s bicycle to buy sweets.
And when he played with his heart on his sleeve, whether it was for Lazio, Milan, Juventus or the British teams Glasgow Celtic, Sheffield Wednesday and West Ham United, he had that same amalgam of fury and occasional beauty. And when he played, it was with his heart on his sleeve — whether it was for Lazio, Milan, Juventus or the British teams Glasgow Celtic, Sheffield Wednesday and West Ham United — and with that same amalgam of fury and occasional beauty.
Short could just be right in thinking what his Sunderland team needs is a firebrand to gird its loins. There are seven games left to save the team’s status in the Premiership, starting on the road at Chelsea on Sunday. Short could just be right in thinking that what his Sunderland team needs is a firebrand. There are seven games left to save the team’s status in the Premiership, starting on the road at Chelsea on Sunday.
Di Canio has a contract for two and a half years, but he has less than two months to turn around a losing culture. His biggest battle may not be motivating the players: It lies with the people of Sunderland, a predominantly hard-pressed area in northeastern England. Di Canio has a contract for 2› years, but he has less than two months to turn around a losing culture. His biggest battle may not be motivating the players: It lies with the people of Sunderland, a predominantly hard-pressed area in northeastern England.
Many of them mined underground in the Durham Coalfields, and then surfaced for their Saturday sport roaring on “the lads” at Roker Park. They now have a new stadium, the Stadium of Light, but less work, and scarred memories of former glories.Many of them mined underground in the Durham Coalfields, and then surfaced for their Saturday sport roaring on “the lads” at Roker Park. They now have a new stadium, the Stadium of Light, but less work, and scarred memories of former glories.
When Di Canio’s appointment was whispered on Sunday, the protests were stirred in the local news media. Pictures of Di Canio raising the straight right arm in Rome in 2005 were on every page, on television, and on the Internet. When Di Canio’s appointment was whispered on Sunday, the protests were stirred in the local news media. Pictures of Di Canio raising the straight right arm in Rome in 2005 were on every page, on television and on the Internet.
David Miliband, a local politician who was the British foreign secretary in the last Labour government, promptly resigned his post as a nonexecutive vice chairman of the football club.David Miliband, a local politician who was the British foreign secretary in the last Labour government, promptly resigned his post as a nonexecutive vice chairman of the football club.
Miliband cited his reason for cutting his ties with Sunderland as Di Canio’s alleged statement in 2005 that he was “a fascist, not a racist.” Miliband cited Di Canio’s politics as his reason for cutting his ties with Sunderland. Critics point out that Miliband is quitting English politics anyway, having announced last week that he was leaving to head up the International Rescue Committee, a nonprofit humanitarian organization based in New York.
Critics point out that Miliband is quitting English politics anyway and that he had signaled a week earlier his departure from English politics to head up the International Rescue Committee, a nonprofit humanitarian organization based New York.
But the truly local Sunderland folk, those steeped in mining and soccer, have nowhere to go.But the truly local Sunderland folk, those steeped in mining and soccer, have nowhere to go.
On Monday, the Durham Miners’ Association said it would ask for the return of a banner that links to team to the work force. On Monday, the Durham Miners’ Association said it would ask for the return of a banner that links the team to the work force.
“Our banner represents the Durham miners’ long struggle for the rights of the working class, rights which were annihilated by fascism in Germany, Italy, Spain and Chile,” said David Hopper, the association’s general secretary.“Our banner represents the Durham miners’ long struggle for the rights of the working class, rights which were annihilated by fascism in Germany, Italy, Spain and Chile,” said David Hopper, the association’s general secretary.
He added: “The appointment of Di Canio is a betrayal of all who have fought and died in the fight against fascism.”He added: “The appointment of Di Canio is a betrayal of all who have fought and died in the fight against fascism.”
Given a chance to confirm or deny that he still holds fascist views at a press conference Tuesday, Di Canio refused to discuss it and called the issue “ridiculous and pathetic.”
It is a long way from the Durham mines to the Dallas oil fields. Short has acted in what he no doubt feels are the best interests of his club, and his stake in it.It is a long way from the Durham mines to the Dallas oil fields. Short has acted in what he no doubt feels are the best interests of his club, and his stake in it.
The owner has reached out to the fans by making a change at the head of the club, as he might in his business interests. Time will rapidly tell the wisdom of that decision in short-term results and, potentially, the club’s long-term profitability.The owner has reached out to the fans by making a change at the head of the club, as he might in his business interests. Time will rapidly tell the wisdom of that decision in short-term results and, potentially, the club’s long-term profitability.
But a club is part of the social fabric of a community. But a club is part of the social fabric of a community. And however long Short and Di Canio are running the show, this April 1 will not go down as Sunderland’s finest hour.
And however long Short and Di Canio are running the show, this April 1 will not go down as Sunderland’s finest hour.