PFA take di Canio to task
Following Sunday’s defeat at Spurs the Italian slammed his players as arrogant and ignorant on the day that Phil Bardsley was pictured in a newspaper lying on a casino floor surrounded by £50 notes.
Players union chief Gordon Taylor, who defended di Canio when he was sent off for pushing referee Paul Alcock.
Di Canio wasn’t slow to discipline players at Swindon Town but faces a backlash from Sunderland stars who haven’t bought into his hard line way.
“We know Paolo as a player and a manager, and he is a bit volatile,” players union chief Taylor admitted. “But he knows, from when he was a player with the PFA, what we are about. We represented him then, the same as we also represent the players (now).
“One point he made was about Sunderland being able to do what they want – well they can’t. There is a disciplinary procedure that is agreed.
“We obviously agree with discipline, but that has to be in line with the Football Association and the Premier League. From that point of view, there is a due process.
“It is not going to help matters blasting players in public, but that is what he has done, so we will deal with it. It is not always conducive to good player-management relations.
“He is his own man, but they do have to abide by laid-down procedures and Sunderland, being a member of the Premier League, know that as well as anybody.
“We don’t want to get into confrontation, but we have a job to do and we need the players to know that.”
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