O'Neill and Warnock leave

[Top Londoner]

Have to feel for the Mackems.


Di Canio rides to the rescue as Sunderland gamble to secure Premier League future.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... nager.html


The circus just came to town.

Dai Miliband has resigned as a non-executive director because of Paulo Di Canio's fascist statements in the past.

Heh. I just managed to sneeze out the remainder of my easter egg after reading about Miliband's indignation.
Plenty on the web about that family.

[GranadaJoe]

Swop one egotist, who thinks everything he says is erudite and profound, for another! The Sunderland Chairman has also bet his house on Arsenal winning the CL and the League.

[safcftm]

Yeah. bit of an odd one all round to be honest. I've been in Sunderland for the easter weekend and there's a bit of disbelief about the timing of the sacking. At no point did O'Neill lose the support of the crowd and I didn't speak to anyone who was happy to see him leave. If he was going to sack him then it would have been better to do it after our previous game (a draw at home to Norwich) to give the new manager the international break to settle in. Still, even although O'Neill still has our second highest win % record in the premier league, the football was dull, uninspiring and we seemed to be sleepwalking towards relegation so I suppose I can understand the decision. I think its about more than just results though, I think the chairman is doing some serious belt tightening (O'Neill complained of having a small squad but ended up shipping out more than he brought in in January which seemed strange) and maybe O'Neill wasn't happy working under those conditions.

Anyway, he's gone now and Di Canio has come in. Short term I think it'll be a good boost, the players will certainly get a kick up the arse but long term he does strike me as something of a ticking time bomb. Still, he's passionate which our team certainly hasn't looked this season and he did well at Swindon despite his dubious methods. It should be an exciting time with him in charge and I'm just glad we didn't pluck the usual name off the merrygoround (Hughes, McClaren etc). There's a lot of bollocks about his political beliefs but tbh he's here to manage a football club not to talk politics so, within reason, I'm not too concerned. Miliband obviously hated the decision but, well, he's fucking off to America anyway so farewell to the spineless git.

[Rosie_titters]

Neil Warnock has left Leeds, seems to be one every day at the moment

[augie]

Neil Warnock has left Leeds, seems to be one every day at the moment

And he is a despicable *word censored* too

[northbank123]

Yeah. bit of an odd one all round to be honest. I've been in Sunderland for the easter weekend and there's a bit of disbelief about the timing of the sacking. At no point did O'Neill lose the support of the crowd and I didn't speak to anyone who was happy to see him leave. If he was going to sack him then it would have been better to do it after our previous game (a draw at home to Norwich) to give the new manager the international break to settle in. Still, even although O'Neill still has our second highest win % record in the premier league, the football was dull, uninspiring and we seemed to be sleepwalking towards relegation so I suppose I can understand the decision. I think its about more than just results though, I think the chairman is doing some serious belt tightening (O'Neill complained of having a small squad but ended up shipping out more than he brought in in January which seemed strange) and maybe O'Neill wasn't happy working under those conditions.

Anyway, he's gone now and Di Canio has come in. Short term I think it'll be a good boost, the players will certainly get a kick up the arse but long term he does strike me as something of a ticking time bomb. Still, he's passionate which our team certainly hasn't looked this season and he did well at Swindon despite his dubious methods. It should be an exciting time with him in charge and I'm just glad we didn't pluck the usual name off the merrygoround (Hughes, McClaren etc). There's a lot of bollocks about his political beliefs but tbh he's here to manage a football club not to talk politics so, within reason, I'm not too concerned. Miliband obviously hated the decision but, well, he's fucking off to America anyway so farewell to the spineless git.

Fair point but did you see his interview on SSN today? Spent in excess of 5 minutes answering a question about it. Surely just say his previous comments were silly, misrepresented or misinterpreted? No, instead he spends ages giving it the old "I've got loads of black mates" - unbelievable. He is a self-confessed fascist and proud, and the saddest thing is he appears too stupid to understand what fascism actually is. Arrogant wanker imo.

As for Warnock didn't he basically admit weeks ago he was going to be leaving Leeds but was going to help them look for a successor? Bizarre - one thing to allow a successful outgoing manager to look for his successor but for somebody getting the sack it seems odd. Huge prick anyway so good riddance.

[Martin Hayes]

Di Canio is a fascist - he's got an 'Il Duce' tattoo for all to see, he devoted a section of his autobiography to his right-wing beliefs, and he has made that salute on a few occasions. The EDL, who tried to organize a demonstration in Sunderland on Saturday, must be rubbing their hands with glee...

The Durham Miners Association have demanded their banner back from Sunderland, whilst there is a rapidly expanding 'Facebook' group opposed to this appointment.

Within our society and within the context of a game recently blighted by high-profile racist incidents, there should be no room for the likes of Di Canio.

[TeeCee]

The Durham Miners Association have demanded their banner back from Sunderland,

Is that because their faces are normally black??

[Chippy]

The Durham Miners Association have demanded their banner back from Sunderland,

Is that because their faces are normally black??

I shouldn't have lol'd at that but I did.

[DarylAFC]

I don't give a toss what a managers political belief is.

Anyone asked Wenger who he backs at elections, so potentially we have another reason to want him gone?

[LDB]

He is a self-confessed fascist and proud, and the saddest thing is he appears too stupid to understand what fascism actually is. Arrogant wanker imo.

I'm racking my brains back to my A-levels and I seem to remember that Italian fascism is quite different to German fascism. To be an Italian fascist is to basically hate democratic governments, want a militaristic dictator and be a bit nostalgic about Italy's past. Italian fascism never had much of a racial element to it, this was added by the Nazis and in this country we equate Nazism with Fascism as if they are the same, which they aren't.

So perhaps it's you who doesn't understand what fascism actually is!

[northbank123]

He is a self-confessed fascist and proud, and the saddest thing is he appears too stupid to understand what fascism actually is. Arrogant wanker imo.

I'm racking my brains back to my A-levels and I seem to remember that Italian fascism is quite different to German fascism. To be an Italian fascist is to basically hate democratic governments, want a militaristic dictator and be a bit nostalgic about Italy's past. Italian fascism never had much of a racial element to it, this was added by the Nazis and in this country we equate Nazism with Fascism as if they are the same, which they aren't.

So perhaps it's you who doesn't understand what fascism actually is!

Bit patronising - I don't think anybody anywhere for one minute believes Sunderland would have appointed a confessed Nazi-sympathiser. Granted, he is Italian and I am not but I'm not sure that he appreciates the significance of publicly idolising a man who was responsible for the murder and kidnap of thousands of Italians and the death in horrific conditions of hundreds of thousands of people in North/East Africa, not to mention his close alliance with Adolf Hitler. With all due respect to him he should leave comments on political history to those a bit more qualified to talk on the matter. The Italian FA clearly felt that the salute alone was offensive enough to warrant a ban and a fine and the fact it caused some controversy in Italy suggests there is a sinister element to it, or certainly that at least it can be interpreted that way.

[LDB]

He is a self-confessed fascist and proud, and the saddest thing is he appears too stupid to understand what fascism actually is. Arrogant wanker imo.

I'm racking my brains back to my A-levels and I seem to remember that Italian fascism is quite different to German fascism. To be an Italian fascist is to basically hate democratic governments, want a militaristic dictator and be a bit nostalgic about Italy's past. Italian fascism never had much of a racial element to it, this was added by the Nazis and in this country we equate Nazism with Fascism as if they are the same, which they aren't.

So perhaps it's you who doesn't understand what fascism actually is!

Bit patronising - I don't think anybody anywhere for one minute believes Sunderland would have appointed a confessed Nazi-sympathiser. Granted, he is Italian and I am not but I'm not sure that he appreciates the significance of publicly idolising a man who was responsible for the murder and kidnap of thousands of Italians and the death in horrific conditions of hundreds of thousands of people in North/East Africa, not to mention his close alliance with Adolf Hitler. With all due respect to him he should leave comments on political history to those a bit more qualified to talk on the matter. The Italian FA clearly felt that the salute alone was offensive enough to warrant a ban and a fine and the fact it caused some controversy in Italy suggests there is a sinister element to it, or certainly that at least it can be interpreted that way.

Wasn't intending to patronise but clearly the implication from the media and people in this thread is that fascism = racism. I'm no fan of Di Canio or fascism, Italian or otherwise, but I'm also no fan of seeing people slandered unfairly. Ideologically at least it is possible to be fascist without being racist so until it can be proven otherwise Di Canio deserves to be taken on his word.

Personally I don't think his dislike of Italian democracy or his perhaps misinformed opinions on Italian history should be a barrier to him managing an English football club

[safcftm]

A few things, Di Canio doesn't "idolise" Mussolini. The oft spouted quote was, as often is the case, cherry picked by reporters looking for a story. What he actually said was ""I am fascinated by Mussolini, I think he was a deeply misunderstood individual. He deceived people. His actions were often vile. But all this was motivated by a higher purpose. He was basically a very principled individual. Yet he turned against his sense of right and wrong. He compromised his ethics.". The bold bits being taken out when quoted make it sound a lot worse than it is, he doesn't idolise Mussolini. Finding someone fascinating and idolising them are two very different things.

Next, the Durham Miners lot asking for the flag back. Well, thats a load of shite, did they really have time to poll all of their members and come to a democratic decision? Did they fuck. The bloke who has released the statement is basically speaking for a load of people, many of whom have said that they do not agree with his stance and who have not been asked - the bloke wouldn't make a bad little fascist himself to be honest. The appointment of Di Canio has basically been a good chance for a few nobodies (many of whom didn't go to the matches anyway) to get a bit of air time with some faux outrage (as seems to be popular at the minute).

Then there is the question of whether we should be judging Di Canio purely on his political beliefs. There is nothing inherently wrong with being an Italian fascist, just as there is nothing wrong with being a communist - despite being very different both ideologies have their problems and there are examples of vile human beings who have followed both, people of all political leanings have been arseholes so what has Di Canio specifically done to warrant having to answer question after question on it? I'd be very interested to see any statement he's made where he seems to suggest an irrational hatred of any race/ ethnicity etc, he hasn't come out in support of any historical atrocities or anything of the sort.

So basically he just happens to be an Italian fascist, are we now deciding that no-one who is a fascist can ever be given a job? When did we turn into a country that so actively discriminates against a particular part of the political spectrum? If he had made disgusting statements etc then fair enough but simply being an Italian fascist? I'm sorry, that's nowhere near reason enough for me to not want him at the club and I, along with all the sensible supporters, will be giving him 100% support. A few liberal, whining, self serving, attention seeking pricks won't make a difference - they seem very good at telling us what we should and shouldn't believe, what we should and shouldn't accept and I'm bloody glad that none of them are in positions of power, trying to set themselves up as leaders and tell the masses what to think is more dangerous than a bloke who, by and large, keeps his beliefs to himself and just wants to get on with his job. I don't agree that Italian Fascism is a particularly good ideology but I support Di Canio's right to believe in it as long as he doesn't start advocating hanging people from lampposts or anything daft.

[GranadaJoe]

I don't think we should be too worried. di Canio joins, David Milliband leaves, so the NorthEast's arsehole equilibrium is maintained and the Universe can continue.