O'Neill and Warnock leave

[LDB]

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.

O'neill left as well so actually they're in profit

[ThomasMitchell]

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.

Great post. This is turning into a witch hunt against someone who has dared to admit his political views are on the right. If he had come out as a communist there would have been no problem at all (despite what that political ideology has brought to the world in terms of death and oppression and dictatorships). Let’s have a witch hunt to get Chris Houghton out of Norwich FC. He was a supporter of the Workers Revolutionary Party in the past - a group that favours violent revolution against the State and hates people simply because of their social background. It is pathetic to see the showboating from Milliband (is he in New York yet?) and the Durham Miners. They must have little to worry about.

[safcftm]

Well the miners probably have a bit of time on their hands anyway since there's no mines left in Durham. As for Miliband, well he is just being a self serving tit by making his big exit so that he can gain some support ready for his inevitable return to politics. I see his leftist ideals are all intact when it comes to Di Canio, strange then that he's so happy to swan off and get a 300k+ salary from a charity.

Oh, and Miliband, you resign over SAFC appointing a man who you think, wrongly, supports Mussolini who was guilty of tortures/ atrocities etc. So, Mr Principles, why didn't you resign over this:



and talking of your time in government, we're still burying people because of the war in Iraq that you voted for, the one you now think might have been "a mistake". Oh, and talking of war crimes and tortures and such likes, how about this one

As foreign secretary, Miliband fought an unsuccessful legal battle to prevent the public seeing part of a court judgment that showed MI5 was aware Binyam Mohamed was being tortured in Pakistan before one of its officers was sent to interrogate him. He also resisted calls for the publication of the secret interrogation policy governing MI5 and MI6 officers, on the grounds that to do so would "give succour to our enemies". Since then he has been sensitive to questions about the role he played in authorising counter-terrorism operations.

Miliband declined to answer a number of questions put by the Guardian 12 days ago about his role in granting MI6 permission to proceed with such operations, and his assertion that he always struck the correct balance. As a consequence it was unclear whether he knew that people were being tortured. He also said he was unable to say how often MI6 asked for permission to proceed with such operations, and how often he refused.

Hypocrite, hope he enjoys his "charity work"

[northbank123]

Mackem - I understand what you're saying and agree with much of it but playing Devil's Advocate is this not similar in many ways to the McLean situation which you took the opposing view on?

[safcftm]

Mackem - I understand what you're saying and agree with much of it but playing Devil's Advocate is this not similar in many ways to the McLean situation which you took the opposing view on?

I take your point and can understand why people could say that. For me though, it isn't the same thing. Mainly this is because Di Canio isn't wanting to push a controversial topic as an issue, he believes in fascism as an ideal and (other than when asked repeatedly by reporters about it) gets on with his job. He doesn't mention it in interviews, on social media sites etc and since no one can prove that he holds any unpleasant opinions I don't think it should be an issue. Basically if it wasn't dragged up by journalists and people with an agenda, you'd never hear about the bloke's political beliefs whilst he's at Sunderland.

McClean on the other hand seems hell bent on making his beliefs an issue, attracting negative publicity with the refusal to wear the poppy shirt (which offended a lot of people in the country he is making his living in), being stupid enough to post his liking of a song about the IRA etc having just seen the poppy thing blow over. Like Di Canio, McClean should be entitled to hold whatever beliefs he wants (supporting the idea of a united Ireland, for example, is something he should be more than entitled to believe) but actively offending people who help pay his wages and doing anything that even suggests sympathy with the IRA is, for me, worse than simply believing in fascism as an ideology. As I mentioned before, Andy Reid was very pro-Irish and supported the idea of a united Ireland but he didn't make an issue out of it, he just got on with his job and I liked him. People can have whatever beliefs they want (within reason), its when those beliefs offend people who pay their wages and they make an issue out of them that I have a problem with it.

[TeeCee]

I think people are over-reacting about Di Canio even if Mussolini is up there with some of the biggest 20th century dictators, people who ruled 'their' way, refused to accept any opinion but their own, put their own personal ideals and beliefs onto others, who ultimately refused to accept responsibility for their actions.....like Hitler, Stalin, Lenin, Tito, Wenger........

[safcftm]

I think people are over-reacting about Di Canio even if Mussolini is up there with some of the biggest 20th century dictators, people who ruled 'their' way, refused to accept any opinion but their own, put their own personal ideals and beliefs onto others, who ultimately refused to accept responsibility for their actions.....like Hitler, Stalin, Lenin, Tito, Wenger........

Daft thing is that none of these papers/ journalists gave a flying fuck when disgusting fascist Di Canio was manager of little Swindon Town. Now he's at a PL club (well, until we get relegated like!) its suddenly a big deal. Anyone would think they don't really care about Di Canio's politics but know that it wouldn't sell papers when he's at Swindon but might do now. Maybe if he'd taken Swindon to the PL they'd suddenly have kicked off about it then! They should either think its unacceptable for him to be in football or they shouldn't, it shouldn't depend on which club he's at just like I hate Lee Hughes just as much now he's at Port Vale in league 2 as I did when he was in the championship.

[Top Londoner]

You're not getting relegated mate.
Pulis' mob will though.

[northbank123]

I think people are over-reacting about Di Canio even if Mussolini is up there with some of the biggest 20th century dictators, people who ruled 'their' way, refused to accept any opinion but their own, put their own personal ideals and beliefs onto others, who ultimately refused to accept responsibility for their actions.....like Hitler, Stalin, Lenin, Tito, Wenger........

Daft thing is that none of these papers/ journalists gave a flying fuck when disgusting fascist Di Canio was manager of little Swindon Town. Now he's at a PL club (well, until we get relegated like!) its suddenly a big deal. Anyone would think they don't really care about Di Canio's politics but know that it wouldn't sell papers when he's at Swindon but might do now. Maybe if he'd taken Swindon to the PL they'd suddenly have kicked off about it then! They should either think its unacceptable for him to be in football or they shouldn't, it shouldn't depend on which club he's at just like I hate Lee Hughes just as much now he's at Port Vale in league 2 as I did when he was in the championship.

Don't the Whammers have an executive lounge named after him at Upton Park? Probably not worth them renaming it given that that shithole will be demolished soon enough.

[skipper]

Nazis and KKK next...

[Chippy]

Wiki, Italian fascism "also justified colonialism in Africa by claiming that the spiritual and cultural superiority of Italians as part of the white race, justified the right for Italy and other powers of the white race to rule over the black race, while asserting that racial segregation of whites and blacks in its colonies.[43] It claimed that Fascism's colonial goals were to civilize the inferior races and defend the purity of Western civilization from racial miscegenation that it claimed would harm the intellectual qualities of the white race.[43]"

[northbank123]

One thing's for sure - looks like a fucking nutter when he's doing those salutes for Lazio, eyes bulging etc!

Whatever your take on the importance (or not) of his belief, I stand by my previous assertion that he doesn't really understand fascism, or at any rate doesn't stand for fascism as a political belief. He's said that he's never voted, he has zero interest in politics and the experts that have bothered to try and decipher him have generally reached the conclusion that he has no interest (nay idea) about fascist ideology - and found that him identifying with a fascist group is a likely consequence of his obsessive personality. Even in Italy, disliking authority and politicians doesn't in itself qualify as true "fascism". It's like somebody calling themselves a communist just because they don't really like how much the government lets big corporations get away with re tax etc.

It all boils down to a few comments/gestures that have proven to be ill-advised and now have made things very difficult for him to deal with down the line once the media have sank their teeth in.

[Martin Hayes]

If Di Canio doesn't idolise Musolini, why the tattoo?

Mussolini advocated racial superiority and segregation, as Chippy says. The comments in his book are clearly racist - not those repeated here.

One final point - The Arsenal have more Jewish supporters than any other team, and the most diverse fan-base in England. Would we, as a microcosm of all that is great about London, want to welcome someone whose views are the antithesis of what makes this city great?

If Di Canio wants to make his politics so transparent, which he does, we can't start claiming that it doesn't matter - it was his choice to behave like this and no one has had to 'dig the dirt'.

Unite against the fascist...

[DarylAFC]

If Di Canio doesn't idolise Musolini, why the tattoo?

Mussolini advocated racial superiority and segregation, as Chippy says. The comments in his book are clearly racist - not those repeated here.

One final point - The Arsenal have more Jewish supporters than any other team, and the most diverse fan-base in England. Would we, as a microcosm of all that is great about London, want to welcome someone whose views are the antithesis of what makes this city great?

If Di Canio wants to make his politics so transparent, which he does, we can't start claiming that it doesn't matter - it was his choice to behave like this and no one has had to 'dig the dirt'.

Unite against the fascist...

Delicious irony

I'm not anti-fascist, but I'm not a fan of fascism either. They have a right to freedom of speech as much as anyone else. Like those UAF idiots who go to EDL/BNP rallies to stop it happening. Fascist much?

Besides, he's not exactly flaunting his beliefs is he? The only time he speaks about it is when someone asks him. Also, while Mussolini may be a racist, fascism itself is not a racist ideoligy. Plenty of black fascists. I dont believe in the slightest that Di Canio is racist.

On a side note I'd love someone like Di Canio as Arsenal manager. He's got a genuine desire to win, 4th place wont be a trophy to him.

[topgoon]

If Di Canio doesn't idolise Musolini, why the tattoo?

Mussolini advocated racial superiority and segregation, as Chippy says. The comments in his book are clearly racist - not those repeated here.

One final point - The Arsenal have more Jewish supporters than any other team, and the most diverse fan-base in England. Would we, as a microcosm of all that is great about London, want to welcome someone whose views are the antithesis of what makes this city great?

If Di Canio wants to make his politics so transparent, which he does, we can't start claiming that it doesn't matter - it was his choice to behave like this and no one has had to 'dig the dirt'.

Unite against the fascist...

Delicious irony

I'm not anti-fascist, but I'm not a fan of fascism either. They have a right to freedom of speech as much as anyone else. Like those UAF idiots who go to EDL/BNP rallies to stop it happening. Fascist much?

Besides, he's not exactly flaunting his beliefs is he? The only time he speaks about it is when someone asks him. Also, while Mussolini may be a racist, fascism itself is not a racist ideoligy. Plenty of black fascists. I dont believe in the slightest that Di Canio is racist.

On a side note I'd love someone like Di Canio as Arsenal manager. He's got a genuine desire to win, 4th place wont be a trophy to him.

You're quite right Daryl.

You're also quite consistent in your thinking. As seen here viewtopic.php?f=1&t=33432&start=45

He would make an excellent manager for a club with historic jewish and black supporters and players.

They should suck it up about his so-called Fascistic leanings. He was simply waving "big smile" at those angry looking men in the stands waving the red flags with the funny looking spider on them.

That tattoo isn't of a sick deluded fascist who colluded in jewish genocide but of Daniel Benzali, sweet old Paolo just simply loved him in Murder One. So stop bleating jews, you've always got something to moan about.

So he stated his political views, big deal. Stop going on about it and speak to his PR people that lovely father and daughter partnership Jean-marie and Marine, now dear Paolo doesn't share their views either but he's heard they do good work in tarting up turd like political views.

Anyway you're right, this club needs a winner and there are so few to choose from with normal views or who've had the sense to keep their stupid ideas to themselves like Klopp,Heyckes,Pellegrini,Ancelotti,Laudrup,De Boer, even Moaninho. They're not enough to choose from, so let's get Paolo, viva Paolo, Viva il Duce,Vive la difference Viva..nderson.