Paolo D.

[DJMortimer]

A bit strong but I agree to some extent. One of the most talented players ever, yes completely some of the things he could do were just sublime. Unfortunately we treated him poorly but make no mistake he treated us like cr@p in the end too. He stated he was to ill to travel and wouldn't be back for a while. Couple of weeks later West Ham put in a bid and he is on the first plane back. Real shame as I idolised him as a kid.

So when his manager and chairman are both basically telling him to wee wee off and lying about what is happening in the national media he should have just meekly returned as if nothing was wrong? Had he done so, do you think he would have been returned to the team by those two idiots?

Meanwhile, despite apparently being such a psychotic scumbag, look at how he performed for West Ham and how he is revered by them. I wonder what the difference might have been?

[Salmonbones]

Yours appear to be clouded by your own prejudices.

So that goal he scored at Everton for instance was somehow less brilliant because he is a fascist?

Not sure about 'attacking Wednesday fans on numerous occasions' either. When he returned to Hillsborough and received a hostile reception, it's perfectly in keeping with his volatile temperament to have reacted petulantly. I read his book a few years ago and don't recall such feelings of animosity towards us but I do recall other comments that state the opposite point of view, such as his praise for the away following who continued cheering when we got battered 2-7 at Blackburn.

If you really believe that, especially considering what happened in the season and a half after he left, then I'm wasting my time.

No, you were wasting your time when you started out by claiming I am clouded by prejudices, anything you had to say subsequently held no merit because of that statement.

Yet again people disagree with you and you come out fighting.

Edited May 11, 2011 by salmonbones

[Salmonbones]

Great player but I'd still put Hirst and Waddle above him.

100%

Not because they had any more skill, but because they both enjoyed their time here, they enjoyed their relationship with the fans and they both played football with a smile on their face.

Di Canio WAS a genius with a football both at his feet, and also without it. I don't think i'll see such a player again in my lifetime in a Wednesday shirt, or at least it's hard to imagine from where we sit in the 3rd division currently, but i'd take a Waddle or a Hirst, even a bloody Peter Atherton, over a Di Canio right now.

[DJMortimer]

No, you were wasting your time when you started out by claiming I am clouded by prejudices, anything you had to say subsequently held no merit because of that statement.

Yet again people disagree with you and you come out fighting.

I suppose you saying that I 'can't get a handle on emotion' was different then and not at all patronising or presumptuous?

...i'd take a... bloody Peter Atherton, over a Di Canio right now.

You're really losing it now. I wonder what percentage of fans would agree with that bombshell?

[Vegan Owl]

He was no Waddle (but still brilliant)

[FAT OWL]

100%

Not because they had any more skill, but because they both enjoyed their time here, they enjoyed their relationship with the fans and they both played football with a smile on their face.

Di Canio WAS a genius with a football both at his feet, and also without it. I don't think i'll see such a player again in my lifetime in a Wednesday shirt, or at least it's hard to imagine from where we sit in the 3rd division currently, but i'd take a Waddle or a Hirst, even a bloody Peter Atherton, over a Di Canio right now.

Comedy post of the year.

[Bluesteel]

I think he was treated badly, but I remember the WHU match where he scored a penalty had a bad atmosphere, just as the Bradford match did when Carbone returned.

I think its taken a good few years to mellow out and blame the club rather than the players themselves, especially Di Canio. Lets be fair, they probably didnt have much loyalty for the club but the game was changing to a situation when player power was in ascendency and clubs had to bow to good players or become weaker as a result. We didnt do that with the "no ones bigger than Sheffield Wednesday" attitude and we fvcked ourselves by losing a potential £10m player for £1.75m and getting relegated a year later.

As a manager who knows, he has a temper on him but he may get you playing nice football. I feel uncomfortable with his revelations as Lazio though as some kind of fascist.

[Bluesteel]

So when his manager and chairman are both basically telling him to wee wee off and lying about what is happening in the national media he should have just meekly returned as if nothing was wrong? Had he done so, do you think he would have been returned to the team by those two idiots?

Meanwhile, despite apparently being such a psychotic scumbag, look at how he performed for West Ham and how he is revered by them. I wonder what the difference might have been?

He wasnt treated with TLC which is what he needed and we shouldve realised that. Di Canio wasnt blameless though either, both he and Carbone would quite easily suit themselves.

Someone like Redknapp knew how to handle him and his tantrums and pandered to them, Big Ron was probably pretty good too or at least realised he was the main man. Wilson just wanted to try and show him who's boss.

[Rogers]

Yep, heard some people slag him off to the fullest!

I don't understand it personally... I still think if we stood by him, kept him then we wouldn't be in this mess now (Or at least as much mess...)

Only idiots that blame him for the demise of the club and not Richards (And Wilson for not sticking by Di Canio). Seriously - did the ref have to fall over like that! It wasn't anything like Cantona's attack. Di Canio kept us up! Without him we went down - so we should have kept him.

[BRADDAZ]

I like to use a very similar incident as a direct comparison.

Man Utd - Cantona incident - Kung Fu kicks Palace fan.

Sheff Wed - Di Canio incident - Pushes ref over.

Now for starters the Cantona incident was a MILLION times worse than the Di Canio one.

Secondly, both Cantona and Di Canio are very similar characaters, passionate, volatile, crazy etc.

Now look at how both clubs handled the situation and what happened to all relevent parties involved.

Start with Wednesday.

Incident happened. Both Danny Wilson and the club (Dave Richards) slated Di Canio, in pretty much every national media outlet available. We condemned his actions, which is fair enough but we did not, not once, back the player or support him.

Things then spiralled out of control, Di Canio got the face on and pissed off to Italy, whether right or wrong it's not difficult to see why a volatile Di Canio would do that. Afterall, the club had hung him out to dry. No support, no backing, nothing.

Things passed on and Di Canio moved to WHU. Where he enjoyed prolonged success and became one of the best foreign exports the Prem has ever seen. He was loved and looked after as even worshipped by the club and it's fans. The results were clear to see on the pitch. Di Canio responded to it and was simple awesome at times.

Meanwhile back at S6. Di Canio is gone. We receieve pretty much sweet F A in a transfer fee for him. Our second best player (Carbone) simple cannot get on with Danny Wilson and ultimately moves on. Wilson eventually gets sacked for being a total failure. Dave Richards jumps the sinking ship as we're getting relegated to join the FA & Premier League. (Coincidental that he gets a job after jumping into bed with them over the Di Canio incident, don't you think?). We get relegated with no long term chairman, no leadership on the pitch or off it, with a board of directors that have overseen our demise right up to the point of this December gone.

Now over to Man Utd and the Cabtona incident.

When it happened Man Utd were very quick to firstly condemn his actions, but didn't hang him out to dry in the way Wednesday did. By dishing all the dirty laundry out in the public eye. Man Utd took him out ofthe spotlight, took the actions and relevent concequences on the chin and moved on. The club and Si Alex didn't carry on with bashing him at every opportunity on the media. They dealt with it.

Cantona didn't get the face on, he didn't wee wee off to France. He knew he'd done wrong, he accepted the punishment. But I would bet my last dollar that Cantona would tell you the support and baking Man Utd gave him was a major reason why he stayed, he accepted the punishment, did the time and came back the awesome player he did. Giving his all to win Man Utd games of football.

That same manager (Sir Alex) is still in the job and bought the best out Cantona.

Now I'm not saying we'd have won Prem titles or even stayed up, we'll never know. But the evidence of what the different people involved in the two incidents achieved (or didn't) after the events gives me a clue on who handled the situation right or wrong.

We handled it appallingly.

Mainly due to Danny Wilson out of his depth at that level of management and Dave Richard clearly protecting his reputation with the FA so he could keep his eye on job he went onto get.

[DJMortimer]

You forgot to mention the lies in the press about being unable to find Di Canio even after he'd been on Sky Sports in no less than his own shop in his home town.

Not only that, I seem to remember that it was the club's suggestion that Di Canio went back home to get out of the spotlight. Makes you wonder if he wasn't being set up right from the outset. Those concerned knew that they wouldn't have to wee wee him off too much before his own pride and petulance got the situation moving to where they could get rid of him without a mutiny from the supporters.

[DJMortimer]

"MWUHAHAHAHAHA ! Press the right buttons and tell 'em that so-and-so doesn't love the club as much as they do and some fans will believe anything won't they Trev?"

By the way, does anyone remember Brooking saying on Match of the Day what a disgrace it all was and how Di Canio should never be allowed to play in this country again? Not long after he was only his rumbleing manager at West Ham. Bloody hypocrite.

[moorsowl]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/swindon_town/9482709.stm

Hi Owls fans.

First of all apologies if this has been posted.

Hope you all have a good summer and indeed your next season is better than the last.

That said it was disastrous for my club Swindon and the thought of the pushy one becoming our new boss is mixed feelings...jump for joy or jump off a bridge!

Didn't realise his political view is rather right sided and to be frank i am amazed our board are interviewing him with this in mind in todays very PC world.

Great player he was though if a tad loopy!

Would he be welcome back at Wednesday,?not sure if he left under a cloud or with his head held high.

As i said hope the pre season gets you some good signings....and good luck.

[Lythamowl]

I dont go for this 'Di canio genius' crap. The bloke was a talented player but first and foremost a mercenary. Those who are saying he was the 'best ever' player to put the shirt obviously didnt see much of hirst or waddle.

When he went back to Italy he had no intention of coming back here, engineered his move to west ham and did very nicely out of it leaving us to clean up th mess

I suggest we take off those rose coloured spectacles

[DJMortimer]

When he went back to Italy he had no intention of coming back here, engineered his move to west ham and did very nicely out of it leaving us to clean up th mess

Mr Richards is proud of your loyalty.

[Guest bradwell.owl]

If he ever steps foot in Hillsborough again for any reason at all he will get a standing ovation - was one of the most talented players I ever saw live

the goal against Barnsley at home in the last minute :)

[Orlando_Trustful]

So much talent and ability....

If only the pathetic Wilson knew how to manage him.

Awesome footballer.

If we never appointed Wilson, I have no doubts the last 12 or so years would of been completely different. A truly awful appointment at that time.

[BRADDAZ]

I dont go for this 'Di canio genius' crap. The bloke was a talented player but first and foremost a mercenary. Those who are saying he was the 'best ever' player to put the shirt obviously didnt see much of hirst or waddle.

When he went back to Italy he had no intention of coming back here, engineered his move to west ham and did very nicely out of it leaving us to clean up th mess

I suggest we take off those rose coloured spectacles

Ask yourself why Di Canio was so pissed off with the club that he went back to Italy and in your words tried to 'Engineer' a move to West Ham?

If Di Canio was that much of a mercenary then how come he gave really good service to West Ham for quite a few years, including captaining them for a large period of his time at Uptob Park?

[Handball_!!]

Wilson's 'fancy dans' statement still makes me smile today.

No doubting the crazy bstard had issues with the club and it all went belly up.

I guess both parties could have done more for the good of SWFC, but at that time there were agendas and egos flying around all over the place and we spent 10 years paying the price.

Both sides to blame as far as I'm concerned.

Must say, I never quite got the hype with Di Canio though - was good alright, but legend? Not really.

[Guest Big Guns]

He was awesome. He shoved the ref. The club mismanaged the situation in every way possible, the rest is history.

yep just look at all the mad things cantona did at man utd much worse than that little shove ,and that stupid little fall that idiot ref did flip me imagine if he got twatted with my big right hook ,but just look how man utd looked after cantona