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Paolo blasts 'small time' Hammers By Alan Smithee

Paolo Di Canio has hit out at West Ham's failure to land a big- name manager - just as the club prepared to unveil Glenn Roeder as the new Upton Park boss. Glenn Roeder: Likely to become permanent boss (MarkThompson/Allsport) Di Canio said: 'I'm worried and somebody needs to stand up and speak out.

'I don't want this club to turn into another Sheffield Wednesday, selling the best players, getting relegated and becoming a medicore First Division side. After all, we are West Ham, the club of Trevor Brooking, Geoff Hurst and Bobby Moore. It would be an insult to the fans.

'I don't understand what's going on. Harry Redknapp is sacked and now there's only confusion. I liked Harry, but I can understand it if the club wanted to change direction.

'If you're going to make a change, you need a plan. Instead, this looks like change for change's sake.'

West Ham have called a Press conference today when Roeder, caretaker since Redknapp's sacking five weeks ago, will be named boss.

The former Watford manager , a coach at Upton Park for the past two seasons, was not first choice for the job, and the West Ham directors are offering season ticket-holders a refund if they are unhappy with the new man.

Di Canio for one is frustrated with the club's inability to land a big name. He added: 'I read in the papers that both Alan Curbishley and Steve McClaren turned us down. How is that possible? Did we go after them strongly enough?

'I read elsewhere that Alex McLeish was vetoed by some of our younger players. If that's true, it's scandalous. Our young players should learn to sit back, work hard and keep their mouths shut.

'They have no business deciding who the next manager is. Did Michael Owen complain that Liverpool were getting a foreign coach when Gerard Houllier arrived? Of course not. That's because Owen is a serious professional.

'West Ham are a talented club, but we need a strong, expert manager to bring everything together.'

But Roeder has a fan in Joe Cole, the 19-year-old midfielder capped by England.

Cole said: 'When people ask about Glenn I'll always say he's probably in the top three coaches I've worked with.

'I know being a manager is a lot different but he really has all the credentials. The lads love him. He knows his football more than anyone.

'I've worked with Steve McClaren, Kevin Keegan, Peter Taylor, Howard Wilkinson, all the coaches at West Ham, and he's up there with any of them.'

Di Canio fears West Ham could become even more laid back as a club. He said: 'Last summer we were in Cornwall for pre-season training. We would train in the morning and play golf all afternoon.

'We found out that Houllier was conducting three training sessions a day at Liverpool and some of our players said it was crazy.

'Well, we saw how crazy it was. They were building a team who won three trophies and qualified for the Champions League.

'Too few guys understand the importance of hard work. Last season there were days when the only ones training were myself, Stuart Pearce, Nigel Winterburn and Michael Carrick. We trained all the time, even on days off.

'That's professionalism, that's what it takes to win.'

Di Canio, currently back home in Italy recovering from surgery to improve his breathing, feels it is his responsibility to speak out.

He said: 'It would be much easier to shut up and tell people I have faith in the club and that everything is going to be fine.

'That's what supposedly serious professionals do. Well, not me. I have two years left on my contract, I make huge money and I could just sit around and collect my pay cheque until I retire.

'Why should I be rocking the boat if not for the fact that I love West Ham?

'Whoever the new manager is, he should know that Paolo Di Canio will give 150per cent. But he should also know I'll speak out on behalf of the fans, I'll be that loose cannon if it's necessary.

'If he can't handle that or doesn't want me around, he should tell me right away and we'll discuss what steps to take.'

-- Anonymous, June 14, 2001

Answers

Buy Carrick

-- Anonymous, June 14, 2001

and paolo to keep him company

-- Anonymous, June 14, 2001

I like Di Cannylad - apart from that incident when he went AWOL! But since he came to WHam, he seems to have settled down and has appeared to give the 150% he mentions in the article. I have to say, I agree with his sentiments.

-- Anonymous, June 14, 2001

DiCanio would be the ideal player for the Toon right now. He = bums on seats. Fantastic player.

-- Anonymous, June 14, 2001

the training story shows Carrick will be a great player, you cannot teach that attitude, who ever buys him will have a great future

-- Anonymous, June 14, 2001

'Too few guys understand the importance of hard work. Last season there were days when the only ones training were myself, Stuart Pearce, Nigel Winterburn and Michael Carrick. We trained all the time, even on days off.

Buy Carrick and Di Canio and what the hell bring back Sturat Pearce as Assistant Manager as well!! Di Canio would love the Toon.

-- Anonymous, June 14, 2001

The bit I liked was

The former Watford manager , a coach at Upton Park for the past two seasons, was not first choice for the job, and the West Ham directors are offering season ticket-holders a refund if they are unhappy with the new man.

I wonder if NUFC will offer ST holders a refund if they don't like the players we have bought or not bought :-)

-- Anonymous, June 14, 2001

The Toon would love him - but would he love the Toon? His comments about half-arsed training at West Ham echo Goma and Domi's parting grumbles. If he thinks they don't do a hand's turn down there, I can't see him feeling extended by the aimless half-hour of PE Wadsworth apparently 'organises' up here.

-- Anonymous, June 14, 2001

"Di Canio, currently back home in Italy recovering from surgery to improve his breathing"

Sounds like he's having little trouble on that score :-)

Wise words, mind. I doubt very much he'd come to us. Be great, 'cos he's difficult to play against and obviously has the right attitude.

-- Anonymous, June 14, 2001

This story provides a clear rationale for why the foreign coaches are having success in England - hard work and professionalism.

Sadly, it has to be said that PDC's story of WHU's half-@rsed training regimen dovetails neatly into what I saw whenever I went to the Riverside last season - on perhaps 3 occasions. Laid back, lack of discipline, short sessions and little real hard work, little apparent concerted work on either fitness or tactics, and critically in our case little work on defensive work generally or on dead-ball situations - which was our achilles heel in numerous matches.

All very worrying - particularly as our next Manager has been brought up in precisely this regimen and probably knows little else.

-- Anonymous, June 14, 2001

I have said it before and I say again. I think Domi and Goma is somewhat right in their critism of our training methods. Bobby is really old school and even if his training methods have been updated trough the years I still belive there are teams our there training much better and much more.

-- Anonymous, June 14, 2001

So how is it that our current manager who has won things for fun on the continent, applies such methods to Newcastle United? Where is the logic in that?

The bit about Liverpool training three times a day is no surprise given the amount of work they put in to win those three trophies.

I only hope Robson's words about putting the players through a tough pre-season come to fruition. Sad but a fit team is more likely to succeed in the Premiership.

-- Anonymous, June 14, 2001

I'd love to see Mr D 'I'll kill myself if West Ham don't win the FA cup' anio in a Black and White shirt.(Not a Juventos one)

-- Anonymous, June 14, 2001

Ya he has won things but that was some years ago. I dont say hes training using the 1950s methods but I still dont think he in the front row. The norweigans was the first to start trainig much more and better then anyone else, and they had their success. Now other countries have learned and they are not so successful anymore.

Of course I might be wrong, I dont know a thing about how NUFC trains but Im sure it is the best in the PL.

-- Anonymous, June 14, 2001

Given the appauling injury record in recent years the matter of fitness training ought to be given a top priority, if it hasn't then the club is a shambles.

-- Anonymous, June 14, 2001