Tuesday 31 January 2012
Champions League Final
PigHill take on Southend United on Tuesday night, and as usual, PDC decided this game was yet another Cup final. Earlier in the season, he called the Oxford game a World Cup Final, which they lost 2-1. “This game is a Champions League final for us because it gives us the chance to catch Southend if we win. If we beat them, we will catch them and catch Crawley and it will
mean we have got another game against promotion rivals out of the way.”
Friday 27 January 2012
Charged by the FA II
As reported last week, PDC's bonkers behaviour in the technical area got himself sent off for the third time in the season. He has been charged with improper
conduct following his side’s League Two fixture with Macclesfield Town
on 21 January, 2012. Di Canio is in breach of FA Rule E3 and has until 4pm on 30 January to respond.
"I will defend myself like I defend my life. The report confirmed that I didn't say anything wrong and I didn't abuse in words. But apparently in the way I protested, it was too aggressive. It was an injustice that I was sent to the stand. I will pay the fine. But a one-match ban? It's not fair."
Sunday 22 January 2012
Sent off III
The FA disciplinary committee are surely sharpening their pencils ready to give PDC a hefty touchline ban after the irrational Italian was yet again sent to the stands, this time by referee Keith Stroud during their 1-0 victory against Macclesfield. Earlier in the season, he was sent off by Mark Haywood in the 2-1 home defeat against Oxford, and by Mike Jones in the away game against Northampton, which they won 2-0.
He was also seen giving Matt Ritchie a kick up the arse as he left the pitch, probably because he missed a late penalty.
I have a culture, I don't suffer my culture, I speak with my body language sometimes, even if I am in England and English people, English referees, have to respect me. I do what I want in the technical area if I call my players. They can't stop me do this. I call my players, I ask to do what I want with my players. If I don't go out from the technical area, no, [they] say to me, 'call them only with the voice, do not use the arms, that is not acceptable', I will move my arms, my body, my shoulders, my legs, they can't send me off ten times, if they want [to] send me off every game, no problem, I will win this league anyway, because my team is a strong team, they will, they play football, even if they send me off, we win this league no problem.
"I don't want to stop the way I am,I use my way to call my players over; that's just how I do it. I didn't leave the technical area or use bad words towards the officials. People have to understand my character. I speak with my body language, I didn't abuse anybody. It is clear I receive only damage from the referee this year. I never win the game as a result of a gift. I don’t want a gift but I only get damage and I never protest. If they want to send me off every game, then no problem. We will win this league anyway because my team is good enough"
'I did not swear or say any bad words but the referee sent me off because he did not like my body language. I am a passionate man and if I want to wave my arms in the air nobody is going to stop me. If the FA charge me I will appeal because if I deserved to be sent off for that I will be in the stands every week. If they send me off 25 times it does not matter because I have a great team and we will still win the league.'
Saturday 21 January 2012
Chihuahuas and Rottweilers II
PDC, the barking Italian, was interviewed last Friday and was asked about how he would describe his players now, after last year (see earlier blog post) when he compared his players to Chihuahas and Rottweilers ...
Hey, I tell you, properly, I don't wanna say that my words was far from the truth, my expression was probably in a hot moment. You know when a pet is very little, you can confuse a chihuahua with a very young rottweiler. Probably they were a very small rottweiler, young, only one month old, but they should grow up, they couldn't bite and hurt the opponents, obviously after a few months, now they are adult rottweiler, they can start fight for the bone, for the food, they are adult rottweiler.
Sorry, I made a mistake, because I am not an expert of dogs, but at the moment I was confused, an adult chihuahua with a small rottweiler, because they are not very similar, the colours are different, but at the time probably I was wrong, I didn't read properly, but they were young rottweiler, against any other adult dog, the dog win, because they still young. Now they are rottweiler.
Hey, I tell you, properly, I don't wanna say that my words was far from the truth, my expression was probably in a hot moment. You know when a pet is very little, you can confuse a chihuahua with a very young rottweiler. Probably they were a very small rottweiler, young, only one month old, but they should grow up, they couldn't bite and hurt the opponents, obviously after a few months, now they are adult rottweiler, they can start fight for the bone, for the food, they are adult rottweiler.
Sorry, I made a mistake, because I am not an expert of dogs, but at the moment I was confused, an adult chihuahua with a small rottweiler, because they are not very similar, the colours are different, but at the time probably I was wrong, I didn't read properly, but they were young rottweiler, against any other adult dog, the dog win, because they still young. Now they are rottweiler.
I can choose the player I want now
At first, we were kind of driving without lights in the night, not
completely like this, but we did not know what was going to happen in
the first couple of months.
Now, though, I have more knowledge than I did in August in being able to identify the player I want for my system.
Secondly, and perhaps more important than the first point, this club completely supports me and they are doing the best they can to make me happy and I have to thank them for this.
And thirdly, the team is in a good position and has proven all around the nation that we play football, that we have a very real chance to go up and we are in both cups.
There is a clear future at this club which we show to a player when they want to join us which makes it sound like we are in the Championship already.
All these things have made a big difference.
Now, the players call their agent to say they want to go to Swindon and that is good.
In the summer a League Two level player did not want to come. Another player who is struggling in League One now – he has scored only two goals - said ‘no I don’t want to play in League Two’.
Now, this man prays to come here but he is not for us anymore. He didn’t want to join us and help us and now he is struggling, but we still won’t give him another opportunity with us because even though his side are League One we feel we are better than them now.
I can choose the player I want now, I can make the decision and the club supports me all the way.
For all these reasons it has become much easier and in the next few days we will add another one, hopefully two, quality players to this squad.
Funnily, enough, Oxford's Tottenham supporting No. 9, James Constable, told his agent he didn't want to go to Swindon, even with a reported signing-on fee and increased wages.
In an attempt to save face after being spurned, the morose manager then said
“The chairman called me to say we cannot go through, I asked what happened and he told me that he (Constable) wanted to think about the move. At that moment, I said I don’t want to know anything more and I don’t want him any more. The fact he hesitated, or already decided he did not want to come, it did not matter to me. I didn’t want him any more. He can stay at Oxford.”
Secondly, and perhaps more important than the first point, this club completely supports me and they are doing the best they can to make me happy and I have to thank them for this.
And thirdly, the team is in a good position and has proven all around the nation that we play football, that we have a very real chance to go up and we are in both cups.
There is a clear future at this club which we show to a player when they want to join us which makes it sound like we are in the Championship already.
All these things have made a big difference.
Now, the players call their agent to say they want to go to Swindon and that is good.
In the summer a League Two level player did not want to come. Another player who is struggling in League One now – he has scored only two goals - said ‘no I don’t want to play in League Two’.
Now, this man prays to come here but he is not for us anymore. He didn’t want to join us and help us and now he is struggling, but we still won’t give him another opportunity with us because even though his side are League One we feel we are better than them now.
I can choose the player I want now, I can make the decision and the club supports me all the way.
For all these reasons it has become much easier and in the next few days we will add another one, hopefully two, quality players to this squad.
Funnily, enough, Oxford's Tottenham supporting No. 9, James Constable, told his agent he didn't want to go to Swindon, even with a reported signing-on fee and increased wages.
In an attempt to save face after being spurned, the morose manager then said
“The chairman called me to say we cannot go through, I asked what happened and he told me that he (Constable) wanted to think about the move. At that moment, I said I don’t want to know anything more and I don’t want him any more. The fact he hesitated, or already decided he did not want to come, it did not matter to me. I didn’t want him any more. He can stay at Oxford.”
Kenny Craig spotted in the boardroom
Once he [the Chairman] came back to the dressing room he said ‘Paolo look into my
eyes, if you say he is out, he is out. We believe you and we trust you.’
I had given him the chance to sack me, I said he should
sack me if he (Leon Clarke) did not go. After some bad results, and
with not everyone having gelled together and the Southampton defeat, he
should think it is time to change.
But he is a strong man, I saw at that moment that he is a leader and has a big belief in his values and we came through that moment together.
Obviously I thank him, but he has to thank himself and his parents, who gave him the good intelligence to be able to read into the future and not just react to the moment and change, change and change like many clubs do now.
But he is a strong man, I saw at that moment that he is a leader and has a big belief in his values and we came through that moment together.
Obviously I thank him, but he has to thank himself and his parents, who gave him the good intelligence to be able to read into the future and not just react to the moment and change, change and change like many clubs do now.
I've made mistakes
PDC admitted he didn't know what he was doing at the start of the
season, so turned on the Chairman to help him sort it out. But he did
keep some "secrets" from him...
"For example, I had a very honest moment with him [the Chairman] after two months. We had just had four defeats in a row and we had a board meeting and I looked in the eyes of the chairman and all the board members and said: “I have made many mistakes and now it is up to you. If you want to change direction then you have to follow me again and we have to change something.”
I told them we needed young, English players and that if we got these, I was sure things would change, but if they did not believe me even a little bit, then it would never work and they should sack me.
I was honest and my chairman was honest also. Not about the results but about what was going wrong and about the dressing room.
Obviously I did not say all my secrets because even my board cannot know all my secrets. I am my own man and I have my way to lead my group.
"For example, I had a very honest moment with him [the Chairman] after two months. We had just had four defeats in a row and we had a board meeting and I looked in the eyes of the chairman and all the board members and said: “I have made many mistakes and now it is up to you. If you want to change direction then you have to follow me again and we have to change something.”
I told them we needed young, English players and that if we got these, I was sure things would change, but if they did not believe me even a little bit, then it would never work and they should sack me.
I was honest and my chairman was honest also. Not about the results but about what was going wrong and about the dressing room.
Obviously I did not say all my secrets because even my board cannot know all my secrets. I am my own man and I have my way to lead my group.
Wednesday 11 January 2012
I want a defender, midfielder, winger, and a striker
One of PDC's Italian imports, defender Alberto Comazzi, is set to leave PigHill, despite being only six months into a two year contract, and having made just five appearances. PDC admits he didn't know about English League Two football, but then mysteriously claims that Comazzi would have been OK playing at Championship level (Serie B) in Italy, but that English division four is too tough.
After last week's 'greatest moment of his footballing life', beating a Wigan second stream team in the FA Cup, for which the team deserved recognition at the County Ground Skip with a commemorative plaque, PDC just days later insisted he needed to make changes, and that he "can't keep going until the end of the season with the same players."
Already making his excuses for failure at the end of the season, he needs "a midfielder, a winger and a striker - these are the main positions, we need a defender too because Comazzi is out. I want a natural centre-back. If we can get these players then I guarantee we can make something special. Otherwise it will be very tough to stay there [in promotion contention] until the end."
After last week's 'greatest moment of his footballing life', beating a Wigan second stream team in the FA Cup, for which the team deserved recognition at the County Ground Skip with a commemorative plaque, PDC just days later insisted he needed to make changes, and that he "can't keep going until the end of the season with the same players."
Already making his excuses for failure at the end of the season, he needs "a midfielder, a winger and a striker - these are the main positions, we need a defender too because Comazzi is out. I want a natural centre-back. If we can get these players then I guarantee we can make something special. Otherwise it will be very tough to stay there [in promotion contention] until the end."
One match ban and £500 fine
Not sure why this wasn't a second offence because PDC was also sent off during the Oxford game, but anyway, first offence, one match ban and £500 fine. As it is to be served during the Rotherham game, hopefully he will be stuck in that far corner stand for away fans, and not be able to see any of the game or even shout instructions to the bench.
Sunday 8 January 2012
The best moment of my life / the players deserve an honour
PigHill scraped a 2-1 win against Wigan reserves in the FA Cup third round, and this is what PDC had to say:
"My lads today deserve something from the club - to do something and put their names in the stadium forever. I don't want a big statue. Maybe just a small plaque with all their names. There is no doubt we deserved to win. It is the best moment of my life. Today they did show the dream can come true. We needed to limit Wigan's chances to get through and we did that well apart from the accident for the penalty. This is something special - an amazing performance against a team three divisions above us. The players have been fantastic because to play under me is difficult."
"My lads today deserve something from the club - to do something and put their names in the stadium forever. I don't want a big statue. Maybe just a small plaque with all their names. There is no doubt we deserved to win. It is the best moment of my life. Today they did show the dream can come true. We needed to limit Wigan's chances to get through and we did that well apart from the accident for the penalty. This is something special - an amazing performance against a team three divisions above us. The players have been fantastic because to play under me is difficult."
Saturday 7 January 2012
We're the Barcelona of League Two
In the build-up to PigHill's FA Cup 3rd round tie against Premier League Wigan Athletic, the Italian said: “This is a really important game for me, for my players, for the fans and for the club. I’m at the best club in this league – it’s the Barcelona of League Two. I’ve told my players to start dreaming because, without sounding arrogant, we can damage them.”
Friday 6 January 2012
Charged by the FA
Di Canio has until 4pm on 9 January 2012 to respond to the charge.
Sunday 1 January 2012
Sent off II
After being sent to the stands for running on the pitch during the Swindon Town home defeat to Oxford United, Di Canio was at it again against Northampton. This time, celebrating a late victory, he again ran on the pitch towards the away fans, was sent off, and may well be in trouble with the FA. Surely a touchline ban is warranted?
"This victory is amazing. I am very happy for the players. I told them during the week you don't have to love me, you have to follow me (and) you will win. In the first half I saw a really positive attitude and told them to remain calm as we were the better side. Today is a very, very good day but I was at risk for a heart attack."
Strange praise for a team that he wants five changes to.
"This victory is amazing. I am very happy for the players. I told them during the week you don't have to love me, you have to follow me (and) you will win. In the first half I saw a really positive attitude and told them to remain calm as we were the better side. Today is a very, very good day but I was at risk for a heart attack."
Strange praise for a team that he wants five changes to.
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