Paolo Di Canio promises changes at Sunderland

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Paolo Di Canio

Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio has vowed to make big changes at the club, regardless of whether his side remain in the Premier League next season.

After their the Black Cats could still go down.

The Italian said: "Let me be sure that we are going to keep the club up, and then I am going to change everything.

"I'm not going to push all the players out but I am going to keep the right players and bring in the right players, if it is possible."

Sunderland can secure their Premier League status on Tuesday night without playing if FA Cup winners Wigan lose at Arsenal in their game in hand - a result which would send Roberto Martinez's Latics down to the Championship.

If not, a draw against Spurs next weekend would make sure the Stadium of Light club retain Premier League football, with Wigan playing fellow strugglers Aston Villa.

Since taking over at the end of March, Di Canio has picked up eight points from six games - and he admits it has been a struggle at times.

"When I came, I knew before the quality we had was exciting. I'm talking about Stephane Sessegnon, Adam Johnson, John O'Shea at the back - and many others, young fellas with quality," he said.

"But the environment - I am not accusing anyone, it was dead.

"I have been part of this environment for five weeks and eight points in six games, in this situation, the players have performed a miracle.

"Before I signed a contract with the club, I would have signed for eight points from six games, so the lads have done an amazing job."

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92 comments

  • Comment posted by Sirrantsalot, at 09:38 13 May 2013

    What else is he supposed to say? That it's all fine and dandy? Obviously it isn't.

    This is why people will like Di Canio - he doesn't hold back. This is a not very subtle message to both the players, the club staff and the money men. They'll stay up, because Wigan will probably go down tomorrow.

  • Comment posted by RedandWhiteTractor, at 14:46 13 May 2013

    To those saying our wages are huge, we actually can afford thanks to the fact we ARE a big club, attracting 40k+ crowds. The same can be said of Newcastle.

    A lot of people on here seem to resent the North East for some reason. Maybe because they cannot replicate the passion and atmosphere we generate at their own half full dumps of grounds!

  • Comment posted by tonep, at 11:33 13 May 2013

    8 points in 6 games under di Canio
    2 points in previous 8 games under O'Neill

    He's given us a good chance to stay up, under O'Neill we were dead and gone. People forget we now have our top 3 goalscorers out, there was something like 7 goals between the starting 11 on show yesterday, none from the centre forward. If we stay up, it'll be a miracle frankly. He deserves a chance.

  • Comment posted by Mactoon, at 12:47 13 May 2013

    42 Aunty Sue - change the record - it's getting tedious. Did you have a bad experience in the Great North? You've got more chips than McDonalds....

  • Comment posted by TheHarold, at 09:40 13 May 2013

    @3, yes, because he would have performed a magic act seeing as the Toon can no longer go down....

  • Comment posted by U10614929, at 11:37 13 May 2013

    Its crazy to think Sunderland have averaged 40k fans again, watching that dog mess.

  • Comment posted by SCDFanatic, at 10:21 13 May 2013

    12. Luther_Wesley-Baxter

    All he has done for me is delay the inevitable. Wigan have enough to beat Arsenal. They showed what they are capable of against a team full of world-class quality on Saturday. Our safety is by no means certain yet

  • Comment posted by U15661425, at 10:10 13 May 2013

    There was no discipline first of all, and there is still problem with red cards. I think Paolo performed a miracle with that bulk of low-quality players. Most of them are simply losers..

  • Comment posted by U15563666, at 10:09 13 May 2013

    From an Everton fan I love Di Canio, he is inspirational and if you cannot raise your game under this man, then you do not deserve to playing at this level. He inspires me just to watch Sunderland games!! He's a winner and knows his craft. Hope they stay up as we need characters in the game. Good luck over the next 2 games boys!

  • Comment posted by lglater, at 09:39 13 May 2013

    He talks a good game Di Canio, but I think he will have a hard time shifting some of the dead wood that Sunderland have. They do have some good players but also some pretty bad ones and a lot of changes will certainly be needed.

  • Comment posted by U15473531, at 18:57 13 May 2013

    I'm tired of people firing criticism at Martin O'Neill, especially those who know nothing of his managerial career. He was a legend at Celtic and he got us to the final of the Uefa Cup where we lost to Mourinho's Porto in extra time, the same team that won the CL in their next season. Sunderland simply have a bad team, and some of their players just don't turn up.

  • Comment posted by Dr Ged, at 18:44 13 May 2013

    Don't forget that Sunderland were in trouble before PDC came and he's currently picking up the pieces left by a manager who was always regarded as one of the better ones. There was a time, in fact, when MON was named as a potential successor to SAF.

    Yes, it's a joke isn't it?

    Say what you like about PDC but he certainly didn't get Sunderland in the mess they're in now.

  • Comment posted by KickAssAndGiggle, at 09:38 13 May 2013

    8 points from their last six is not so bad for them really. Over the season, that form survives easily.

    Damage was done before he arrived. As a Spurs fan, I am hoping they get nowt from us, so they need results to go there way...

  • Comment posted by romseybbcfan, at 22:53 13 May 2013

    the best change that the black cats could make is to get a proper manager. relying on other clubs failing is a pretty poor strategy

  • Comment posted by U15723136, at 22:19 13 May 2013

    I really do think that a lot of the media have something against the north east. They seem to relish the teams up there being in trouble. I support nufc and I want to see all the teams in the top flight, boro, us, hull, safe. What's wrong with passionate support. Do we really want to see a london based prem. no we do not. So stop slagging each other off and all pull as one proud area of the uk.

  • Comment posted by Andrew Raisbeck, at 18:52 13 May 2013

    Sunderland were gone under MoN so what PDC has done has given them a chance. They have their 4 best players out thru injury or suspension so he is battling the odds. and as for bing club, no team in the prem league gets close to their crowds as a percentage of the population of their city. 22% of the 184k population of Sunderland turn out week in week out. No other team is above 15%

  • Comment posted by CoachJeff, at 14:01 13 May 2013

    Sunderland already had one of the highest wage bills compared to revenue. So where exactly is the extra new money coming from to fund this mass clearout and purchase of a more expensive squad.
    Swindon were left in administration by his last set of transfer dealings, cant see this ending happily either.

  • Comment posted by Colonel Johnson, at 13:43 13 May 2013

    Nah Di Canio, don't worry...

    All you have to worry about is the FA cup winners winning. Have a good night's sleep arsenal fans...

  • Comment posted by U15596774, at 13:25 13 May 2013

    Di Canio almost proclaimed Sunderland as world beaters when they beat an out of sorts Newcastle team. Reality has suddenly kicked in for him that the Maccems are an average bunch of triers with no squad depth! Welcome to the North East where expectation always exceeds reality!

  • Comment posted by U15359323, at 12:56 13 May 2013

    PL mismanaged Bent? Nah, He put his faith in a younger player, gave him plenty of game time and helped make him the 3rd top scorer in Europe this calendar year...

    He took Bent, added the ekkers. Now we have Bentekkers! And the Prem is a better place with him in it.

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