Italian lasted just 13 games at the Black Cats manager but the club deserve credit for pulling the plug early and sacking Di Canio on Sunday night. It was never going to improve. Sunderland have started the campaign horribly - they are bottom of the table with one point from five games - and in their next six home games place five of the ‘big six’ plus local rivals Newcastle. Di Canio made the instant impact he needed last season to keep up a team that looked doomed to relegation. But his behaviour was increasingly bizarre as he alienated players by publicly lambasting them, running the club like a dictatorship rather than inspiring the players to get behind him. It ended in a stand-off with the Sunderland fans after the 3-0 defeat to West Brom on Saturday that summed it up: for him, it was still the Paolo Di Canio show. He was a dream for the press but a nightmare for the club. In these circumstances, clubs often turn to the polar opposite, so expect owner Ellis Short to admit his mistake and appoint a no thrills, safe pair of hands to put the ship back on course. NORTH LONDON SITTING PRETTY AT PREMIER LEAGUE SUMMIT Tottenham lost their best player over the summer, for a long time Arsenal did absolutely nothing. Yet any negativity in north London has evaporated, with the two clubs sitting pretty and level on points at the top of the league after five games. Mesut Ozil has started in sparkling form for the Gunners and continued to rack up his incredible assist record in the 3-1 win over Stoke on Sunday, while Spurs showed they can score last- gasp winners without Bale in their 1-0 victory over Cardiff City. Both
Posted on: Tue, 24 Sep 2013 13:15:32 +0000
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