The Martin O'Neill thread (with added sacking #2188)

[Nev]

if Di Canio was a true racist he wouldnt survive in the game playing and working with so many black players, he just wouldnt be able to get away with it,

the racists i know dont care who knows about there views, i know he has said and done stuf in the past. his right wing views are very much an italian traditional thing, if his politics are that of the right i dont see it as a massive problem, mine are of the Left but so what he's a football manager

i think the big problem is when he describes himself as a Fascist,
the conotations there are dreadfull but maybe he just sees it as a right wing position and i really dont think he is going to start rounding up jews for slaughter, or any other kind of extremist actions.

he's probably regretting his book and the things he's talked about in the past, but Nick Grifiths he is not IMO
maybe i like to see the best in all people, and i would always give someone another chance, if he says he's not racist and doesnt hold extremist views i would take him at his word and let him get on with the job
dont forget Cheryl Cole was considered a racist once, having slept with nothing but black men and marrried the most odious one since, i dont think the allegation stands up anymore

people do make mistakes, they shouldnt have to live the rest of there lives with them hanging round there necks

He can hardly complain about politics being bought up when he himself strode around the pitch making the gestures he did. He bought all this upon himself and it will dog the rest of his career.

Cheryl Cole is now one of the media's most loved celebrities, im quite sure the toilet cleaner she smacked in the face a few years ago, probably doesnt share the media love in of her.

I don't see the two as comparable. PDC has gone on record and publicly demonstrated that he follows an ideology that many people find abhorant. I agree that the media often demonstrate double standards in many cases but I don't care what the media think, however I do care what the fans of Sunderland and those organisations involved with the club think and they have a right to call in to question the appointment. I would hope that similar questions would be asked at our club as well, particularly given our history.

[Louzie0]

I don't see the two as comparable. PDC has gone on record and publicly demonstrated that he follows an ideology that many people find abhorant. I agree that the media often demonstrate double standards in many cases but I don't care what the media think, however I do care what the fans of Sunderland and those organisations involved with the club think and they have a right to call in to question the appointment. I would hope that similar questions would be asked at our club as well, particularly given our history.

*applaud*

This club (Sunderland) and its fans does not deserve PDC. I don't care how bloody inspirational he has been, or might be, his personal convictions as published and uttered by himself are abhorrent. I wouldn't want him anywhere near the Villa, so why should Sunderland fans accept him?
 
Totally acknowledge his right to self expression.
 
Totally repudiate any 'star quality' - driven right to employment in any footballing context, as his political views automatically exclude individuals on a non-footballing basis. For that reason I would not let the man get anywhere near an Academy, let alone the first team.

[Risso]

An ex-manager of ours called a black player a "fucking lazy, thick n*gger".  I bet most people would shake his hand if they met him at Villa Park though.

[Chico Hamilton III]

How would we feel if he came to  Villa? a fella who willingly gave the Narzeye salute, managing a club who are proud to have refused to do the same.

I'd rather get relegated.

And he reminds me of a thin Brian Conley. Dynamo Doug Digby from The Grimleys.

[Chris Smith]

An ex-manager of ours called a black player a "fucking lazy, thick n*gger".  I bet most people would shake his hand if they met him at Villa Park though.

I wouldn't.

[olaftab]

I don't see the two as comparable. PDC has gone on record and publicly demonstrated that he follows an ideology that many people find abhorant. I agree that the media often demonstrate double standards in many cases but I don't care what the media think, however I do care what the fans of Sunderland and those organisations involved with the club think and they have a right to call in to question the appointment. I would hope that similar questions would be asked at our club as well, particularly given our history.

Good post Nev. I really don't understand people who say judge him on his football management. Why? Why not judge him on his publicly declared abhorrent views? A football club belongs to supporters. It's not a bottom line business. It's an emotional institution and we should therefore look and examine the character of administrators, staff and players associated with it.

[Louzie0]

I haven't heard or read Ron A describe himself as a fascist in any interviews. Because he isn't. I'm more concerned about PDC, who has.

[Risso]

I haven't heard or read Ron A describe himself as a fascist in any interviews. Because he isn't. I'm more concerned about PDC, who has.

I haven't ever heard di Canio say anything racist though, unlike Big Ron who I have.

[Somniloquism]

I never seen this from anyone who isn't one in some way in the last 30 years unless it was a spoof. And his expression doesn't show spoof.

[Dante Lavelli]

An ex-manager of ours called a black player a "fucking lazy, thick n*gger".  I bet most people would shake his hand if they met him at Villa Park though.

A big difference is that PDC chose to publish his words, probably after numerous warnings from his editors.  Furthermore PDC has also chosen to have numerous Mussolini tattoos on his body which are pretty permanent and significant badges of honour.  Claiming his was off mic doesn't excuse BFR for his words, however I still feel the two things are different.

[Somniloquism]

Oops, meant to mod, not quote.

[damon loves JT]

Di Canio equivocates about his fascist beliefs. He admires some things about Mussolini, he says, but not others. He praises British 'multi-culturalism' but demands racial integration for immigrants to Italy.

Wankers like Henry Winter pretend this demonstrates a 'nuanced' or complex set of political values, which we shouldn't rush to judge.

I didn't like him as a player and I have no time for him now. The analogy with BFR is inaccurate because a thoughtless and offensive remark - for which he apologised endlessly - is very different from a fascist tattoo.

[atomicjam]

Mr Di Canio not clearing anything up:-

Q: A statement was put out yesterday, but that didn’t include a clear and simple answer to a clear, simple question. Are you a fascist?
 
A: I don’t have to answer this any more. I can’t state every three weeks or three months. So 21 months ago, some of you – not you in here – picked up some lines from a long interview. I am at a football club. If I was working in the Houses of Parliament then I would answer a political question, but I’m probably never going to get there. I only want to talk about football. This story has to finish. Paolo Di Canio is 45 years of age and his life speaks for him.
 
Q: It’s a yes/no question.

Louise Wanless, Sunderland press officer: “I think we’ve answered that.”

Q: He hasn’t answered it, that’s the key.

Wanless: “He’s answered it as far as he wishes to, and as far as we want to. So let’s move on to football.”
 
Q: North East football has worked really hard over the last three decades to combat racism?
 
A: You are not offending me, but you are offending my family. I do not permit anyone to offend the values I have received from my parents. If you want to talk about football then we can start to work. You in your area, me in my area.
 
Q: But Paolo, you did use the word fascists and people are wondering why you used that word
 
A: I answer only football questions.
 
Q: Does that not make the issue worse because you are not clarifying it?

A: I only answer football questions. I have clarified it many times in the past.
 
Q: PR-wise, that just makes it worse because it’s not addressing [the issue].

Wanless: “Kindly do not tell me how to do my job. Paolo has answered the question as much as he wishes to, we issued a statement yesterday.
 
Q: Would Paolo like to meet some of the fans who are saying that they don’t want to come to matches while you are manager. Would you like to sit down with them?
 
A: Not for one reason because it’s happened at Swindon. Once they saw Paolo Di Canio and discovered Paolo Di Canio, they were there with their children every day.
 
Every few weeks we organised a meeting with the children and they were really enthusiastic. They were asking for pictures because they discovered Paolo Di Canio and the values he has got.
 
When I have confirmed and convinced people, they will stay in the queue and buy a ticket for Sunderland because they will see how I work and what kind of person I am.
 
So I don’t have to answer that question any more. So once again, I want to repeat, the people who are talking about this offend my parents and I don’t give any chances to anyone to offend my parents.
 
Not Paolo Di Canio. If I were alone, without my family previously and my daughters now, I would answer every single question, I would say a few words some of them might be bad words – I have to be honest with you.
 
But now the story has to finish.
 
Paolo Di Canio, in 45 years, never had a problem in his life with anyone. There is no one story about Paolo Di Canio that has to be clear.
 
What counts for you in life? The world of fact.
 
Q: Why use the word fascist?

A: Word or fact? What counts for you? Okay, that has to be clear.
 
Q: Why did you use the word fascist, though?

A: This has to be clear.
 
Q: Why did you use the word fascist then?

Wanless: “We are moving on.”

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/paolo-di-canio-fascist-row-1801594

[kippaxvilla2]

Has MO'N been sacked?  Any idea why Barry didn't take the penalty?

[damon loves JT]

It is wonderful that Sunderland were so desperate to get rid of Pubey, they'd replace him with a head-the-ball like Di Canio