Now he's gone, who's next?

[Barefoot Wanderer]

I've done a little asking about Paolo di Canio. I know a few Swindon fans, and the club has in the past had some dealings with us. And the sense I'm very strongly getting is that we should stay away. Nothing to do with Di Canio's political beliefs (if they exist): just his man-management and the general carnage that surrounds it.

"Everything goes through the media," says one source. "It terrifies the club." Most fans ended up backing him in the argument with goalkeeper Wes Foderingham but fear that it may have emboldened him to do more of the same: public humiliation, trial by media.

And it's not just his underlings: after the tribunal fee triggered an FFP-enforced transfer embargo, PdC couldn't wait to tell the media how the board needed to sort this out and needed to back him financially if they want another promotion – something Swindon fans could barely believe given the amount they've paid in transfers and (notably) agent fees and the subsequent strength of their squad: "He's got two or three good players for every position except goalkeeper, which is his own fault."

There is disquiet that his confrontational methods, which have worked so far, will get less respect as he moves (or they move) up the divisions. Some of the newer players brought in from Championship level have found themselves "in and out of the team" after quietly enquiring why Swindon were doing double training as a matter of course rather than necessity. Of course, after the allegedly lax regime Bolton have had, the idea of a confrontational manager who has them in all day might sound like sweet music to the ears of disenchanted Wanderers, but I would worry that Di Canio might go too far in the other direction, too soon.

You simply don't get the impression he picks his fights or keeps things in-house, as a certain purple-faced septuagenarian down the road tends to do. I dislike stereotypes but evidence suggests that Di Canio's a hot-head - not because he's Italian or Roman, but he just is. And I that his personality type simply won't work higher up the league, or at least won't work for long and won't work for all players. Ostracising a lower-league player costs a lot less than sidelining someone like, for instance, Martin Petrov. One word used to describe him was "bully". Players who've been around a bit tend not to react well to that sort of thing: they just mark time and sit out their contracts, contrary to the system set up by Eddie Davies and Phil Gartside (and willingly signed up to by Owen Coyle).

The Swindon folks I spoke to suspect "it will all end badly" - whether in "financial meltdown" or him walking out, either for a better job or if it all goes wrong. They think he'd be interested in the job and whispers have already started to that effect, although that could well be the media looking to hoist an entertaining manager closer to the spotlight.

I'm glad Paolo di Canio exists, but I'm glad he doesn't manage my club. Not because of any suspect politics, but because of suspect management: I fear he may in time turn out to be an overspending autodidact media whore who thinks himself better than any club he's at. So no thanks.

Thanks for that, DSB. An interesting piece in its own right.

As it is, it doesn't really put me off.

The Foderingham incident is an interesting case study and I still say the thing I find most important is that the player reacted well to it in his form following that game. I don't think there's any other evidence that he deals with individual players in a 'public' way. The Foderingham incident had to be public because the decision he took was that he needed to withdraw him from a game. And lots of managers appeal to their boards via the press. I don't think PdC is exceptional in this regard.

I admit it - a lot of his confrontational, hard methods actually appeal to me. I'm fed up of gormless, simple, 'nice guys' like Sammy Lee and Owen Coyle. I would like to see a Bolton team train harder than any other in the league, within the bounds of what sports science has to say about fatigue, of course.

The way I see it, the situation with managers is a bit like the situation with players. Our pull is limited, moreso now than at any time in the past decade. In the same way that we have taken risks with players in a bid to get beyond the ordinary, such as taking on Diouf's baggage to get to a player with the ability to be African player of the year, I would be for us taking a calculated risk on a manager. I accept that hiring a manager to be in overall charge is a more important step than taking on one member of playing staff, but I am so desperate to get beyond the same old uninspiring merry go round of faces that I am willing to countenance the risk with someone like Di Canio, who I appreciate has some imperfections and learning to do.

Presumably, this is the reason I am also open to the possibility of giving OGS a go despite the fact that I can't remember ever having heard him speak!

Dicanio would certainly be an unstable choice but if you look at the character of Mourhino it has certain similarities, who knows what potential lies in the background of Di Canio - could be next bomb to hit the premier league, who knows

Personally my no.1 choice would be BSA for certain prem success but Solskjaer is a very good prospect in the making and has done everything conceivable to prove he has got what it takes to move into bigger times

I just had a fumble round youtube and found a four part docu about OGS road to glory and was suprised to hear he has a very strong northern accent, something you could mistake for a Bolton accent or almost yorkshire - it's bizzare:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmqmwgK3Nqo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BWFC_Insane]

As long as we lose honestly there'll be no need to call him a cancer on the club?

That description wasn't far off in terms of his effect on the club, he silently and without much fuss, took us from an 11 year stay in the premiership, to 18th in the championship.

His heart may well have been in the right place, his brain certainly wasn't.

[Beefheart]

I've done a little asking about Paolo di Canio. I know a few Swindon fans, and the club has in the past had some dealings with us. And the sense I'm very strongly getting is that we should stay away. Nothing to do with Di Canio's political beliefs (if they exist): just his man-management and the general carnage that surrounds it.

"Everything goes through the media," says one source. "It terrifies the club." Most fans ended up backing him in the argument with goalkeeper Wes Foderingham but fear that it may have emboldened him to do more of the same: public humiliation, trial by media.

And it's not just his underlings: after the tribunal fee triggered an FFP-enforced transfer embargo, PdC couldn't wait to tell the media how the board needed to sort this out and needed to back him financially if they want another promotion – something Swindon fans could barely believe given the amount they've paid in transfers and (notably) agent fees and the subsequent strength of their squad: "He's got two or three good players for every position except goalkeeper, which is his own fault."

There is disquiet that his confrontational methods, which have worked so far, will get less respect as he moves (or they move) up the divisions. Some of the newer players brought in from Championship level have found themselves "in and out of the team" after quietly enquiring why Swindon were doing double training as a matter of course rather than necessity. Of course, after the allegedly lax regime Bolton have had, the idea of a confrontational manager who has them in all day might sound like sweet music to the ears of disenchanted Wanderers, but I would worry that Di Canio might go too far in the other direction, too soon.

You simply don't get the impression he picks his fights or keeps things in-house, as a certain purple-faced septuagenarian down the road tends to do. I dislike stereotypes but evidence suggests that Di Canio's a hot-head - not because he's Italian or Roman, but he just is. And I that his personality type simply won't work higher up the league, or at least won't work for long and won't work for all players. Ostracising a lower-league player costs a lot less than sidelining someone like, for instance, Martin Petrov. One word used to describe him was "bully". Players who've been around a bit tend not to react well to that sort of thing: they just mark time and sit out their contracts, contrary to the system set up by Eddie Davies and Phil Gartside (and willingly signed up to by Owen Coyle).

The Swindon folks I spoke to suspect "it will all end badly" - whether in "financial meltdown" or him walking out, either for a better job or if it all goes wrong. They think he'd be interested in the job and whispers have already started to that effect, although that could well be the media looking to hoist an entertaining manager closer to the spotlight.

I'm glad Paolo di Canio exists, but I'm glad he doesn't manage my club. Not because of any suspect politics, but because of suspect management: I fear he may in time turn out to be an overspending autodidact media whore who thinks himself better than any club he's at. So no thanks.

Thanks for that, DSB. An interesting piece in its own right.

As it is, it doesn't really put me off.

The Foderingham incident is an interesting case study and I still say the thing I find most important is that the player reacted well to it in his form following that game. I don't think there's any other evidence that he deals with individual players in a 'public' way. The Foderingham incident had to be public because the decision he took was that he needed to withdraw him from a game. And lots of managers appeal to their boards via the press. I don't think PdC is exceptional in this regard.

I admit it - a lot of his confrontational, hard methods actually appeal to me. I'm fed up of gormless, simple, 'nice guys' like Sammy Lee and Owen Coyle. I would like to see a Bolton team train harder than any other in the league, within the bounds of what sports science has to say about fatigue, of course.

The way I see it, the situation with managers is a bit like the situation with players. Our pull is limited, moreso now than at any time in the past decade. In the same way that we have taken risks with players in a bid to get beyond the ordinary, such as taking on Diouf's baggage to get to a player with the ability to be African player of the year, I would be for us taking a calculated risk on a manager. I accept that hiring a manager to be in overall charge is a more important step than taking on one member of playing staff, but I am so desperate to get beyond the same old uninspiring merry go round of faces that I am willing to countenance the risk with someone like Di Canio, who I appreciate has some imperfections and learning to do.

Presumably, this is the reason I am also open to the possibility of giving OGS a go despite the fact that I can't remember ever having heard him speak!

Dicanio would certainly be an unstable choice but if you look at the character of Mourhino it has certain similarities, who knows what potential lies in the background of Di Canio - could be next bomb to hit the premier league, who knows

Personally my no.1 choice would be BSA for certain prem success but Solskjaer is a very good prospect in the making and has done everything conceivable to prove he has got what it takes to move into bigger times

I just had a fumble round youtube and found a four part docu about OGS road to glory and was suprised to hear he has a very strong northern accent, something you could mistake for a Bolton accent or almost yorkshire - it's bizzare:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmqmwgK3Nqo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Your first choice would be BSA? It might as well be Pep Guardiola. They're equally likely.

[Lord Kangana]

As long as we lose honestly there'll be no need to call him a cancer on the club?

That description wasn't far off in terms of his effect on the club, he silently and without much fuss, took us from an 11 year stay in the premiership, to 18th in the championship.

His heart may well have been in the right place, his brain certainly wasn't.

So, just to reiterate, as long as we lose honestly under Big Mick you'll refrain from calling him a cancer? I just want to understand the perameters here you see.

[CrazyHorse]

Meanwhile, my sources tell me that Gavin McCann has completed his coaching badges.

[Lord Kangana]

Big lads up front?

[Barefoot Wanderer]

Your first choice would be BSA? It might as well be Pep Guardiola. They're equally likely.[/quote]


I have watched him on an interview or 2 hinting he doesn't feel "at home" at West Ham - reckon if PG gave hima nudge we'd have a chance - do a better job than Pep Guardiola anyway !!

[Sponge]

Mick McCarthy would be depressing.

[plymouth wanderer]

Mick McCarthy would be depressing.

I agree with this post

[plymouth wanderer]

As long as we lose honestly there'll be no need to call him a cancer on the club?

That description wasn't far off in terms of his effect on the club, he silently and without much fuss, took us from an 11 year stay in the premiership, to 18th in the championship.

His heart may well have been in the right place, his brain certainly wasn't.

I find this post funny

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I think DSB (& thanks for that, by the way) has put a goodly amount of meat on my instinct that De Canio creates a circus around himself.

I'm going to have to ask for some order here - DSB has written in an interesting way about the 'sense' he gets, but there isn't much hard fact in there!

Thanks for kind words. Not much fact, no, but some of that 'sense' is from very well-placed sources. It actually surprised me how well-placed. And, as I say, I'm not normally one to claim ITK but there are folks (not just fans) at Swindon who fear the future.

Imagine having "two or three good players" for every outfield position! One in most would do...

It's easily done when you overspend - legally (under the FFP) thanks to the recent tribunal, but also massively on agents' fees. It's well worth repeating that last season, Swindon spent almost as much on agents' fees as the rest of League Two combined; more than any club in League One and more than 10 clubs in the Championship. Throw that much cash around and you'd expect a deep squad. Throw that much weight around and you'll get a deeply divided squad.

[thebish]

Appleton is wank. he's won like 12 of his 45 matches as pompy manager. He's not good enough IMO to manage a team that could end up back in the prem...

To be fair he's also been in charge of a club that wasn't/isn't sure of being open for business the next day...

I'm not saying he should be in line for a job at the Reebok, but cut him some slack.

and he masterminded our defeat fairly easily IIRC

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Oh and as for McCarthy - yeah, interview him, why not. Widen the net, assess the options.

[Athers]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... cancy.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ogden on OGS

[leyther95]

OGS Hopefully, something new, somebody with no past experience at the club. A fresh start!

[Lord Kangana]

And while Gartside was also in London last night on club business.....

I'm guessing they may at least have spoken by now.

[Worthy4England]

And while Gartside was also in London last night on club business.....

I'm guessing they may at least have spoken by now.

There was a report in the press, that OGS didn't attend the Leaders in Football conference he was scheduled to attend...Di Canio did.

However it was thus reported in the Daily Mail. So that should piss on our chips.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... ds-newsxml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ohh - errr - I see it was also reported in the Telegraph...

[thebish]

it's odd that I would now view OGS as the shiny exciting alternative - but I think I do.

I suspect, like many, and it might be unfair to McCarthy, and can i squeeze just one more hanging clause into this sentence, that to many of us McCarthy SEEMS like one of a gang of managers who tramp their way from mediocre club to mediocre club getting the odd promotion here or there and an equivalent number of relegations - and their names are the ones who we hear every time a vacancy arises...

i just have a nagging question as to whether not only the fans but also the players might see them as "old news" and thus for hem to be unable to be the new broom that (it seems to me) we need sweeping through the club... i think McCarthy would simply leave many cobwebs in place..

OGS - as others have said - he has some experience (we don't really know how it will connect with the championship) - he is well connected in the football world - he may have access to a scouting network that we haven't had for a while - he's still shiny and new - none of the current squad will have played under him before - he has achieved success at a club that had never achieved that success before...

i reckon he's now my number 1 choice.

[Lord Kangana]

Well thats Mick back in employment then.

Cheers bish.

[thebish]

Well thats Mick back in employment then.

Cheers bish.

just wanted to cheer up BWFCi - he deserves some happiness in his life!