Sunderland sack manager Paolo Di Canio after just 13 games
Sunderland football club have sacked their head coach Paolo Di Canio, despite having only hired him in March.
06:45 24 September 2013
With the Black Cats bottom of the Premier League table, the 45-year-old Italian was kicked out. Di Canio won three of his 13 matches.
Coach Kevin Ball will take temporary lead the team which is famed for its quick turnaround of managers - a new one will mark the team's sixth in less than five years.
Sunderland said in a statement last night: “Kevin Ball will take charge of the squad ahead of Tuesday night’s Capital One Cup game against Peterborough United and an announcement will be made in due course regarding a permanent successor.”
Sunderland's statement added: "The club would like to place on record its thanks to Paolo and his staff and wishes them well for the future."
Also leaving is Di Canio's backroom team of first-team coach Fabrizio Piccareta, goalkeeping coach Domenico Doardo, fitness coach Claudio Donatelli and physio Giulio Viscardi.
Born in Rome in 1968, Di Canio played in his native Italy for Lazio, Juventus, Napoli, AC Milan and Cisco Roma. Arriving in Britain, he was snapped up by Celtic, Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham and Charlton Athletic. He ended his playing career back at Cisco Roma by way of Lazio.
In 2005 a fascist-style salute in a Lazio game gave the Italian a controversial reputation which followed him as he switched to management.
In 2011, his managerial career took off as he led Swindon to promotion in 2011/2012, resigning the next year. He then succeeded Martin O'Neill at the Stadium of Light on March 31st, signing a two-and-half-year deal which has now been cut short.
Never one to mince his words, Di Canio often criticised his own players and club in public which some speculate added fuel to the fire which eventually engulfed his contract with the team. After Saturday's 3-0 loss to West Brom, Di Canio took the flak of the fans, but the damage spiralled.
He was later quoted by the BBC as saying that the insults are part of the job, while also revealing the team still isn't working together properly and that he doesn't have their full support.
Di Canio said: "I absorb the insults as it's part of the game - if I was in their position I'd be furious," he said. "But I'm professional: 24 hours a day I work for this cause. One day their reaction will be a different reaction.
"I knew that they were furious. I went to them because I wanted to see their faces. It's easy to go over when they're clapping or singing your name. I'm responsible but my head is up. I won't give up.
"It's obvious we're still not together. We don't have many leaders in terms of desire to play with a premier style.
"I'm never going to change my regime. I am what I am. My way to manage the team is for the top, top level. I have to be clear to everyone - the board, the chairman, the fans - I'm never going to change.
"One day, if I receive the full support from the players, we will turn the corner."
However, it is now apparent that somebody else will be turning that corner.