Good to see the Italian Stallion up to his old tricks

We all knew he was back, and Leon Clarke definitely knows Paolo Di Canio is back in England. After a controversial week for our beloved idol, Dean Mears takes a look back at the Italian’s time at West Ham.

Di Canio graced the English league with performances of pure class skill, and he’s back again, managing Swindon Town, and making it clear he’s doing it the Di Canio way. After the famous push on referee Paul Alcock playing for Sheffield Wednesday, Di Canio moved to Upton Park in a deal worth over a million pounds and instantly became a huge hit with the Hammers loyal fans.

In September 1998, Di Canio made sure his name would forever be remembered in English football. After being sent off against Arsenal, Di Canio shoved referee Paul Alcock, prompting a huge comedy role. Di Canio was banned for an extended 11 games and his Sheffield Wednesday career was over. The 23 goals in 41 games swayed then manager Harry Redknapp to part with £1.7 million (£2.5 million less than Sheffield Wednesday paid) for the Italian. The signing was an instant success, with the Italian quickly settling in, West Ham won the Intertoto Cup and thus gained entry into the Champions League. This eventful year for the former Lazio striker, was topped off by winning the Opta player of the year, despite the 11 game ban.

For West Ham fans, Di Canio will be remembered for his acts of greatness, rather than his acts of shame. In 2000, Di Canio scored one of the greatest goals ever witnessed at the Boleyn Ground .Di Canio’s volley also won the BBC Goal of the Season, and made it into the Premiership’s goal of the decade competition. Di Canio was also named Hammer of the Year (was there anything the man didn’t win).

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For all the fascist salutes and referee pushing, there is a very good side to Di Canio. His act of sportsmanship will probably be on the last things people remember of his career. Chasing a game against Everton, Di Canio caught the ball, because Everton goalkeeper Paul Gerrard lay stricken on the side of the pitch, rather than have the opportunity to shoot into the open goal, FIFA described the act as “a special act of good sportsmanship” as they gave him the FIFA Fair Play title.

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Di Canio remained a key clog in West Ham’s machine until a very public falling out with then manager Glenn Roeder. West Ham were struggling at the bottom end of the table and without their talisman West Ham looked certain for the drop, but after Roeder left the club with health issues and Trevor Brooking took over at the helm, Di Canio very nearly kept West Ham up, his winning goal over rivals Chelsea gave the Irons belief they had done enough, however as results went against them, West Ham went down and Di Canio moved to Charlton after 118 games and 48 goals.

Di Canio had a very special relationship with West Ham, which he often referred to as his “second home” and he also has a Hammers tattoo! You just have to see this interview after his last home game in a West Ham shirt to see how much the club meant to him.

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After retiring from football and taking a coaching role in the game, Di Canio admitted his dream would be the manage West Ham and applied for the job after Alan Curbishley quit in 2008. Di Canio did return to West Ham in 2010 to play in Tony Carr’s testimonial game, in which he played for a West Ham and a West Ham Old Boys side.

He may return one day if his coaching career kicks off…he may need to tone down the eccentrics though.