Football is not the most moral of sports so do think the abuse for Di Canio rather unfair. What about Marlon King at Birmingham and our own Troy Deeney..... both with argueably more serious issues but both accepted into the fold because they can score goals.
Some interesting responses here. Clearly, as Leo said, Italian politics are difficult for non Italians to understand. However, with a man who has a tattoo nearly covouring one forearm which reads DUX, Latin for the Italian il duce = leader in English and refers to (By his own self admission) his idol Mussolini - there can be little doubt as to the depth of his politics. Just because they are in another language and come from another culture shouldn't blind us to the truth - would we be happy about a self confessed BNP or English Defence League supporter or member brandishing his politics in this way and managing a football club in a deprived area which only a few days previous to his appointment had seen troubles involving the EDL protesting against a planned mosque in Sunderland.
Taken from The Independent: Is Paolo Di Canio still a Fascist? Right now, he is not saying because he only wants to talk about football, but there is a rambling interview in a 2002 book West Ham: Irons in the Soul by Pete May (available as an e-book) in which he can be said to have answered the question: âI never said I was a fan of Mussolini but for the media it is more easy to make the polemic. I said that after Mussolini no one political man was a patriot or a nationalist because nationalism is not equal to being a Nazi. English people are very proud of their nationalism too; my nationalism means you are proud because you are Italian⦠âIn Italy if the right or left win the election they donât think in three or four years time we will give the people a better society⦠They donât think tomorrow we are going to work for the people, they think tomorrow we start the publicity for the next election. They have no vision. With Mussolini Iâm sure we would have had a better situation, but not in a wrong way, not with a union with the Nazis because I am not a Fascist. Then was a different time, nobody wants war, now we want peaceâ¦â âBlack or white or yellow people, gay people, men or women, they can come to my house and be my friend because I am not xenophobic.â This suggests that the media are "simplifying" views held by Di Canio. There are an awful lot of Italians who hate the Mafia, Communists , Berlusconis etc they have inabundance there. Seems to drive some of them to admire the man who famously was reported to have made the trains run on time. Aman who suggests he is not racists, sexist or homophobic does not seem to fit the profile the press are keen to paint on him. I suspect he is politically naive rather than extremist. This smacks of easy press sensationalism. It would be interesting to hear what Swindon fans have heard about his politics during his time there
Absolutely right Lenny - it"s just lazy hack journo's that try to build a connection that I believe does not exist. You can admire some of the achievements of questionable leaders without having to be labelled with their "politics".
When he says he was not a fan of Mussolini I will let his tattoed forearm speak for itself. Under Mussolini of course the party did not have to think of the next election - because there wouldn't be one ! Italian Fascism did not have the racial sickness of Nazism but it did believe in an organic state based upon concepts of hierarchy and obedience to the 'natural leaders' who rise through war (which under Fascism was seen as socially hygienic because it ensured the dominance of the heroic elite) - and it should be noted that the 'organic state' has no place for deviants within it. Di Canio knows that the Italian Fascists are against all immigration, all dilution of their proud Italian State, and has said elsewhere 'I am a Fascist'. If he now claims to not being a racist it has the same resonance with me as the same claims of the English Defence League (because they have some black and Jewish members !). The main difference between Germany and Italy, in this respect, is that Germany has faced up to it's past which Italy has not - and this is why some Italians still have a respect for Mussolini - for Gods sake Hitler also made the trains run on time !
Hmmm Cologne - your arguments on this seem to lack some of your usual objectivity which suggests this is a subject very close to your heart. I do hope that does not involve past family history What you say about fascism is undoubtedly correct - it was as nasty as Nazism but without its demagogue. However modern day Italians are not looking at pre-war politics and with due respect most footballers of whatever nationality are not the Einsteins of this world and I suspect many have stupid tatooes from their youth. Di Canio says what he says and it is on that you can judge him - he could of course be a liar - but he says he respects race, sex and sexual orientation. Given that his job is as a football manager I would let that be unless his actions now give lie to those claims.
judge people by their deeds not their words alone-- he is a self confessed fascist in italy, with permanent tattoo to commemorate his 'hero'-- he is attempting to brush all this off for expediency , he even said he has black friends !! His regime at Swindon was fairly dictatorial-- sound familiar-- don't expect him to be long with the mackems.....
good advice - he says he does not support the principles of Facism - perhaps he did in his youth but many people are daft in their youth - there is no evidence he has done any more than run a normal "strict" regime at Swindon - I think most Italian managers are bred that way. I expect him to lose his job at Sunderland for football reasons in due course rather than political ones
But you have to accept that people can, and do, change their beliefs/attitudes over time. When I first started taking an interest in politics, my leanings were towards the Conservative (or Liberals as they are known in Oz) - I even had friends who stood for election and helped them with their campaigns. Now I have seen the truth, and anyone who knew me then would not believe how I have changed so fundamentally. As to the tattoo, my niece is co-owner of a small, thriving chain of tattoo parlours in Edinburgh - and she is still amazed by the number of idiots who, for example, bedeck themselves with tatts declaring their undying love for Sharon, then come back a few months later asking if it can be changed to Heather. Tatts can be little more than a spur of the moment thing that reflect the current thoughts of the wearer - there's absolutely nothing to say that they necessarily reflect rigidly permanent attitudes.
I agree that many of us have also done silly things in their youth - or had different politics then. However, most of the evidence against Di Canio comes from his adult life. Just imagine the following scenario : Instead of being Paulo Di Canio his name is Heinrich Schmidt - he has a tattoo commemorating the Führer on his arm - has given the Nazi salute to fans in Dresden (For which he would get 6 months prison in Germany or Austria) - and has been repeatedly photographed at Nazi functions in his homeland - would your reactions be different in this case ? I suspect so because then it would be taken more seriously - but we tend to regard Italian Fascism as little more than a joke. Although in reality there are more physical attacks against people of immigrant origins in Italy than in Germany (not achieving the same headlines). I also suspect that if his tattoo or his connections were of a Ku Klux Klan or BNP orientation (In other words something which we can recognize) then we would also take a different view. Will Sunderland now start seeing a rise in EDL support ? )
I have seen the photo of PDC with his raised arm salute; I have read the arguments for and against his appointment. I really donât see what the problem with his views are if he keeps them to himself. I do find it peculiar that it has taken until now for something to surface, especially when he has had a reasonably successful career in English football as a player and in the lower leagues as a manager and the nature of our press is to find the bad. I can appreciate that a gesture of that nature in front of some the Lazio fans could be explained away as done in the heat of the moment, still these things are done and it has to be considered that in large parts of Europe the overbearing political correctness of this country doesnât exist. To my way of thinking it was a foolish thing to do, but I am me and not PDC. He has his outlook on life, whether it is political or otherwise and I cannot say if he is right or wrong as he could not make the same comment on something I do. What I find objectionable is the press harking back to something that happened a quite a while ago with the sole intention of causing trouble, they have tried it with the new pope and his conduct during the period of military rule in Argentina and they will no doubt try it again with someone else. One final thing does PDCâs salute have any bearing on BBâs dislike of the Tories? I donât think so, as it doesnât on my dislike of the various socialist governments that have pushed this once great nation towards bankruptcy with their total inability to live within any budgetary confines.
Has he actually made racist/fascist statements in recent times? Are the media just bringing up what he did a few years ago because the guy is now a Premier league manager? Ofcourse mud does stick but is there anything to suggest he is going to create harm in his role having such views? Probably time to let the bloke concentrate on being a FOOTBALL MANAGER - as said about there are many people involved in the game who aren't exatly the perfect role model! I am sure Zola will be asked for his views on the matter!
In my view facism needs to be treated with a great deal of caution as it means dictatorship based upon power and power will corrupt (one only has to look at Nick Clegg to see that!). Maybe Di Canio has changed and great if he has - but caution is needed. I have to say I am concerned about the criticism of Milliband - yes he may be off to the states but this doesn't mean he would have automatically resigned his post at Sunderland - after all there are lots of examples of live away board members at plenty of football clubs - ours for example. In my view he has taken an honest decision based upon his own principles - good for him I say. With regard to socialists leading this country into poverty - ask yourself this - who sold off all means of creating state wealth through privatising everything that moves and not even having the sense to sell off to British companies? Thus leaving the last government no option but to borrow to maintain the services the people of this country need. I would suggest the names of Thatcher and Major - along with now Cameron and Clegg.
Borrow to maintain services? - a nice spin on the truth that Blair and Baron Mendelson would be proud of. They borrowed to create 1,000's of worthless jobs in their own heartlands, to pay for Blair's illegal war and to bail out Browns mates in the Scottish banks. Why do the people of this country need a Student Finance England admin centre established in Glasgow? Milliband is just another example of a professional politician that has drained this country dry - along with the likes of Blair, Haig, Brown, the whole Kinock dynasty as well as all the Tory toffs....
Now now boys. Politics on this board are never a good idea . No-one has sent Britain down the drain. What has happened is the natural cycle of economic development. The US has now started on that decline. Japan is well into it. It will happen to China by the end of the century. Countries rise, countries fall but in the fall they create myths about a golden age, hence Mussolini and the desire to recreate the golden age of Rome. Di Canio is/was caught up in this dream. The UK is still one of the most powerful countries on the globe, ask someone from Benin, Nepal, Surinam, Lesotho, Vanuatu etc etc.
Maybe that is why they want to stop the Lords operating in a manner that has served the country very well for hundreds of years.
