Well sort of in this piece in the Guardian: Paolo Di Canio's revolution: coffee, coke and mobiles out at Sunderland ⢠Manager says changes will ensure team's safety this season ⢠'We will have six or seven points for discipline alone' Follow Louise Taylor by emailBETA Share 29 inShare 0 Email Louise Taylor The Guardian, Friday 16 August 2013 22.00 BST Paolo Di Canio, Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio, the Sunderland manager, has instilled a code of strict discipline and stellar fitness. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images Paolo Di Canio believes he has inspired a "complete revolution" at Sunderland where strict discipline and stellar fitness are intended to serve as springboards to an attractive new brand of football. Coffee intake is rationed and ketchup, mayonnaise and iced Coca-Cola all feature on a lengthy banned list, while any mobile phone smuggled into the training ground is liable to end up in the sea. "If someone comes inside with a mobile phone, even in the bag, I will take it and throw it away in the North Sea," said Di Canio. "It's a complete revolution. Even coffee before a game or training can be a problem. You can have coffee but three or four hours before. Coffee can reflect into your mood, your perception of the training. Have coffee when you get up, at breakfast, not before going out." Iced coke is worse. "I know many players who had ice with coke the night before games," said Sunderland's manager before Saturday's visit of Fulham. "It causes congestion and they can't play properly." In between signing 10 senior players this summer and implementing the tactical plan required to reveal a fan-pleasing "new identity", Di Canio â whose squad diet sheets strongly discourage visits to what he terms "American fast food chains" â has reconfigured key relationships. "The way the medical staff link with players," he said. "Before, when players said: 'I've been out and drunk seven beers,' the masseurs participated. They wouldn't say: 'it's not good, it's wrong'. We had a meeting with the medical staff. There was friction because you touch an environment. When I talked for a bit it was: 'OK, revolution, fantastic'. Before, players and physios formed too many close relationships. The physio would say: 'I'll tell the manager you need a rest'. Now I say to the physio: 'tell me exactly why he needs a rest, because I have knowledge'. If he can't give me a specific reason it's because he wants to remain close with the player. That's a big problem." Meanwhile staff must not joke or gossip with first-teamers within three hours of kick-off. Singing is similarly taboo. "It's important players and people around them have concentration and purpose. Before they would sing or talk in a general way but they have to perform and be focused. "This is a new way to think, to be professional. It's difficult. It's a big revolution. It's in the head. You have to change opinions. But we had to change. John O'Shea [Sunderland's captain] says this is normal at Manchester United. This year many of the players are approaching things in a much more mature way. Many have surprised me." Most now turn up early for training and perform preparatory exercises. "Last season they arrived 10 minutes before but now some are arriving one hour earlier," said Di Canio. "They feel the benefit. Stéphane Sessègnon was always the first to leave, five minutes after training. Now he leaves late. People can change." Di Canio harbours similar disdain for the army of critics who predict struggle and strife. "We live in a generation of weak people who don't speak to each other in the eyes," said the former Swindon manager. "Last season they didn't think we'd stay up because I had no experience. Then we stayed up and they said it was only a short period. Then, when we finish top 10 it'll be: 'oh he's spending money, we'll have to wait until next year'. Then it'll be: 'oh, he's won the league'." If that was a joke, he is deadly serious about Sunderland's potential. "I'm sure we're not going to struggle," he said. "For many reasons. The quality, the tactical strategy, the identity, the environment, the discipline. We will have six or seven points for the discipline and work ethic alone." Reports that his squad did nothing but run all summer are erroneous. Fitness work designed to, among other things, enhance off-the-ball movement and turning at pace has been combined with numerous tactical and technical sessions. "We have strategy, methodology. I'm not staying here until 8pm at night listening to music," he said, irked. "There's a philosophy. "We'll do better this year, for sure. I can't say top eight or top six but we're going to play better. Everyone will be happy. You're going to see us play football."
The man can do no wrong at the mo. he speaks with passion, instills confidence into all and has certainly given me belief that this time it is not a false dawn. Still not sure if his temperament will hold if things don't go as planned. I would like to think that he has an enormous loyalty to ES who has given him a massive chance to establish himself as an EPL manager very early on in his career. Lets hope he does a Fergie and is here for 20 odd years cos that would hopefully mean we are successful.
Mayo is just spunk disguised as food anyway. I might struggle with the coffee bit like? �� As each day passes I find myself more and more believing in this mans philosophy and doctrine. Sure he is madder than a hatter but there is method in this Romans madness. He speaks like a winner and acts like a winner and its not all bluster and tough rhetoric? He means what he says and lives by his own words too. The most exciting part is that every player has bought into it and for those leaving or told to leave, I bet they regret it. We now have a manager and back room staff that think like a top club and prepare like a top club. The winning the title was obviously a joke but its message isn't. PDC isn't here yo make up numbers. He is here to change us as a club and by god he is doing that alright. I'm fully on the Paolo revolution these days and the more you hear him speak the more excited I have become. Forza Paolo. Roman conqueror. ��
I think he's totally out of order, how can the players have a full english before a match without tommy sauce? they'll turn against him for sure If nothing else, this season is going to be eventful and if he keeps us lot happy as he plans to, then we'll have a bloody good team.
As each day passes I find myself more and more believing in this mans philosophy and doctrine. Sure he is madder than a hatter but there is method in this Romans madness. He speaks like a winner and acts like a winner and its not all bluster and tough rhetoric? He means what he says and lives by his own words too. The most exciting part is that every player has bought into it and for those leaving or told to leave, I bet they regret it. We now have a manager and back room staff that think like a top club and prepare like a top club. The winning the title was obviously a joke but its message isn't. PDC isn't here yo make up numbers. He is here to change us as a club and by god he is doing that alright. I'm fully on the Paolo revolution these days and the more you hear him speak the more excited I have become. Forza Paolo. Roman conqueror. �� That bit better be a joke cos if he doesnt deliver in 2 years and not 3 f*ck him.
now now Albert no spies in our camp, Paolo will ave you lot home and away this season i'm sure of it.
Has Paolo been on the funny ***s !, I will have 3 cans of special brew tonight then I may believe him!. Win the f a cup maybe then a champions league place and I will be happy with that.
