Fletch on Di Canio

"The players lost their self-belief. If somebody tells you every day you’re not good enough, you're going to lose confidence"

Steven Fletcher has revealed that former boss Paolo Di Canio convinced the Sunderland players they were rubbish.

But Fletcher claims new manager Gus Poyet is repairing the squad’s self-belief following Di Canio's sacking last month, and can rescue the bottom-of-the-table club from relegation.

Ahead of Sunday’s north-east derby against Newcastle, the Black Cats' £12million striker said: “The players lost their self-belief under Paolo.

“When somebody is telling you every day that you’re not good enough, then you are going to lose confidence. The new manager is building the players’ *confidence back up, slowly but surely. The boys know the performances need to improve, but I think most of it is about confidence.

“We never complained about working hard, the only complaints the lads ever had was the very tense *atmosphere.

“It wasn’t a nice place to come in the mornings. If you’re not enjoying your work, then you’re never going to produce 100 per cent.

“It always felt like it could go off, even over the smallest thing. Any manager would be annoyed after a bad result, but the way Paolo kicks off in comparison to any normal person is a bit different.

“If you compare what we’ve had in the past six months to what we’ve got now with the new manager – it’s like night and day.

“The way Gus is around the place is really good and I like the way he wants to play *football. As a striker, I don’t want the ball lumped up to me – I like the ball to my feet.

“Gus has changed the fining system, so the players now fine each other and decide what we pay.

“It’s easier to list what we weren’t getting fined for under Paolo, so it has improved the spirit among us.”
Fletcher, who scored 11 goals before suffering an ankle injury last season, clashed with Di Canio’s staff and believes there is a better mix to Poyet’s backroom team.

“I had a run-in with the fitness coach, although it wasn’t as bad as some people thought,” said Fletcher.

“We had a one-on-one and I was doing a bit of balance work, and I was talking at the same time. He wanted me to concentrate on what I was doing, more than talk to the other lads in the gym. He obviously didn’t think I can talk and balance at the same time.

“The new manager has brought in two English guys, little Charlie Oatway and the goalkeeping coach. It’s a good mixture.

“Charlie is already very lively and has been *brilliant around the place.”

Di Canio guided *Sunderland to a victory over Newcastle in his second game in charge, just as Poyet is hoping to do, but Fletcher dismissed the high point of the Italian’s short reign.

Fletcher said: “It probably looked like Paolo had an immediate impact with the win against Newcastle last season, but you see that in football all the time.

“You could have brought anybody in and things would have changed in the short-term. Now Sunderland need stability and the new manager can give us that. If we can get some confidence and stability, then we’ll move forwards and climb the table.

“I joined Sunderland to challenge for bigger things than I’ve challenged for in the past. It’s not worked out that way yet, but I’ve still got two years on my contract and, hopefully, I can correct that.”

 

Sad but true.

x

 

"“The way Gus is around the place is really good and I like the way he wants to play *football. As a striker, I don’t want the ball lumped up to me – I like the ball to my feet."

PDC had stopped the hoof ball.
So who was it decided to restart it today?
You know when we were lumping it up field and the Skunks were straight back on the attack.

"“It wasn’t a nice place to come in the mornings. If you’re not enjoying your work, then you’re never going to produce 100 per cent.."

I hated my job got paid a pittance compared to you, yet I always gave 100%.


"“I had a run-in with the fitness coach, although it wasn’t as bad as some people thought,” said Fletcher.

“We had a one-on-one and I was doing a bit of balance work, and I was talking at the same time. He wanted me to concentrate on what I was doing, more than talk to the other lads in the gym. He obviously didn’t think I can talk and balance at the same time."

So it wasn't PDC as was reported, it was a fitness coach who wanted you to concentrate and be professional.


"“Gus has changed the fining system, so the players now fine each other and decide what we pay."

We are all so pleased for you as it seems everything is back to normal and the players are back in charge.




Seriously all the players need to shut the **** up and do their talking on the pitch!

 

Mate, you obviously have had the luck never to have worked at a company with a **** work atmosphere. If there is a bad atmosphere at work, you will never get 100% out of the workforce. And thats a fact.

If this was O'Shea or Gardner coming out with more comments, then fair enough; i agree he should shut up now. But if Fletcher is saying it (a player who always gives his all; and has rarely put a foot wrong even under MON), and its his first comments on the issue then why cant he reply to a Journo's question?

Why are people still defending PDC so much ? cos of his results against the skunks last season? there is more evidience to PDC being a **** manager than a good one, and yet people still take up his defence. I dont understand it.


Fitness coach would have been implementing PDCs rules.

 

This -

 

I'm talking about me personally if you don't give 100% because you don't like your boss fair enough.
I have worked loads of places where I have hated the bosses, not once could one of those bosses turn around and say I hadn't given 100%..

But that's just me I have pride in my work.
And if someone is paying me to do something I do it.
I was being treated like ****e at the Public Works ( Sunderland council workforce.)
At the worst of this time I did the round walls and huge cornices in the Railway Museum.
Some of my best work ever.
Done with pride, for my own satisfaction.

The players (whoever they are.) sound like a bunch of whining pussies.
And need to stop.

 

Ha way Mackem crack a couple of beers and enjoy the night!!

 

Haven't stopped drinking since the clock struck 12 mate.