To quote Eric Morecambe, 'I think he was doing all the right things .......... but in the wrong way.' However, despite the problems with the manager, I really do believe the players should now shut up, keep out of the papers and play football. It appears Di Canio went too far with the players who rebelled and didn't want to play for him. As a result we all suffered and those of us who travelled to West Brom were **** on, you could see the players were ignoring the instructions of the manager for a reason. We can only hope that Poyet has the passion and dedication of PDC, without his OTT intensity, but none of the lethargy and indecision of MON. Incredibly I'm already starting to think about the Hull match more than the derby!
I'm actually hoping Poyet is a mixture of the best bits of Di Canio and MoN! Di Canio's drive and passion and striving for fitness and MoN's football brain and man management skills (when he was at Celtic and Villa).
I know he is not flavour of the month on this forum, But I play golf with a guy over here who is a friend of JoS.. He told me last night, the EVERY player in the squad had massive issues with the way PDC went about his business. All the players simply didn't want to come in and work for this guy such was his attitude and actions. Now I know this is second hand and I am hearing this from a friend of O'Shea, but it does make you think. By the way, this guy is a middle aged respected Financial director of a company, not prone to sensational statements. But PDC has gone now..lets look forward with Gus, I like the guy and think he will do well,
I said after the match that he apprears to be the good bits of Di Canio without the negative spin. He said the win at the weekend was about the players and the fans - not about him - The players deserve the credit - whereas Di Canio would've made it about him by coming on the pitch at the end to the song . So far so good - not getting too attached or carried away - one swallow does not a summer make - but he appears to have his head screwed on the right way.
Me, I was happy to carry on with PDC and his efforts to change the culture at our club. We are sick of suffering it for years, PDC only had it for months. Did PDC go over the top with the discipline? Certainly sounds like it, but if there was no problem in the first place, he wouldn't have needed to would he? We were actually a better team under PDC and we were let down by individual players who should have known better. Lets ignore the rumours of player discontent under Poyet at Brighton though. Poyet was called a liar in the press by his previous employers. If that had been me I would have sued. Poyet is now our manager so he now gets my full support. If he can get them playing without PDC's media brusqueness, all is good. But I will always have this niggling doubt that we have missed a trick with PDC. I think he could have turned this club right round. And made us more professional in attitude. What was needed was someone above PDC to rein him in now and then.
