PAOLO Di Canio has revealed that Leon Clarke had expressed a desire to leave Swindon Town two days before Tuesday's Carling Cup defeat to Southampton.
The 26-year-old striker only joined the club on August 19 after having his contract with QPR terminated by mutual consent.
He started all of Town's games after his arrival before he was involved in a spat with Di Canio minutes after the final whistle was blown in the 3-1 defeat to the Saints.
Clarke looks certain to have played his last game for the Robins, with interim chairman Jeremy Wray confirming that Clarke is set to leave on loan in the near future.
But Di Canio has today explained he was informed that Clarke wanted to leave the Robins on Sunday.
âI thought during the night whether he did what he did because he wanted to make a big show to leave the club," said the Town boss.
âAfter the game I discovered that two days before he had asked to leave.
âI didnât know this before the game because I will never allow a player to wear a Swindon shirt who asks to leave."
Di Canio admitted that he had seen warning signs regarding Clarke's attitude shortly after signing the striker, but had initially looked beyond it in the hope he could help him improve.
"Since the first day he showed a bad habit and bad behaviour but as a responsible manager I wanted to integrate him because he was the last, important signing for us," he added.
âSo I swallowed my bad taste and I decided okay and that I needed to help him, but in a normal situation I would kick his ass straight away, because a player like him does not deserve to wear the Swindon Town shirt.
âIf the fans knew the way he behaved in the last seven days they would kill me. But I thought he could change.
"I spoke to him twice, face-to-face in the changing room and ask him how he was and he was looking to the ground and sulking, like he did not want to be here."
Eleven days with the club and a player goes on like that. Wtf?
The 26-year-old striker only joined the club on August 19 after having his contract with QPR terminated by mutual consent.
He started all of Town's games after his arrival before he was involved in a spat with Di Canio minutes after the final whistle was blown in the 3-1 defeat to the Saints.
Clarke looks certain to have played his last game for the Robins, with interim chairman Jeremy Wray confirming that Clarke is set to leave on loan in the near future.
But Di Canio has today explained he was informed that Clarke wanted to leave the Robins on Sunday.
âI thought during the night whether he did what he did because he wanted to make a big show to leave the club," said the Town boss.
âAfter the game I discovered that two days before he had asked to leave.
âI didnât know this before the game because I will never allow a player to wear a Swindon shirt who asks to leave."
Di Canio admitted that he had seen warning signs regarding Clarke's attitude shortly after signing the striker, but had initially looked beyond it in the hope he could help him improve.
"Since the first day he showed a bad habit and bad behaviour but as a responsible manager I wanted to integrate him because he was the last, important signing for us," he added.
âSo I swallowed my bad taste and I decided okay and that I needed to help him, but in a normal situation I would kick his ass straight away, because a player like him does not deserve to wear the Swindon Town shirt.
âIf the fans knew the way he behaved in the last seven days they would kill me. But I thought he could change.
"I spoke to him twice, face-to-face in the changing room and ask him how he was and he was looking to the ground and sulking, like he did not want to be here."
Eleven days with the club and a player goes on like that. Wtf?
The twat should have been carded for diving!