Controversial Italian Paolo Di Canio has landed his second club manager's job with English Premier League side Sunderland.
Paolo Di Canio: 'Fascist not racist' —
Controversial Italian Paolo Di Canio has landed his second club manager's job with English Premier League side Sunderland.
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Di Canio caused controversy as a player after this "Roman salute" to his club Lazio's fans after a derby match against Roma in January 2005. He was later banned one match and fined for a similar gesture during a game against Livorno.
Paolo Di Canio: 'Fascist not racist' —
Di Canio caused controversy as a player after this "Roman salute" to his club Lazio's fans after a derby match against Roma in January 2005. He was later banned one match and fined for a similar gesture during a game against Livorno.
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Di Canio was a member of Lazio's notorious "Irriducibili" right-wing fan group before he became a successful player. This season the Italian club has been charged four times for racially offensive behavior by its supporters.
Paolo Di Canio: 'Fascist not racist' —
Di Canio was a member of Lazio's notorious "Irriducibili" right-wing fan group before he became a successful player. This season the Italian club has been charged four times for racially offensive behavior by its supporters.
ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images
His first English club was Sheffield Wednesday, where he received an 11-match ban after pushing referee Paul Alcock to the ground when he was sent off during a Premiership match against Arsenal on September 26, 1998.
Paolo Di Canio: 'Fascist not racist' —
His first English club was Sheffield Wednesday, where he received an 11-match ban after pushing referee Paul Alcock to the ground when he was sent off during a Premiership match against Arsenal on September 26, 1998.
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Although Di Canio has admitted to holding fascist beliefs and being "fascinated" by Italy's former dictator Benito Mussolini, he has always denied that he is a racist. Here he is pictured with former Sheffield Wednesday teammate Manuel Agogg in August 1997.
Paolo Di Canio: 'Fascist not racist' —
Although Di Canio has admitted to holding fascist beliefs and being "fascinated" by Italy's former dictator Benito Mussolini, he has always denied that he is a racist. Here he is pictured with former Sheffield Wednesday teammate Manuel Agogg in August 1997.
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He never represented his country at senior level, but Di Canio played for top Serie A sides Juventus and AC Milan beore moving to Britain.
Paolo Di Canio: 'Fascist not racist' —
He never represented his country at senior level, but Di Canio played for top Serie A sides Juventus and AC Milan beore moving to Britain.
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He was a cult hero at West Ham, where his spectacular goals and outrageous skills earned him the adulation of the fans.
Paolo Di Canio: 'Fascist not racist' —
He was a cult hero at West Ham, where his spectacular goals and outrageous skills earned him the adulation of the fans.
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His arrival at Swindon in 2011 marked the departure of one of the club's sponsors in protest at his past statements about fascism, but Di Canio led the team out of England's bottom division as champions in his first season as manager. However, he dropped captain Paul Caddis (pictured) before the 2012-13 campaign started, and quit in February due to Swindon's financial problems -- and then had to break into his office to retrieve personal items after the locks were changed.
Paolo Di Canio: 'Fascist not racist' —
His arrival at Swindon in 2011 marked the departure of one of the club's sponsors in protest at his past statements about fascism, but Di Canio led the team out of England's bottom division as champions in his first season as manager. However, he dropped captain Paul Caddis (pictured) before the 2012-13 campaign started, and quit in February due to Swindon's financial problems -- and then had to break into his office to retrieve personal items after the locks were changed.
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Di Canio was appointed by Sunderland a day after the club's collaboration with the Nelson Mandela foundation was officially launched at the home match against Manchester United. Vice-chairman David Miliband promptly quit, with the former MP -- who was a key figure in the club's involvement with the "Invest in Africa" initiative -- citing Di Canio's past statements about his political beliefs.
Paolo Di Canio: 'Fascist not racist' —
Di Canio was appointed by Sunderland a day after the club's collaboration with the Nelson Mandela foundation was officially launched at the home match against Manchester United. Vice-chairman David Miliband promptly quit, with the former MP -- who was a key figure in the club's involvement with the "Invest in Africa" initiative -- citing Di Canio's past statements about his political beliefs.
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