Sunderland’s revolting players and Di Canio’s sacking – What’s the real picture?

But most of these Sunderland players are foreign anyway, as only about 6 of the squad of 25 are English. The behaviour of the board is something which must be open to scrutiny. Half of the squad were part of the team dangerously close to relegation last season that it was considered necessary to get rid of Martin O’Neill. Di Canio was selected by the board as the man who could save them, and save them he did. So sure of his ability was the board that they sanctioned the employment of 14 new players for this season. 5 games in the players have complained and the board have caved in. So what message does that send to Di Canio’s successor?

The message is, don’t upset the players as it’ll cost you your job. Don’t push them too hard or tell them they’re not playing well otherwise you’ll be picking up your P45.

But even great managers don’t get on with everybody. Trevor Francis never gave the impression of really liking Brian Clough and Teddy Sheringham certainly didn’t understand him. Not every player Bill Shankly managed thought he was the business and even mild-mannered Bob Paisley was at odds with some players. Listen to David Fairclough, and although he doesn’t mention Paisley by name, he says he felt ‘the club’ never gave him a fair crack. The key is the board backing their man to deliver.

In any other industry in the UK employment law has moved to defend the employee and ensure no one receives the sack when they weren’t expecting it. You should never be surprised you got the push, as you should only receive a sacking on the spot for breach of contract or company rules. A difference of opinion or breakdown in trust or respect is then managed over a period of time and a review is set to look at the situation again giving it time to be corrected. If this was the last straw for Paolo it seems odd that the previous straw came much into the season, which then puts into question why the board would sanction the new arrivals if their manager was under review.

Sunderland players deserve a fair share of the blame

What you would expect to have happened when the players went crying to the Chairman was for them to be told to get back on with their job. Focus should’ve switched to their own performances as to whether they believed they were giving their best for the club. Then the manager should be summoned for a meeting where the Chairman explains what’s just happened and discusses how Di Canio will put things right. He should be left in no uncertain terms that this should not happen again, but under no circumstances should the players ever believe they can switch things around just cos they fancy it.

Unless the management structure is maintained and intact then the club will find it very difficult to come down on the players at a later date. If the next manager comes in and the players don’t like him then unless the board backs the players, they are likely to find they’re unable to motivate them either. Whoever the new man is he will have to manage a squad of players he didn’t choose and have no money and no transfer window to be able to change anything.

Now you could argue Blackburn should’ve done something about Steve Kean long before he walked but they waited till the club was relegated and even then it was he who jumped ship. Sunderland’s Chairman talked of a need to ‘act fast otherwise they could be cast adrift at the bottom of the table’. What, after 5 matches?