Fascist managing Sunderland

[julesd68]

I've got progressively less interested in football over the years, but have noted the managerial rise of Paolo di Canio and saw that he has just been appointed manager of Sunderland.

In his own words in 2005 - "I am a fascist, not a racist."

Still, if anyone isn't sure about the links between Italian fascism and racism, they could start here -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Fascism_and_racism

As a result of this appointment, David Miliband has resigned as vice-chairman and non-executive director of Sunderland.

So, the FA is giving racism the boot? I don't think so.

[Macca]

Interesting link Jules but I would imagine that modern day Fascists would want to play down the link with Mussolini and his rhetoric. It did not end well for Italy or he after all. Technically you can be a Fascist and not be racist, the two things do not go hand in hand as a necessity

To address a wider point there is no question in my mind that some Italian football fans get away routinely with activities that would get an English club banned from Europe, or even all English clubs, as has happened in the past.

[RichB]

SMB :lol:

[julesd68]

Mussolini still has plenty of admirers in Italy Martin! And yes, I am sure it would be convenient to play down links to those days.

I really don't know how you can seperate fascism from racism. What was it that the Zenit St Petersburg fanclub said about why it never has any black players - "We don't have a problem with black players - no black players, no problem!". Nick Griffin wouldn't be racist either. Same with the Italian facists I would reckon - I'm sure they don't have a problem with foreigners as long as they move outside Italy. That's what ultranationalism is all about.

The rise of DiCanio is what you might call underhand racism. If there are any monkey chants abroad the FA will go into bat immediately of course because its easy. Any racism issues where there are more vested interests involved, well that's a different matter.

[Macca]

Well I was talking technically I suppose - fascism literally is sticking together - a bundle of sticks cannot be broken, a single stick can. That is the fundamental meaning. Why someone's ethnic origin got dragged into it is a different matter. He may be a racist, I don't know. I agree about the FA. They won't do anything until pushed hard. It is their nature and tradition.

[julesd68]

Priceless -

< Don't see the problem. We could do with a decent right winger. >

There are plenty of people questioning the appointment, and then you have the dregs ...

< All I'm arsed about is the good of the club. >
< He had black players at Swindon and seemed to have no problem playing them >
< I feel we now have a chance of staying up and that's all I'm bothered about, he's not Hitler. Fascism is just Italian for Tory anyway. >
< IRA sympathisers or fascist couldnt give a fuck as long as they do the job they are paid for >

[Macca]

< IRA sympathisers or fascist couldnt give a fuck as long as they do the job they are paid for >

That is a classic. That's the British way, for good or worse. God bless us. :lol:

[sq225917]

Why worry about a fascist running Sunderland, we have a bunch of utter cnuts running the country.

[Audioman]

Di Canio A Facist? Probably just a big Italian dick! Miliband just making a typical left wing political gesture? Just a failed politician that is about to fuck off to America ! Nuff said.

Was Martin O'Neil unfairly dismissed for loosing to Man U? Yes - did the Sunderland board seriously expect even a point. They thoroughly deserve to go down.

[synsei]

We will probably see Di Canio get a knighthood before too long, after all he is ideal Tory material.

[julesd68]

According to former Swindon chairman Jeremy Wray -

"I knew him for two years but we never spoke about politics.
It is not relevant to keeping Sunderland in the Premier League."

That's alright then. :doh:

[Audioman]

According to former Swindon chairman Jeremy Wray -

"I knew him for two years but we never spoke about politics.
It is not relevant to keeping Sunderland in the Premier League."

That's alright then. :doh:

Yep I agree. I was unaware about Di Canio's politics until Miliband made this 'political gesture'. Frankly most fans find him a 'bit of a character' and he did a good job with Swindon. Just don't think it a wise move to change managers with 7 games to go. History suggests it will end in tears especially as Villa and QPR are playing much better football.

[Macca]

Piece in the Telegraph today about di Canio:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1506262/Im-a-fascist-not-a-racist-says-Paolo-di-Canio.html

[Audioman]

Piece in the Telegraph today about di Canio:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1506262/Im-a-fascist-not-a-racist-says-Paolo-di-Canio.html

Yes 8 years ago? Any incidents since? Anyway Italy has always been a law onto itself as far as politics is concerned. Unlike the Nazis the Italian Facists are almost regarded as comedy figures along with Silvio Berlusconi. As long as Di Canio behaves himself over here I don't see a problem. Should we ban a manager for supporting the BNP also? People should be hired for their ability to do the job as long as their other views do not come into play.

[Slawts]

As a Sunderland supporter from the heady days of Alan Brown and onwards, I've seen many managers some who were the new messiah and some who were just mental.

I was very sad to see Martin O'Neill go. He was our great hope and managed to have the support of just about everybody. A feat I haven't seen since Bob Stokoe. However watching a listless 1-1 draw v a ten man Norwich showed that Martin O'Neill for whatever reason had lost control. I don't know why he didn't succeed and like most Sunderland fans am deeply deeply disappointed to see him go but I think go he had to and Ellis Short called it right.

Di Canio is definitely the wild card even madder than mad Roy but a brave choice.

Since he's been appointed you have had the loathesome David Milliband making political capital out of it (he was leaving before the Di Canio announcement) and suddenly we have the first ever fascist football manager.

There's clearly a lot of needle between Lazio and Roma fans and taunts will go back and forth. Like all taunts they go over the top you should go to some football games to experience it (cf. Spurs v Arsenal, Sunderland v Newcastle).

Di Canio may have a big gob but I doubt he is a fascist in the true ideological sense of the word. Then again I don't know but am happy to give him the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.

That Telegraph article was 2005. There were no incidents to my knowledge at Swindon and there have been a lot of Swindon supporters saying that they'd have him back if they could.

Welcome Paulo I hope you keep us up.

Cheers,
Steve

[julesd68]

As long as Di Canio behaves himself over here I don't see a problem. Should we ban a manager for supporting the BNP also? People should be hired for their ability to do the job as long as their other views do not come into play.

You can't be serious. This neatly sums up what's rotten in football. Doesn't matter who someone is or what they've done, as long as they're bringing in the results or the money, that's the most important thing. Look at Abramovich with Chelsea. Absolutely, he's behaved impeccably over here. In Russia, well that's another story of course ...

It's not about banning anyone - the football clubs in question should have the integrity not to appoint anyone with extreme political views in the first place! What kind of a country do you want to live in?

Can you imagine a British player being appointed manager of a British club, who as a player, made a fascist salute on the pitch? Of course it would never happen. But because this guy's an Italian, well it's not really our problem ...

I notice Di Canio was very quick to say that he doesn't want to talk about politics and was coming out with the usual bollox today about how many black friends he has etc. Big Ron Atkinson was very friendly with a lot of black players and was one of the first to recognise their enormous talent and potential, but that didn't stop him calling Marcel Desailly a "lazy nigger". Nice.

And how many thousands of lives were lost in Italy in World War II defeating fascism - does that count for nothing?

[wee tam]

don't you just love this ,
rangers/celtic
arsanell/chealsea
man u / man city
etc etc
cross a city for a gameof football and suddenly its politics
ffs its only a beautifull game .relax and enjoy ,
i don't give a monkies what he believes in , so long ashe gets the useless gits to play football ,politics in football ? probably the finest example is rangers /celtic , but hey who gives one , itsall press , pure n simple imho

[StanleyB]

You can't be serious. This neatly sums up what's rotten in football. Doesn't matter who someone is or what they've done, as long as they're bringing in the results or the money, that's the most important thing. Look at Abramovich with Chelsea.
Was it WWII when the Germasn and British troops had a game of football in between trying to kill each other?

[chelsea]

WW1

[Audioman]

As a Sunderland supporter from the heady days of Alan Brown and onwards, I've seen many managers some who were the new messiah and some who were just mental.

I was very sad to see Martin O'Neill go. He was our great hope and managed to have the support of just about everybody. A feat I haven't seen since Bob Stokoe. However watching a listless 1-1 draw v a ten man Norwich showed that Martin O'Neill for whatever reason had lost control. I don't know why he didn't succeed and like most Sunderland fans am deeply deeply disappointed to see him go but I think go he had to and Ellis Short called it right.

Di Canio is definitely the wild card even madder than mad Roy but a brave choice.

Since he's been appointed you have had the loathesome David Milliband making political capital out of it (he was leaving before the Di Canio announcement) and suddenly we have the first ever fascist football manager.

There's clearly a lot of needle between Lazio and Roma fans and taunts will go back and forth. Like all taunts they go over the top you should go to some football games to experience it (cf. Spurs v Arsenal, Sunderland v Newcastle).

Di Canio may have a big gob but I doubt he is a fascist in the true ideological sense of the word. Then again I don't know but am happy to give him the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.

That Telegraph article was 2005. There were no incidents to my knowledge at Swindon and there have been a lot of Swindon supporters saying that they'd have him back if they could.

Welcome Paulo I hope you keep us up.

Cheers,
Steve

Totally agree with most of this but not good timing in sacking O'Neil who surely would have done enough to keep them up. Miliband has stirred all this up out of nothing as he was leaving the country anyway. Good riddance and perhaps he could take that asshole of a brother with him and all the other socialists who call fascist at the slightest opportunity.

[Macca]

. Good riddance and perhaps he could take that asshole of a brother with him and all the other socialists who call fascist at the slightest opportunity.

Always ironic considering that Fascism, along with Nazism, is actually a socialist ideology...