Former Celtic and Aston Villa manager calls it “brilliant” The former hero of Sheffield Wednesday ‘couldn’t manage a fish dinner,’

As he rekindled an old rivalry, Martin O’Neill criticized the coaching skills of a former Sheffield Wednesday player.

Pablo Di Canio “couldn’t manage a fish supper,” according to former Sunderland, Aston Villa, and Celtic manager Martin O’Neill, who incited an 11-year-old fight with the former Sheffield Wednesday star.

After his playing career, Di Canio moved into management. He succeeded O’Neill at Sunderland in March 2013 and kept the Black Cats in the Premier League, but he was fired in September 2013 following a dismal start to the following season. Di Canio spent eighteen months at Hillsborough between 1997 and 1999.

After arriving at the Stadium of Light, the Italian retaliated against O’Neill, saying the team was not prepared enough under O’Neill. As he stated on talkSPORT, via the Sunderland Echo, the Northern Irishman has now offered a new perspective on Di Canio’s remarks: “I was the manager of Sunderland and left Sunderland and Paolo Di Canio came in who made references to fitness.” He played there for around 16 weeks total, including the preseason, until losing his job due to the team’s lack of fitness.

Thus, it came back to haunt him. Though, at the end of the day, he was a fish dinner player, not a very good one. Yes, it comes back to haunt you. You cannot discuss the fitness of the prior regime. Even if you are correct, you shouldn’t start [the job] by making a public statement about it as it could come back to haunt you.

“After a few weeks, Paolo basically ran out of reasons to stay in that position. I smiled to me wryly. It’s similar to a 27-year-old manager taking over and criticizing the team’s fitness right away. If you’ve ever watched Aston Villa play, you know that being a fit team is something I take great pride in.

“And then, when they lost to Southampton in the season opener due to a late goal, he was questioned about his fitness regimen and said that they would be the league’s fittest squad. All of a sudden, the fitness was for Christmas, when the winter months arrived, rather than for that game. I admit that I grinned sardonically at that one.”

After spending about £4 million to move to South Yorkshire from Celtic in August 1997, Di Canio led Wednesday in scoring during his first campaign. But after being sent off against Arsenal in September 1998, he shoved referee Paul Alcock to the ground, receiving an 11-game ban before joining West Ham in January 1999.