Di Canio was at West Ham from 1999 until 2003

Paolo di Canio has been named as the new manager of Swindon Town.

The controversial former West Ham striker has agreed terms and is expected to arrive at the County Ground on Monday.Di Canio, 42, was one of eight candidates interviewed for the position by Swindon chairman Jeremy Wray who is expected to make a statement on Friday.It would be the Italian’s first coaching job in England since he retired from playing in 2008.He succeeds Paul Hart as the club’s permanent manager, after the former Nottingham Forest and Portsmouth boss left last month following Swindon’s relegation from League One.Former player Paul Bodin was in charge for Swindon’s final two games of the season.Other contenders for the Swindon role were former Germany and Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann, ex-Scotland boss George Burley and former Bristol Rovers boss Paul Trollope, among others.Di Canio scored 48 goals in 118 appearances for West Ham after joining the London club for £1.7m from Sheffield Wednesday in 1999. He began his career at Lazio, and also played for Juventus, Napoli, AC Milan, Celtic and Charlton.As a player he regularly attracted headlines. Playing for Sheffield Wednesday in 1998, he pushed referee Paul Alcock to the ground after being sent off and was banned for 11 matches.His volleyed goal against Wimbledon for West Ham in March 2000 was named BBC Goal of the Season, and in 2001 he won the Fifa Fair Play Award for catching the ball to ensure the injured Everton goalkeeper Paul Gerrard could receive prompt treatment.After returning to Lazio, he was pictured making a raised-arm fascist salute to a group of the club’s supporters, and claimed to be “a fascist, not a racist”.Di Canio was linked with the vacant manager’s role at West Ham following Avram Grant’s dismissal after the club’s relegation to the Championship but co-owner David Sullivan ruled out an approach because of the Italian’s lack of managerial experience.”The problem with Paolo is, although the fans would love it, I am being realistic and he has no experience whatsoever being a manager,” said Sullivan.”If you look at first-season managers the failure rate is enormous.”

(BBC Football )

Angry NI fans shun Republic match

NORTHERN Ireland football fans are set to boycott two international fixtures in Dublin next week in unprecedented numbers – in a row over player eligibility.

The Irish Football Association confirmed yesterday that only 210 away supporters will be in the Aviva Stadium to cheer on Nigel Worthington’s side against the Republic on Tuesday night – the first meeting between the two sides since 1999.Three days later, a pitiful 48 fans will be in the stands for the Carling Nations Cup fixture against Wales.The low turnout is all the more stark given that up to 6,000 members of the Green and White Army travelled south for their team’s opening fixture against Scotland in the inaugural home nations tournament in February.The Irish FA has aired its disappointment with the uptake of tickets, however, a supporters’ spokesman hailed the boycott as a “huge rejection” by the regular fanbase.The fixtures have been marred by a row between the association and fans after the IFA implemented a strict ticketing policy. The action was taken due to a small minority of supporters engaging in sectarian chanting at the Scotland match.Tickets were only made available for the double-header to a section of supporters and those attending are required to use designated transport, costing £22 per head.The Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters’ Clubs (AONISC) criticised the move and said it would not be offering its services for the matches.However, last night fans’ spokesman Gary McAllister said as well as fury over the travel arrangements, many supporters were taking a stand over the ongoing player eligibility dispute.This week it was announced Belfast-born youngster Daniel Devine has opted to turn his back on his country of birth and instead represent the Republic.The teenager is the latest in a long line of Northern Ireland players to switch allegiance.Last year the IFA failed to overturn a ruling that a Northern Ireland-born player holding an Irish passport is eligible to represent the Republic.Commenting on the boycott, Mr McAllister said: “We are pleased that the vast majority of block-bookers have stood together. Given that there are around 11,000 block-bookers this is a huge rejection of these games by the regular Northern Ireland fanbase and I think it is very significant.”“We highlighted the issue over the travel arrangements, with which we were unhappy, but there is a significant number of Northern Ireland fans who have taken a personal decision not to attend because of the player eligibility issue.”He added: “Given that it would appear there will be further defections by players who have been capped at underage level by Northern Ireland, what we now need to do is focus on the matter as it is the biggest issue facing Northern Ireland football today.”IFA spokesman Geoff Wilson said the football authority was “disappointed” with the small number of travelling fans.“We thought we would have had several thousand going to the game and obviously that has not materialised,” he said.Asked if the ticketing policy had a detrimental effect on numbers, Mr Wilson said: “The ticketing policy had an effect but I do think the main reason why people are boycotting [the game] is over the player eligibility issue.“People understand the reason why we implemented the strict ticketing policy was because of the interests and security of our fans. However, the fans that are speaking to us and writing on the forums are stating the player eligibility issue (as their main reason for not attending).”The supporters’ boycott will further call into the question the future viability of the Celtic Nations Cup with numerous empty seats expected to figure in the stands at all of next week’s remaining fixtures.Meanwhile, supporters are being urged to support a charity dinner next weekend to mark the 25th anniversary since Northern Ireland played at the 1986 World Cup.Proceeds from the event at Belfast’s Ramada Hotel on 28 May will aid the Molly and Mia Foundation, which helps those affected by premature and still births.

(Belfast Newsletter )