Trap: Di Canio can make it at Mackems

Giovanni Trapattoni never had much time for Paolo Di Canio as a player but this week in New York he expressed his optimism that the Sunderland manager would be a success in the Premier League.

During the time Trapattoni had Di Canio as a player at Juventus in 1992-93, the pair had a major falling out that led to the firebrand forward’s loan move to Napoli.

Although Di Canio depicts the incident in his autobiography as an intense and ultimately physical confrontation, the Ireland boss made clear this week he harbours no ill-will towards his controversial compatriot.