Celtic legend Martin O’Neill blasts former Hoops hero’s dugout career saying ‘he couldn’t manage a fish supper’

PAOLO DI CANIO graced some massive clubs as a player.
Even before he set foot on these shores the eccentric Italian had stints at Lazio, Juventus, AC Milan and Napoli.
He went on to serve Celtic, West Ham and Sheffield Wednesday - becoming a cult hero at all three clubs.
But don't get Hoops hero Martin O'Neill started on the Italian's abilities as a manager.
That's what Sam Matterface did on TalkSPORT earlier, as the Northern Irishman gave a withering response to the abilities of the man who followed him in the door at Sunderland.
Di Canio arrived in Sunderland in 2013 after O'Neill's departure, suggesting on more than one occasion at the Northern Irishman could have for them fitter.
He said: "This team, at this level in the Premier League, watching them play, can be mentally and physically fitter.
"We had some tests for players who have played at the top level for seven or eight years, and we found one player with a real difficulty and that is not acceptable at this level – that is my opinion."
And - eleven years later - it still appears to be eating away at the man who took Celtic to the UEFA Cup final in Seville and to three SPL titles just after the turn of the millennium.
He told TalkSPORT: "I left Sunderland and in came a fantastic Italian manager, Di Canio, who made references to fitness.
"He lasted about 15 weeks and I include the preseason in that.
"He was a fantastic, fantastic player but he couldn't manage a fish supper."
O'Neill, meanwhile, has warned Celtic of the importance of keeping eleven men on the park in this weekend’s Old Firm clash.
There has been just ONE red card in the last thirteen meetings of the clubs - Leon Balogun in the last fixture at Celtic Park in December.
And O’Neill - Celtic manager for 27 Old Firm meetings - says keeping a cool head amid the Ibrox maelstrom will be key on Sunday.
He told talksport: “You had to emphasise the message about keeping your head, and I was obviously so good at it that we had umpteen players sent off in the games when I was there!
“I was totally aware but they just didn’t listen!
“Chris Sutton got sent off, Alan Thompson got sent off - though sometimes in my paranoia I felt the referee was looking for an excuse to send them off.
“But that WAS paranoia.
“It can still happen - players can get sent off, and discipline became so important because you’ve a better chance of winning the game with eleven against ten rather than ten against eleven.
“Sunday’s really big, obviously. There’s one point separating them at the moment and Rangers have a game in hand.
“It’s a pivotal game.
“Philippe Clement has done very well, there’s no question about that.
“Celtic have been dominated for years and years and Rangers needed to change.
“And I also think, more generally, for Celtic to stay strong, they need a strong Rangers side beside them and vice versa.
“The two sides need to be very strong, as was the case in my time as manager of Celtic - when Rangers were very strong.
“So it’s no bad thing from the viewpoint of the game in general in Scotland.
“From Celtic’s point of view, Rangers have been breathing down their necks all season, they’ve stayed with it when you thought they might have dropped off.
“So the two games against one another, because there are so few games left, become massive.”
O’Neill gave an insight into the build-up as the game approaches.
He admitted: “It’s all you think about.
“Let’s say you’ve played the previous Saturday and the game’s the following Sunday. From the Saturday evening on, for eight days, it’s all you think about.
“As a manager, you try and have just normal training in the course of the week but the players realise how big the game is, and it becomes big because the newspapers have six or seven pages devoted to Celtic and Rangers every single day.
“It’s there, right in your face the whole time.
“Then in the build-up you have to do countless interviews.
“The game itself almost becomes a relief to get on the pitch.
“When you win you enjoy it. I didn’t manage against Walter Smith but I became a friend of Walter’s some years later and he described it brilliantly.
“He said at the end of these games he felt relief more than anything else. The build-up had taken its toll on you and it does do that.
“Where it’s been slightly diminished - and it’s a brilliant fixture, one of the greatest in the world, no question about it - is that fans haven’t been being allowed in.
“They’re going to change that for next season, which is good.
“Because going to Ibrox is intimidating enough, but you feel some solace and take some comfort when you look over and see 7000 of your own fans behind the goal. You feel ‘we’re not alone here today’.”
And quizzed for a prediction, he replied: “If you’re asking me who I want to win, don’t even ask. “As for who'll win the title, I’ll stick with us.”
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