Di Canio wants Swindon Town - AC Milan link

Swindon Town manager Paolo di Canio has said he is hoping to bring in players from Italian giants AC Milan.

The 42-year-old former West Ham striker was unveiled as the new permanent boss at the County Ground on Monday.

"I spoke with Adriano Galliani, the chairman of AC Milan, I asked him jokingly to give me some players," he told BBC Wiltshire.

"He said 'seriously come to meet me for young talented players', so hopefully we can start a collaboration with him."

Di Canio also revealed that Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp would "help" the Robins with signings.

It is the Italian's first managerial role, having spent time working as a television pundit in his home country since hanging up his boots in 2008.

Di Canio has recruited former Inter Milan youth team coach Fabrizio Piccareta as his assistant and Claudio Donatelli as his fitness coach.

"I'm not nervous, I'm happy. I have to thank Swindon Town because they are giving me a first chance.

"For me, I'm starting a new career. I'm a manager, not a footballer anymore. I'm sure about my knowledge, I'm sure about my understanding of football but of course you start thinking about how you're going to start, because you have to start well.

"It's important to choose the right place. I want to have success, I want to win and this is the best place."

Swindon finished bottom of League One this season, and had three different managers throughout the campaign.

Paul Hart was drafted in to replace Danny Wilson in March, but after leading the side to only one win in 11 games, Hart was axed and replaced by reserve and youth team coach Paul Bodin for the final two games of the season.

Di Canio says promotion is his key objective for next term: "Unfortunately the club was relegated, but I think around this club the people want revenge, they want to come back into League One.

"It's not important that we are in League Two because as soon as we can we want to come back.

"When I got to the stadium, I thought one day maybe we would celebrate with the people inside. It would be fantastic.

"I feel excited because I like the responsibility. I like to compete and I like to have a chance because when I used to play I used to like to help the players achieve their limits and their ambition.

"If we win, we win together. For the club, for me, for the players and especially for the fans. I don't want to forget that the fans are the most important part of any club in the world.

"They're the heart, we have to work together for all the people that love Swindon. We have to organise everything now for wins in the future."
Taken from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13504650.stm

So what does everyone think of the possibility of this happening? Obviously he has the connections which could help to make this work, but I don't see how a move to Swindon would appeal to AC Milan's players, they do have the advantage that the Italians don't have a reserve league but I would have though even these players would be too good for AC Milan.

Danny McGrain of Celtic was a coach when Di Canio was here and it's been reported that McGrain has told Paolo if he needs players he will give him any youth player at Celtic Paolo wants.

Not sure their will be many you would want after Cuthbert and Ferry mind you. Nice gesture though.

It seems he had got a lot of good connections which will be good because I don't know how much money he'll be getting.

He has connections at Lazio, AC Milan, Celtic and West Ham these could be crucial for him. I don't think he will have much money to spend.

I'm unsure how useful the links to Italy will be as I'm pretty sure players under the age of 18 aren't allowed to leave the country to play elsewhere, and as they don't have a reserve league most of the players who won't make it end up being co-owned by teams in Serie B or lower, but he will still probably be able to get a few players out of those two teams. I think West Ham and Celtic, will be the connection's he uses more regularly, as they have the obvious advantage of being within the UK, when it may be harder to attract a player to move to Swindon from Rome or Milan.

If I lived in Rome or Milan I wouldn't be looking to move to Swindon to be fair. His connections with the youth coaches at Celtic are pretty strong they are the same guys that were their when he was at the club.

Sounds like is pitch at the interview to me

it made laugh the other day when swindon played and the fireworks went off afterwards, during the interview