Cats fight back at Paolo

Posted Tuesday, May 21, 2013 by thesun.co.uk

Cats fight back at Paolo PAOLO DI CANIO faces a war with his own dressing room after players he fined protested to the PFA.

The Sunderland boss last week docked the wages of seven members of his squad for a series of misdemeanours.

And Di Canio launched a sensational rant at their lack of discipline following Sunday’s defeat at Tottenham.

Defender Phil Bardsley came under particular attack having been pictured lying on a casino floor covered in £50 notes.

The former Manchester United full-back, as well as Matthew Kilgallon, were left out of the final-day game at Spurs.

Di Canio went on to criticise the way the PFA ‘excused’ stars who misbehaved.

But PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor last night hit back and confirmed that some Black Cats players had come to the players' union for guidance.

He said: “We are aware of the situation and of Paolo Di Canio’s comments.

“It is something we had to deal with at Swindon as well.

“One hopes he will be respectful of the position, and our rules of discipline which are agreed with the Premier League and Football Association.

“We expect him to abide by these.

“He cannot be a law unto himself. We are aware of player unrest at some comments made publicly, and other situations.

“No club is a law unto itself. The rules are agreed. Paolo benefited from the same rules when he was a player and a member of the PFA.

“A number of players are involved. I don’t want to be confrontational but we expect him, and Sunderland as members of the Premier League, to abide by the rules agreed along with the PFA, and FA.”

Bardsley is one of the players who is thought to have complained to the PFA.

He does not believe he broke club rules on his night out at the casino, as Sunderland players went out to celebrate Premier League survival following Wigan’s defeat at Arsenal.

Bardsley’s model girlfriend Tanya Robinson branded Di Canio a “psycho drama queen” in a tweet she later deleted.