2013/14 EPL season preview: Sunderland

Di Canio as I suspected was a spectacular failure,although I don't agree with sacking a manager this early in the season, his antics have quickened the process, karma for his disrespectful comments on Martin O'Neill.

Hello OM, I only visit RTG occasionally, it's hard enough keeping up with all the other sites I read regularly, but I do find it good to read a very Sunderland-centric site every now and then. I have seen some of my posts on the Guardian's site get quoted there, which was also good to see. I see that the Guardian's sports writers also have us as finishing 16th, even though the full preview (written by the very pro-Mackem Louise Taylor) suggests better. It can be found here if you're interested: http://goo.gl/leBHJr

You on readytogo.net HCP? Thought we looked good in Hong Kong as well. I think we'll go OK. Surprised to see Collymore put us at 16. Dwight Yorke has us mid-table.

Tricky times for us Sunderland supporters: there was a lot of disappointment in PDC's appointment, most notably in light of his pro-fascist comments, but winning 3-0 at St James' gives him a lot of lee-way with the fans. I saw some good stuff from the lads in Hong Kong, and it's apparent that the team's fitness has improved massively. They clearly were not playing at their full ability towards the end of MON's reign, something I put down to the Brian Clough effect - remember the stories of Forest players' lack of fitness following Clough's last year there? Roy Keane and Nigel Clough being unable to train properly at (respectively) Man Utd and Liverpool once they'd left the City Ground? And where did MON spend most of his career? I also don't think PDC was being disrespectful to MON when he stated how unfit the players were, he'd clearly come in to save the club from the drop and was shocked to see players that struggled to last 90 minutes. He was just saying it like it was. To be honest, I'm not sure what this season will bring. PDC didn't have enough time, nor the luxury of safety, at the end of last season to show what his team will play like. We could be competing for Europe, or facing relegation, but either way, it's sure to be entertaining.

He's entitled to give an honest assessment if he wants but it's bad form kicking a manager on his way out. Di Canio, like most managers will be in the same position some day himself so I hope his replacement his more gracious.

He was also involved in a punch up with his couch (Giovanni Trapattoni when he was at Juventus). He left Milan on bad terms after ill discipline with Fabio Capello. Di Canio mostly squandered his talent because of his attitude and problems with discipline and coaching. I don't know too much about the EPL, but giving a spray to the previous coach is bad form.

PDC was being honest. Shock, horror. The players were unfit and ill disciplined. Period. He was stating the facts. You make comment about his own discipline such as pushing a referee. Why not mention his fair play? Remember he caught a ball rather than score a goal because the goalie was lying on the ground. Your bias is transparent.

Yes but that incident does give an insight in to his character and not being able to control his temper. Fair enough, he has had some success at Swindon albeit at a much lower level. This doesn't always translate to the premiership. I'm basing my opinion on all his talk of lack of discipline and fitness, there was no need it for it, he should just keep his head down and get stuck in. Instead he showed no respect for Martin O'Neill, a man that had won 2 league cups with Leicester and got Celtic to a UEFA cup final.If Di Canio matches those feats he'll do well.

Fine. Lets stick to facts. Fact. He led Swindon to promotion in his first season at the club. Fact. He took them to the Football League Trophy final in the same season. His period at Swindon was a complete success. He left them in a very competitive position in league 1. There's no doubt that part of his success as a manager is down to the passion and discipline that he puts into the team. That's the same passion that lead to him offering up his own money to keep loan players at Swindon when they were in financial difficulty. Sure this style might not work at every club. But you've completely written him off before the season has even started without even mentioning his past success. What else can you possibly base your opinion on if not past experience? I also see you've contradicted yourself below suggesting that he lacks discipline because of an incident as a player over a decade ago. I thought his record as a player had nothing to do with his managerial ability?

I'm not sure Di Canio should be held up as some champion of discipline. This is the guy who pushed a referee to the ground as a player.

The fact he was a good player has no relevance to his ability as a manager.His passion or over emotion will betray him, the players will tire of his over the top reaction to incidents and realise he's mostly hot air without substance.

I bet Di Canio's sacked by Rd 10 . I've got the Black Cats immediately in a relegation dogfight and it will go for 7 months,its a tough sport.

The talk on our forums was of a season long loan. Not too worried about him being a difficult player as Big Sam seems very adept at pulling players heads in. A lot of those attributes would make him a fantastic acquisition, but ultimately he'd most likely be playing second fiddle to Andy Carroll. Still, would love to see him join us.

I'm a fan of his. He has the ability to score some amazing goals, although frustratingly, can miss some sitters. He is more of a second striker or tetra-quarista, good at holding up the play to bring another attacker in, he will also track back and defend (which hasn't always been a feature of Italian, or Juventus strikers). Apparently he is not keen on leaving the club, or playing in the EPL, but we have West Ham, Norwish & Sunderland as suiters. He had an angry exchange with assistant coach Angelo Alessi in the middle of last season, when he was dragged during a game, and has been on the outs since then. It looked like it wasn't too much of big deal, it was an odd decision to sub him off, as he hadn't been playing poorly and i gather he just expressed his frustration at ithe substitution, and did so with subtlety, he covered his mouth when he made the comments, but Alessi responded angrily and he's scarcely played since. If you do end up getting him, it's like he's known to be a difficult to manage player. It will be your gain and our loss.

An egotistical drama queen he may be, but he's also incredibly loyal and was a cracking player. I'd much rather have a passionate PDC at the helm of my club rather than a dreary O'Neill who was steering Sunderland toward relegation without a fight. Having said that, and despite his success at Swindon, I don't think he's quite ready for the PL. Would love to be proved wrong though.

It may just be gossip among fellow West Ham fans, but there's plenty of talk that we're in for Quagliarella. What's your take on him?

Johnny, MON had Sunderland playing with no passion and not finishing off games and no discipline. Think PDC was being kind -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.

As a Juve fan, I'll miss the "little goblin" Giaccherini, but in truth he was a peripheral figure in his 2 seasons with us. From reading this article it sounds as if he will be crucial for Sunderland, which seems odd. I'm hopeful Quagliarella will remain with Juve, but it seesm the club are determined to let him go after he apparently fell out with management. If he goes to Sunderland he would have to be more influential to them than Giaccherini.

Di Canio is an egotistical drama queen. Imagine coming out and disrespecting your predecessor by telling the media that Sunderland are lacking fitness, he really showed his lack of class in that situation kicking O'Neill when he's down.