West Ham in the Sunday Papers

The People in an 'exclusive' (exclusive in the sense that all the other papers covered this story last month) report that Paolo Di Canio wants to manage West Ham. Paolo says he will quit playing at the end of this season and then get his coaching badge.

"I will take up managing next year. I hope to have the same success as a coach that a did as a player," the West Ham legend said.

"My dream would be to manage in the Premiership because English football is the best in the world. My dream in particular would be to manage at West Ham, that would be perfect.

I spent four seasons there and I would love to go back and win something with them. The fans are fantastic there and the atmosphere at Upton Park was always special.

I haven't been back for a few years but I hope to go and watch a match in the Bobby Moore Stand before the end of the season.

It would be incredible to go there as a manager. Every weekend I watch all the English games on the TV but I have a special place for them in my heart for West Ham.

I watched the game against Liverpool the other week with four friends, all Italian West Ham fans, and we celebrated when Mark Noble scored the penalty in the 94th minute.

When I watch the Premiership I am always proud to see players that were young boys when I was at West Ham, like Joe Cole, Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand.

i saw them grow up into men. The standard in the Premiership was always good but these old West Ham players, Jermaine Defoe as well, stand out for me as the best English players."


The People also claim that West Ham not only want Chelsea's Sidwell but are after Wayne Bridge as well. They claim that Bridge, like Sidwell, is tired of being a perpetual substitute. West Ham are ready to make a £10 million bid for the two players.