West Ham United striker Paolo Di Canio has attacked the British press after his latest run-in with tabloid journalists.
He described British newspapers as "rubbish" in Italian sports newspaper
Contro Campo
. "They're trying to ruin me, but they won't succeed," he said.
His comments were provoked by a full-page article in the Sun accusing the Italian striker of unleashing a foul-mouthed volley of abuse at West Ham coach Glen Roeder during a match against Tottenham Hotspur on September 15th.
"In England they massacre you with a headline, then apologise in small type," Di Canio said.
The player's contract at West Ham runs out at the end of this season, but despite his fractious relationship with the press, the 34-year-old player did not appear in a hurry to leave the country.
Asked whether he would return to Italy, he replied: "I don't believe so . . . everybody knows I'd love to move closer to Terni where my parents live, but they also know that I could stay at West Ham. Here the fans love and respect me".
Di Canio chose to make his comments in the first issue of Contro Campo, a new Italian football paper that models itself on British tabloids.