Paolo Di Canio yesterday vowed not to turn his back on Sheffield Wednesday after finally ending months of personal heartache with Celtic which led to his recent dramatic walk-out. Wednesday's new club record £4.5 million signing was fined £25,000 by Celtic after deciding not to return to the Glasgow giants following a pre-season tour of Ireland.
But after putting pen to paper on a four-year contract with Sheffield Wednesday, Di Canio is determined to repay the faith shown in him by Wednesday boss David Pleat.
The 29-year-old Italian shied away from his specific problems surrounding a traumatic summer with Celtic, which initially started with the sacking of the man who signed him from AC Milan for £1 million a year ago, Tommy Burns.
However he said: "I loved Celtic and I loved their fans, but sometimes a love affair has to end. I wanted to stay, but I had to think about my future.
"I am happy that all of my problems with Celtic are now behind me and I can look forward to a good season with Sheffield Wednesday. They have made a big investment in me and for this I can promise 100 per cent in return."
Wednesday have often been accused of lacking ambition in the past, but Di Canio believes that with his arrival the club have finally broken that mould.
He added: "I think we can have a big season. This is a great chance for us to win something and hopefully qualify for Europe.
"But this is the move I wanted. There is a big difference between the Premiership and the top division in Scotland."
Di Canio admits he is only 60 to 70 per cent fit and is unlikely to start at Newcastle in the Premiership opener on Saturday.
However, Pleat knows he has brought a player of quality to the club which could make all the difference between Wednesday winning any silverware and another season of near misses.
Pleat said of the Scottish Players' Player of the Year: "Whether Paolo, at the beginning of the summer was badly advised or correctly advised in staying away from Celtic is something that never really concerned us, except to say he had some private and personal disagreements regarding his contractual situation there.
"But I am sure he will get a warm welcome in Yorkshire and capture the fans' imagination and add that little bit of flair and personality that every team needs."
Wednesday were at pains to point out that Di Canio's transfer was a completely separate deal to the one conducted between Celtic and Dutch international winger Regi Blinker.
The 28-year-old took the opposite route to Di Canio and signed for the Parkhead club this morning for £1.5 million, linking up with head coach Wim Jansen, his former boss at Feyenoord.
Blinker said: "I am looking forward to working with Wim Jansen again. He is a man who played a big part in my career when he brought me to Feyenoord many years ago."
The move will also see Blinker linking up again with Swedish striker Henrik Larsson - another of Jansen's recent foreign imports - following their days together at Feyenoord.
Meanwhile, Celtic bade farewell to Di Canio with a bitter parting shot over the player's antics.
Club owner Fergus McCann said: "Paolo Di Canio has really let himself down and he has treated the club, its supporters and his colleagues with contempt.
"At the end of the day, we don't want a player who we can't control or who will be a problem for the coach in the dressing room."
Meanwhile, speculation mounted yesterday that Packie Bonner may be about to end his 20-year association with the club. Bonner has apparently turned down an offer to become a part-time coach at Parkhead.
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