Fabien Bathez had a great season in 2000-2001, helping United to our third successive title and leading people to believe we had the replacement for Peter Schmeichel.
The only negative of the season was his costly mistake against West Ham in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup. He believed Paolo Di Canio was offside as he broke in to United’s box, lifting his arm in the air to gain the attention of the linesman. The linesman’s flag stayed down, but Bathez kept his arm in the air, hoping psyche out the West Ham forward. Di Canio carried on towards the goal and flicked the ball past our keeper, knocking United out of the FA Cup.
“He tried to stop me,” said Di Canio afterwards. “He tried to make my brain a little bit confused. But I have played 15 years at the top level and have a little bit of experience in these sitautions.”
Di Canio enjoyed a footballing career than lasted longer than two decades, playing for Lazio, Juventus, AC Milan, Celtic, Sheffield Wednesday, Charlton Athletic, as well as his longest stint with a club at West Ham.
There are several sides to Di Canio, ranging from the incredibly impressive to the disappointing and embarrassing. In 2000, as the Everton goal lay stranded out of his goal, injured after running out to the ball, West Ham saw the opportunity to score. As the ball was crossed to Di Canio, he caught it, stopping play and shunning the chance to put the ball in the open net, allowing the keeper to receive treatment. Admirable.
Then there was the shove on the referee after he got sent off for Wednesday, yet even more alarmingly, his fascist salutes after scoring once he’d returned to Italy. After facing criticism, he responded by saying he would “always salute as I did yesterday because it gives me a sense of belonging to my people.” Hmm.
Regardless, as a footballer, there was a touch of quality about him, and Sir Alex Ferguson has today claimed that had we been successful in signing him, he could have become great.
After selling Andy Cole and Teddy Sheringham, Fergie wanted to sign Di Canio to partner Ruud van Nistelrooy. However, not prepared to pay West Ham’s asking price as well as being unable to find a buyer for Dwight Yorke, the deal fell through.
“Di Canio would have been capable of becoming a truly great player at Manchester United,” Ferguson said. “I mean, he was a great player. But when you have a player like Di Canio, who expresses himself as an individual, like Best and Cantona did, and Giggs, Rooney, Ronaldo and Berbatov do… we make heroes quickly here. Di Canio could have been in that category.”
Do you wish we’d signed Di Canio?
Man Utd News 24/7
He did score the best ever Premiership goal.
He was great you don’t have to play for the Mancs to be great. He was a great player geddit!!!
i wouldnt say i wish we signed him but he would have fitted right in and was an enigma ala eric the king
At the time hwas 34/35? Woulda got 2 seasons outta him, but that could have been something special.
Instead of him, we got Forlan.
I think its safe to say who United fans woulda preferred, although we wouldnt have ever had a Uruguayan who made the Scousers cry!
Typical Manc and Ferguson arrogance, we would have made him great, as if to be great means you have to play for MU!! He was and remains great and a West ham legend, so get over it Ferguson, he didn’t want to come to you lot anyways. COYI
I think he could have provided a few incredible memories. He never really played with our caliber of players. However, I suspect Gary Neville would have a few things to say about his politics.
hey bruce thomas rooney against newcastle is the best goal ever
never mind what sky 1 says
He’s a great player and has the character that us United fans love to have at Old Trafford, shame we never signed him really i think he would of been worth the money
anybody that went to Roma(scum) away will remember us singing “paulo di canio” to the roma fans to wind them up. Classic!
i remember it as being the first transfer rumour i heard as a football fan. di canio/forlan to united . no doubt who i was rooting for . it just had to be di canio . the guy was pure class . a genius in his own right….and…um…he didnt need us to make him great . he was great already!
bruce thomas I believe the last one on the video is what you wer reffering to yes?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY6Gdx_EZVc
Hey this is funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfrn0_ij71s&feature=related
As a West Ham fan im pleased to hear United fans saying he was a great despite not playing for your club as he was superb for us and was utterly magical when in the mood. He gave us some great memories and we dont get many!
i see nicolas cage haha…i remember the United cover that never was, di canio holding red flares with both hand
“I mean, he was a great player. But when you have a player like Di Canio, who expresses himself as an individual, like Best and Cantona did, and Giggs, Rooney, Ronaldo and Berbatov”
Rooney, Ronaldo and (Tevez? no.) Berbatov.
More subtle signs that Berbatov has essentially replaced Tevez.