Web Item - PDC

Di Canio wants to be Hammers boss
By Russell Barder

Paolo Di Canio has contacted West Ham about succeeding Alan Curbishley as
the club's manager, according to his agent. The 40-year-old Italian is a
fans' favourite at Upton Park after spending four years as a player at the
club. A shortlist of 30 candidates has been drawn up for the job and Di
Canio's agent Phil Spencer said his client would "love to be considered".
"We have made moves to talk to West Ham and advised them that he wants to be
considered," he told BBC Sport. "He wouldn't be putting himself up for the
job if he didn't think he was capable of doing it. "He just wants the
opportunity to sit in front of the decision makers at West Ham to tell them
what he would do and how he would take them forward. "Unfortunately he can't
do that unless they invite him to do so."
Di Canio has been installed as one of the leading contenders to replace
Curbishley, who stepped down after claiming that the club completed
transfers without consulting him first. Croatia manager Slaven Bilic is the
bookmakers' favourite for the job but refused to comment ahead of his
country's World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan. "The players asked about
it - they read it on the internet or the papers or whatever," said Bilic.
"But we are playing Kazakhstan on Saturday and are just concentrating on
that game."
Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp, who had been linked with a return to West
Ham, has ruled himself out of the running as has England Under-21 manager
and ex-Hammer Stuart Pearce. Di Canio was a popular player during his time
in east London after signing from Sheffield Wednesday in 1999 and made 118
appearances for the club. "He's had lots of support from fans that would
like to see him, I think he is the fans favourite for the job," added
Spencer. "But that doesn't always mean anything so we're hopeful that we
will get the opportunity to at least speak to West Ham."
West Ham's vice chairman Asgeir Fridgeirsson told BBC Sport that they hope
to narrow the shortlist down to in the region of five to seven names as
early as next week, but Spencer said he was unsure whether or not Di Canio
was on it. "We haven't heard from the club yet, so we don't know whether
Paolo is on that shortlist," said Spencer. "I don't know what West Ham are
thinking and I don't know what manager they are going to bring in. "It seems
the ones they initially wanted have ruled themselves out of the job. "You
don't always get what you want, but the situation is they have to do the
right thing for West Ham and Paolo loves West Ham, he's doing his coaching
badges and he's very serious about managing."