It is two hours before Paolo Di Canio was due on stage, but already the parking lot of the Loddon Valley Leisure Center in Reading is in Brarsting Point.
A man in a Ham Ham Training Top slaps his door and heads for the entrance with the air of a guy who knows that he won the last place.
The guy of the Retro Hammers shirt on arrival has no chance and, like the rest of us, takes a look before accepting that he will have to find a side street.
This is the clamor of an evening in which one of the most colorful characters in the Premier League and one of West Ham’s most cherished artists will hold the court.
The Di Canio scene is far more humble now, while more than 400 people are getting into a gym through the corridor of the sweet children’s play area and complain to sit in front of a temporary platform with a cheap black curtain hooked behind.
On the one hand of the room, the temporary bar makes a decent trade while the queue against the hot buffet winds in the back where a wide range of signed framed souvenirs is stacked ready to be whipped.
There is a huge clamor for an evening when one of the most colorful characters in the Premier League and one of West Ham’s most expensive artists will hold the courtyard
Di Canio’s scene is now by far more humble, while more than 400 people are getting into a gym through the corridor of the Douce of Children’s Game Zone
It is £ 150 for the photos of Damon Hill or Sterling Moss, £ 125 for Torvill & Dean and £ 175 for Ed Sheeran, Craig David or the actress who played Ada Shelby in Peaky Blinders
A pile of framed images signed by Paul Gascoigne goes to £ 99 pop, the same for those of Geoff Hurst.
A pile of said from Di Canio will collect you 160 £ each, just like one of the winners of the Europa conference league said that Benrahma or another of the legend of the goalkeepers Phil Parkes.
It is £ 150 for Damon Hill or Sterling Moss, £ 125 for Torvill & Dean and £ 175 for Ed Sheeran, Craig David or the actress who played Ada Shelby Peaky Blinders.
You have the impression that it is more money that the organizers could submit bettor pockets than to make hammers in the evening – or Celtic or Sheffield on Wednesday – the fans will never forget.
Not that the sea of people, a lot in borderets and blue, a lot with the name of Di Canio adorned them – or, as a lady had on the back of his “genius 10”.
Certainly not the smiling boy who has just put his hand on a framed photo signed by Jarrod Bowen thanks to the Bank of Grandad. They are there for the man himself and the memories.
Di Canio is as sweet as never in her navy blue dual breast costume jacket, her shirt and tie with thin gray pants and suede shoes.
For more than an hour before he goes on stage, he stands next to him posing with the endless line of people who had paid a photo (£ 30 for one at night and £ 30 for a frame to put it).
When Di Canio enters the room to take its place in one of the white seats on the stage, the songs of “ irons, irons sounding in the room alongside the interpretations booming of its name
Di Canio became a favorite of Hammers fans during his visit to the club between 1999 and 2003
The fiery Italian had a memorable spell as manager of Sunderland a decade later
“ What legend ” said a guy on Sport MailTable of the table when returning by hand. “An appropriate man, a good guy.
When Di Canio enters the room to take its place in one of the white seats on the stage, the songs of “irons, irons ring in the room alongside interpretations booming with its name. Even the two Wednesday fans present join the latter.
THE leader Takes Di Canio throughout his career with questions about his time in Lazio, Juventus, Napoli, AC Milan and Celtic and the best players he played alongside Ballon d’Or, such as Roberto Baggio, Marco Van Basten and Ruud Gullit.
He of course asked when he pushed referee Paul Alcock on the ground in 1998 by playing for Wednesday.
“I don’t know why I put my hands on her … But I thought at the time, if I had pushed my eight -year -old daughter, she could not have fallen like that!”
“He needs to talk about West Ham,” mumbles a guy on the way back to the toilet. Di Canio finally does, and where to start other than this superb volley against Wimbledon which took place a quarter of a century ago last week?
Di Canio gushes to his feet, now 56 but also animated as ever, and takes place through the scene to recreate the moment in his mind.
He asked, of course, when he pushed referee Paul Alcock on the ground in 1998 while playing for Wednesday
“I don’t know why I put my hands on her … But I thought at the time, if I had pushed my eight -year -old daughter, she could not have fallen like that!”
“ I tried to jump but I could not because it was a bit behind me, but then, in a fraction of a second, I decide: “Now, I will score the best goal of all time!” ”
“Trevor Sinclair … He took the first time!” He laughs. “The second touch was good because he prepared his delivery – then he delivers the incredible ball.
“It was a typical English delivery. In Italy, we play them more bendy, but it was like a razor. In truth, I tried to jump but I couldn’t because it was a bit behind me but then, in a fraction of a second, I decide: “Now, I’m going to score the best goal of all time!” ”
Go roars.
“From my celebration, you can say that it was even a surprise for me!” I don’t like celebrating myself much, ”he adds with a smile” … but it’s so difficult. The best goal.
Always the unpredictable force, Di Canio would go from a prohibited man for 11 games for pushing a referee to win a FIFA Fair Play prize after his sporting spirit in 2000 when he caught the ball instead of scoring a late winner when he saw the Everton goalkeeper, Paul Gerrard.
“My character is a question of loyalty and to respect people, I will never do something from behind to lose your honor,” recalls Di Canio. “This moment was clear, the ball was in front of Gerrard. It was clear that he controlled the ball. I said to stop. For me, the game was arrested at that time.
A victory would have led West Ham over Liverpool in the race for the top six.
“We finished the match and I thought I had done something good and special, and the players of Everton shook hands to say well done. I was the last in the locker room.
He won a FIFA Fair Play prize after his sporting spirit in 2000 when he caught the ball instead of scoring a late winner when he saw Everton goalkeeper Paul Gerrard
A victory would have taken West Ham above Liverpool in the race for the top six
Di Canio is spared questions about his political past. None on the two right rights he granted to Lazio fans in 2005
‘”F *** off, you!” They said. I asked for what I did with it. “We should win the match,” they said, “we need points!”. I was in the shower and I feared that someone attacks me!
Di Canio is spared questions about his political past. None on the two right rights he granted to Lazio fans in 2005, nor his comments later who declared “I am a fascist, not racist”. Nor the tattoo of Dux He has on his arm, a reference to the former Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.
“He had trouble being politically,” said a man on the table with Sport MailLucky parker at the top of Ham West training.
“He made a Nazi salute. He has changed now, however.
“I would have paolo for the Prime Minister all day,” replied his son.
It was an eventful week for Di Canio. He made another of these nights in the Essex the day before and 10 minutes before going on stage here, he receives a text to inform him that he became a grandfather again.
On Tuesday, he visited the West Ham West Ham Green training ground and met manager Graham Potter.
Adjustment, because one of the last questions of the public is to ask Di Canio if he would never like to manage the club he always calls at home.
Ten minutes before going on stage here, he receives a text to inform him that he became a grandfather again
One of the last public questions is to ask Di Canio if he would never like to manage the club he always calls at home
“ I will live all my life until the last second of hope and dream ”, explains Di Canio about the management of his Ham West beloved
“I will live all my life until the last second in hope and dream,” said Di Canio to another roar of the crowd. “But now I don’t want to talk about it because I met Graham Potter and I’m very happy. I chatted with him. I love him. He has a good football brain.
“ I hope that in the next games, we give him a chance to bring all the characteristics of the players we love and, in the transfer window, the good footballer who allows him to deliver the strategy and philosophy and the attack mentality. I think it’s really positive for the future.
Before Di Canio leaves the scene to take a flight in Italy, he shows one last time that he still has him to hold a crowd in the palm of his hand while he led an interpretation of I breathe bubbles forever With his arms crossed in front of his chest.
Everyone decreases the last of their drinks, slides on their coats and talkative as they return to their cars, while a man jumps towards the exit with a smile on his face and a replica of the statue of the World Cup and a teddy bear hidden under his arm.
