Where's Paolo?

11th July 2001

Paolo Di Canio missed the start of pre-season training todayâ€¦but don't read anything sinister into that, says Glenn Roeder.

The rumour-mongers were at it again when the Italian star failed to show at Chadwell Heath this morning and even the other players asked about his whereabouts during one of two team meetings the new manager called with his first team squad.

But despite recent speculation linking Di Canio with Manchester United, Roeder says: 'I've nothing to hide - I knew, when I spoke to Paolo more than two weeks ago, that he'd have to miss the first few days of pre-season.

'He has a prior appointment with his consultant who operated on his sinuses in May. That's scheduled for this Friday - and I hope Paolo isn't superstitious about it being the 13th! - so, provided he gets the all-clear, as expected, he will fly in from Rome on Friday evening and train with us on Saturday,'

As Roeder pointed out, it wasn't just Di Canio who was absent today. International defenders Hayden Foxe (Australia) and Rigobert Song (Cameroon) have also been given extended leave after being involved with their national squads in recent weeks.