Glenn Roeder says he does not know why everyone made such a big
deal about Paolo Di Canio wearing an American flag on Sunday.
"I didn't realise that he was wearing anything other than the captain's arm band," says Glenn.
"I suppose I was so focused, and concentrating on what going on on the pitch, I didn't have time to notice what they had on their arms.
"There was nothing to talk about - it's like all that fuss that was made when Beckham got a Mohican, and they are asking Sven-Goran Eriksson and Alex Ferguson 'have you spoken to him about his hair cut?'
"The two managers concerned weren't interested - they are only bothered about how he plays.
"If he chooses to wear a handkerchief round his arm that is not a problem to me; all I want is for him to do is play well."
Paolo expressed his concern about the public behaviour of a quartet of Chelsea players who were fined by their club for their antics a day after the disaster in America.
The players included former midfielder Frank Lampard, of course, and Glenn says:
"It wouldn't be right for me to comment about the bad publicity that Frank and others got at Chelsea.
"That is nothing to do with me; Chelsea have stamped on it, and it would be badly wrong of me to pass comment on other clubs' players."
Glenn, despite losing Frank somewhat reluctantly in the summer, has every reason to be pleased with the canny business he did in using Frank's fee to bring in not only his replacement Don Hutchison, but Tomas Repka as well.
But he is reluctant to make a direct comparison between Don and Frank.
"I wouldn't be going down the road of saying that Don would be a better foil to Michael than Frank - who in his own right is an excellent player.
"The fact we got £11m for him shows how highly rated he is in English football.
"I don't like comparing players anyway; what is similar is that they score goals from midfield.
"Don has proved already that he is certainly capable of getting 10 goals from midfield.
"When I was looking for a partner for Michael after Frank left, I always thought they could be a very good partnership, and that is why I was so patient."
Even after just four games together, Glenn feels the central midfield pairing has proved useful, and he adds:
"Don was the player that stood out and it took weeks and weeks to get him.
"Both he and Michael have good engines, they are both 6'2", and if they carry on in that manner I will be very pleased."
"I didn't realise that he was wearing anything other than the captain's arm band," says Glenn.
"I suppose I was so focused, and concentrating on what going on on the pitch, I didn't have time to notice what they had on their arms.
"There was nothing to talk about - it's like all that fuss that was made when Beckham got a Mohican, and they are asking Sven-Goran Eriksson and Alex Ferguson 'have you spoken to him about his hair cut?'
"The two managers concerned weren't interested - they are only bothered about how he plays.
"If he chooses to wear a handkerchief round his arm that is not a problem to me; all I want is for him to do is play well."
Paolo expressed his concern about the public behaviour of a quartet of Chelsea players who were fined by their club for their antics a day after the disaster in America.
The players included former midfielder Frank Lampard, of course, and Glenn says:
"It wouldn't be right for me to comment about the bad publicity that Frank and others got at Chelsea.
"That is nothing to do with me; Chelsea have stamped on it, and it would be badly wrong of me to pass comment on other clubs' players."
Glenn, despite losing Frank somewhat reluctantly in the summer, has every reason to be pleased with the canny business he did in using Frank's fee to bring in not only his replacement Don Hutchison, but Tomas Repka as well.
But he is reluctant to make a direct comparison between Don and Frank.
"I wouldn't be going down the road of saying that Don would be a better foil to Michael than Frank - who in his own right is an excellent player.
"The fact we got £11m for him shows how highly rated he is in English football.
"I don't like comparing players anyway; what is similar is that they score goals from midfield.
"Don has proved already that he is certainly capable of getting 10 goals from midfield.
"When I was looking for a partner for Michael after Frank left, I always thought they could be a very good partnership, and that is why I was so patient."
Even after just four games together, Glenn feels the central midfield pairing has proved useful, and he adds:
"Don was the player that stood out and it took weeks and weeks to get him.
"Both he and Michael have good engines, they are both 6'2", and if they carry on in that manner I will be very pleased."