Paolo predicts improvement

Paolo Di Canio believes it will not be long before West Ham United begin to rise up the Barclays Premier League table.

In an exclusive interview with WHUTV to be aired next week, the Italian said he had been surprised by the club's results so far this season, but insists fellow countryman Gianfranco Zola and his players will put things right sooner rather than later.

Di Canio, who spoke while visiting friends in London this week, is sure Zola will be celebrating more victories in the near future after the spirited fightback against Arsenal.

"It is strange because they have good quality. They have quality players: Robert Green; Mark Noble; Scott Parker; Carlton Cole up front. You have international players, this can't be the position for West Ham," he said.

"There were many changes in the past, a few players that came in like Luis Jimenez and Alessandro Diamanti and it is not easy to connect all together.

"Every year you change lots of things. Sometimes the job can go well quickly and sometimes you need time to get all together. But I am sure there is quality in the technical staff and the players that then they can go out of this situation.

"They are so many talented players in this squad, I am sure once they win one game, they are going to feel much better. All the players like Behrami who have been injured will play good football like last year and they will get out of this situation quickly."

One player Di Canio, now 41, has affection for is another unpredictable Italian forward in Diamanti.

Like David Di Michele last season, the 26-year-old has drawn instant comparisons to Di Canio, but the man himself said Diamanti deserves to be considered on his own merits.

"Someone tried to say Di Michele last year was similar to me. Every player who comes to West Ham is similar to Di Canio!

"In English football you have to give a lot more than in Italian football because in Italy there are more and more moments where you can pick up the ball and calm down the situation but in England you can't. As soon as he's learnt that, he can give his best.

"Some people say that Diamanti is a mixture of Di Canio and Zola. I don't think so, he is probably better than us! He is a completely different player. He is a player that can give some quality. He has good dribbling, a good shot and a good free-kick and he can help the supporters to have a better day as he is a player that can give quality.

"He is not similar to me and he is not similar to Zola. With his qualities - goals and assists - he can help the team get out of the difficult situation."