'I'd love to fight him' - Ex-Sunderland player's extraordinary admission about Paolo Di Canio and Kevin Ball
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Phil Bardsley has admitted that he would “love to fight” former boss Paolo Di Canio and has revealed talks with Misfits boxing.
The ex-Sunderland man also revealed that Kevin Ball helped keep him at the club until the arrival of Gus Poyet after a major falling out with Di Canio back when the club was scrapping for survival in the Premier League.
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Hide AdBardsley, a former Scottish international, came up through the ranks at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson before moving to Sunderland on a permanent deal during the 2007-08 season for an initial fee of £850,000.
The Salford-born right-back stayed at the Stadium of Light for seven campaigns before moving to Stoke City and then to Burnley. The full-back became a free agent following the Clarets’ relegation to the Championship at the end of the 2021-22 campaign. The full-back then enjoyed a short stint at Stockport County before retiring last year.
Bardsley’s time at Sunderland overlapped with the arrival of fiery Italian manager Di Canio, who was appointed at the Stadium of Light in 2013. The former Celtic man guided the Black Cats to a memorable 3-0 win at Newcastle United and also helped keep the club in the Premier League.
However, Bardsley was frozen out under Di Canio after an incident at a casino where he was pictured lying on the floor surrounded by £50 notes towards the back end of the season, a situation that infuriated Di Canio, who tried to freeze Bardsley out of the club.
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Hide AdThe former Manchester United man also caught the attention of national newspapers when video footage emerged of Bardsley and Wayne Rooney engaging in a boxing fight following a night out. The England legend was knocked down to the floor by Bardsley in 2015, prompting headlines around the world.
Asked if he would consider boxing on a Misfits celebrity boxing show, Bardsley said: “I had a few calls a few months back. Benty (Darren Bent) rang me in (Andy) Goldstein on the drive, and they put it on me. I actually had a few calls that week about doing the misfits.
“I'd never say no to it. I think it'd be good because it'd give you a reason to train. I don't need a reason, but obviously something to get really fit for instead of just ticking over in the morning.”
When asked who he would like to fight, Bardsley responded: “I don’t know.” When former Sunderland boss Di Canio was suggested, Bardsley then added: “I'd love to fight him. I hate that fella.”
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Hide AdOn why he had fallen out with Di Canio, Bardsley said: “To be fair, I was in the right, but I was in the wrong. Does that make sense? We had a bit of a night out. I think Arsenal playing Wigan. It's always a night out. Alcohol is involved.
“Arsenal played Wigan. If Arsenal won, Wigan went down. We stay up. We all go to the pub, watch the game. Obviously, we have a good night, as you do. Then I ended up a bit worse for wear in a casino. With lobsters around me. £50 notes. I've won a few quid. Like an idiot. One of the most embarrassing things in my life. Hands down.
“The day after, we went into training. Obviously, we're all smelling of probably booze and excited because we've stayed up. It's huge for the club. Huge for the staff. Obviously, you know how important it is financially for people to keep the jobs. Redundancies and stuff like that. We had a good night. We knew how important it was for everyone around the club. The picture got posted around. He got wind of the picture. He dragged me and Matt Kilgallon to the side and just told us we were with the fitness coach.
“That was it, really. Didn't really have much contact after that. I was banished from the training ground. I had to train on my own at certain hours. It was difficult because I had so many friends at the club. Obviously, I was there seven years. People obviously meant a lot to me. I meant a lot to them. I did a lot for them off the pitch. For them not to be able to see me every day was difficult.
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Hide Ad“It was just a really tough time in my career and a really tough time probably for them to see me the way I was. The thing that probably kept me there was I was with Kevin Ball, who was absolutely brilliant. He was the under-21 manager. Obviously, we managed to stay up that season. We had a strong finish to the season under Di Canio.
“Then they had a bit of a tricky start. I played with 21s with Kevin Ball, and I broke my foot. Obviously, I was under contract, so I had to stay at the club anyway for the rehab. Even though he was desperate to get me out. I got fined a couple of weeks' wages for the misdemeanour of the previous season.
“Then, while I was doing the rehab for my broken foot, they didn't get the results that were required to obviously keep me in a job, and he got sacked. The wonderful Mr. Gus Poyet came in and saved my life. I love Gus!”
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