Paolo Di Canio was the most professional man at West Ham. He didn’t drink, he ate properly, and every Sunday he brought in his own personal trainer from Milan for two hours of stretching and warming down.

Which is why he spent his mornings complaining to the manager about everyone else 🤣

Harry Redknapp tells Jeff Stelling that Di Canio would come to him before training, appalled, to report what his teammates had been up to the night before. Twelve pints and four kebabs, among other things Redknapp says he can’t repeat on camera. We’re supposed to be professional, boss. You have to speak with him.

Then the other side of him: catching the ball at Everton instead of scoring, Stuart Pearce first through the dressing room door wanting to rip his head off, and Di Canio out on the pitch taking a standing ovation from the Everton supporters while his manager did a live interview saying how proud he was.

That’s one story from an hour of them on this episode of The Jeff Stelling Show.

Also in this episode:

The story Redknapp says he’s never really told - Tottenham second in the league, a call from Daniel Levy on the way to Old Trafford, and then the owner Joe Lewis ringing the team hotel to tell him what he thought of Robbie Keane. If he plays tomorrow, I won’t even watch the game on television. Redknapp played him anyway.

Ron Greenwood travelling to an FA Youth Cup semi-final on the youth team coach rather than with the first team, and the West Ham academy that produced six England internationals - all sold after Redknapp left.

Martin Edwards ringing to buy Rio Ferdinand from Bournemouth, not realising he was on loan, and offering a million pounds.

Signing Paul Merson for a quarter of his wages. Signing Kanu off a phone call with Tony Adams insisting he was finished, then two goals on debut and the winner in an FA Cup final.

Three weeks of daily abuse from roadworkers at a T-junction after crossing from Portsmouth to Southampton, and Rupert Lowe’s plan to turn Clive Woodward into a football manager.

Being odds-on for the England job with England players ringing him to take it, and ending that season with no job at all.

Managing Jordan, where nobody in the squad spoke English.

The jungle, the 'wallaby wing', and Noel Edmonds being first out.

His nan taking bets off the whole street when betting was illegal, and what he thought she’d have made of him winning the King George.

And the dinner party where someone paid £250,000 to get Eric Cantona in a room, and Cantona said eight words all night.

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