Di Canio desperate for shot at redemption

West Ham may recall Italian to bench for attempt to keep alive hopes of saving place in top flight by beating Chelsea

Emotions are understandably raw at West Ham United and no one, yesterday, was more consumed than Paolo Di Canio. It felt somehow appropriate that amid the BMWs and Range Rovers that quickly stacked up around the club's training ground, Di Canio stepped from the seat of a striking blue Ferrari. This prancing horse wants to perform one more time.

The 34-year-old Italian, out of contract in the summer, knows his career at the club is over whether they stay in the Premiership or not. Yet he dearly hopes that his final appearance was not against West Bromwich in February when he was substituted. It drove a wedge further between him and Glenn Roeder.

Inevitably, conversation turned quickly to the collapse and illness suffered by the West Ham manager, a blocked blood vessel to the brain, which will require neuro-surgery.

"I am able to separate football from life in general, which means I am able to separate what I think about Glenn Roeder as a professional and as a man," Di Canio said. "I respect him as a human being and I mean it when I say I wish him and his family the best of luck.

"We should pray for him every day. When I have said things in the past I have been talking about football, which is his job. There is pressure every day, from the supporters and the media who, when we lose, say Roeder is not good for West Ham."

Di Canio admits there has been pressure within the dressing-room with, he claims, some "young players" questioning the manager's decisions. "That will put him under pressure, so I am not the only one. Everybody has said something," he said. "Last year Trevor Sinclair – who is a big friend of mine so this is not a criticism – went on the transfer list all season, so did he put Glenn under pressure? Every manager in the world is under pressure from their star players. Just being at the bottom puts you under pressure, but whenever I say something people like to blame me."

It is a tender subject. Roeder will be released from hospital today. Di Canio, who has suffered illness and injury, is expected to be on the bench for the last home game, his final chance to appear as a West Ham player at Upton Park. It was against Chelsea, of course, that he scored goals of such sublime quality earlier this season, in a 3-2 victory, that it is hard to believe the descent that has since followed. But then this is Paolo Di Canio.

"People criticise me for kissing the badge, but they are jealous," he said. "They say I do it because I want a new contract, but my behaviour this year has been the complete opposite. If I wanted a new contract I would have kissed the club's arse, but I didn't because I speak my mind for the team."

The justification continues: "I have a bit more experience than the rest of the players and if I see something wrong I have the confidence and I have to speak about it, although sometimes the things I say come out looking worse, which is not my fault. I am not crazy. There are a lot of young people here and I am the man to say something. I don't say it for money, my aim is to try and help."

There is still hope, he says, for West Ham. Hope built in his absence. But if they lose today, Bolton Wanderers win at Southampton and Leeds United gain a point tomorrow at Arsenal, then they are down. The ramifications are horrendous.

It is a tall order, especially with a growing injury list. Michael Carrick and Lee Bowyer are still out, Les Ferdinand is doubtful, Ian Pearce suspended while his probable replacement, Christian Dailly, is carrying an injury, as are Joe Cole and Steve Lomas.

Such is the uncertainty over West Ham's future that the club is sending out season-ticket renewals with two prices: one for the Premiership, the other for Nationwide League. Trevor Brooking, the caretaker manager, wants to continue that uncertainty into the last game next Sunday away to Birmingham City. That would mean there was still hope.

It is time, he said, for the players to "stand up and be counted". "I think what has emerged is that everyone at the club, players, staff, fans are as united with the club irrespective of what happens over the next two games," Brooking stated.

Back in the car park, Di Canio was also seeking unity and, maybe, a little redemption. "I am the same person as when I first came to this club," he said. "During that time we have finished fifth and seventh and I didn't create problems in the dressing-room, yet now I am the problem. Whether I play 38 games or one game, people want to blame me as the problem.

"I want to stress that the people who say I cause trouble in the dressing-room and create unrest among the players are stupid. Can you imagine that because I say we are in trouble the likes of David James or Steve Lomas are saying: 'Oh no, Di Canio has said these things and so now we won't play well'?"

He and Brooking have talked. There is "no problem" between them. "I am here and I am ready to play," Di Canio said. And maybe, one last time, he will.