Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Paulo di Canio believes that Antonio Conte would prove to be a success if he was appointed Chelsea's next manager.
Conte has been tipped to replace interim boss Guus Hiddink at the end of the campaign, with the Blues without a permanent manager since parting ways with Jose Mourinho in December.
The 46-year-old Conte will lead the Italy national side at Euro 2016, but has already confirmed that it will be his last engagement with the Azzurri, increasing speculation that he will head to Stamford Bridge.
Having achieved great success during his time at the helm of Juventus, where he won three consecutive Serie A titles, Conte appears to have the pedigree to manage in the Premier League, and his compatriot has backed him to succeed.
"I have spoken to him, not about Chelsea, but about English football. We had a chat about it, but not about Chelsea - two months ago," Di Canio told Sky Sports.
"He is a good guy and a good coach. He is a manager with the right mentality and work ethic and can help Chelsea change their direction.
"This year was incredible, if you think what Chelsea did last year. After three or four months it was clear the team didn't have the same mentality, energy and desire. Incredible."
Di Canio, who enjoyed a successful spell with West Ham as a player, had a short stint as Sunderland manager, where his almost theatrical antics saw him often criticised.
With this in mind, the former Swindon Town boss has warned Conte that he will quickly need to adapt to conducting business in English and in a toned-down manner if he is to enjoy the fortune that Di Canio did not.
"I tell him: 'Be careful of the media', because if you start talking like me, they say, 'ah he's Italian, he's too theatrical, too much, he's screaming'," added the Italian.
"I am joking! But I say be careful, try to learn the English mentality straight away. Sometimes words put into a sentence come out differently.
"Sometimes you can have the stamp of the donkey because you say something you didn't intend. So try to learn (the language) and put next to you a good guy, an English guy, with good experience that can help you...
"It's important to have a member of the club who understands everything of English football. Not only in the way you deliver your methodology or your tactics, but also in the way you need to deliver the words at the end of the game, before the game, the message during the week.
The 47-year-old had one final bit of advice for Conte should he head to England: "Don't do it like Di Canio!"
