Andrea Dossena says some Sunderland players arrived for training smelling of alcohol | OneFootball

“My goodness,” he said. “Some players would arrive at training still smelling of alcohol from the night before. I didn’t have a great relationship with coach [Gus] Poyet.”

He told Calciomercato. The Italian joined Sunderland in 2013 after leaving Napoli, having played in the Champions League and won the Coppa Italia. He made seven Premier League appearances and three in the FA Cup, and also featured for the under-21s.

“When I arrived, Di Canio was there,” Dossena said. “They sent me to Rome to get treatment for an injury, and when I got back to England I couldn’t find him. He’d argued during a meeting, and Poyet had arrived in his place. I remember he never let us watch a match again to analyse it.”

He arrived during a chaotic spell on Wearside. Paolo Di Canio left shortly afterwards following a difficult start to the Premier League season, with Gus Poyet appointed.

Poyet then guided Sunderland to a derby double over Newcastle United and survival in what became known as the “Great Escape”. They were beaten by Manchester City at Wembley in the 2014 League Cup final.

Source: Sunderland Echo