Arriving at West Ham following an incident in which he pushed referee Paul Alcock to the ground (after already being given a red card), Di Canio surprised nobody by continuing to court controversy. He famously argued with a young Frank Lampard over a crucial penalty in a 5-4 win against Bradford, and was part of a bust-up with manager Glenn Roeder. Paolo surprised many by catching the ball to allow opposition goalkeeper Paul Gerrard to receive treatment in 2000, signalling a change in his ways. However, public opinion plummeted upon his return to Italy, in which he celebrated a goal for Lazio by giving a fascist salute. He has also described Benito Mussolini as a "misunderstood" figure.
