Exclusive – Paolo Di Canio will have to change his management style if he lands Reading job, warns Steve Lomas

Steve Lomas has warned his former West Ham team-mate Paolo Di Canio he will have to change his management style if he lands the Reading job.

Di Canio, the current favourite to take charge of the Premier League strugglers after their decision to sack Brian McDermott, was a huge success at Swindon before quitting last month.

But the fiery Italian regularly made headlines during his spell in charge of the League One club, having had a bust-up with one of his players on the pitch and publically criticised other squad members on numerous occasions.

And St Johnstone boss Lomas, speaking on the Sports Breakfast, said: “He can’t do that at Reading. The players will just think it is a bit of a joke.

“There’s no way he will be able to get away with it at Reading. He may be able to get away with it at somewhere like Swindon, where the lads aren’t going to fight back, but he definitely won’t get away with it in the Premier League. There’s too much experience in that Reading team.

“It’s maybe a little bit of a surprise [that Reading are keen on Di Canio]. Reading are a stable club who seemed to be very well run. They seem to go for stable characters. Maybe they are looking for Paolo’s passion to ignite the players.

“Paolo is a very clever man. Everybody thinks he’s daft but he’s a deep thinker. He will know more than anybody that he can’t go in and act like he did at Swindon but it might just be in his nature.”