PAOLO Di Canio wanted the media spotlight to focus on his players after they battled to a 1-0 victory at Colchester yesterday.

James Collins’ second-half goal was enough to net the Robins all three points and send them third in the League One table, and after the game Di Canio did not want to take any questions from the assembled press.

He rejected requests from national outlets for their customary post-match interviews and only addressed the local radio and the Advertiser, praising his squad in a brief statement.

“This is my players’ victory. If someone would have committed like my players did, even 10 per cent of what they did, we could be a Champions League club,” he said.

“Today once again we saw the fantastic lads, what they did is not easy.

“We had 14 or 15 and have many problems and today we made many mistakes technically, but they are fantastic.

“I want only to say this, thanks to everybody and thanks to the fans.

“I hope somebody is going to behave even only 10 per cent like they did today and then maybe this club will have very good health for the future.

“It can have a very good future in a professional way.

“I wanted to say only a few words about my lads.”

Di Canio’s short statement will cue speculation from Swindon fans regarding his future, following the revelations he is considering his position at the club and the fact he was entered as third favourite by some bookmakers for the now-vacant Nottingham Forest manager’s job after Alex McLeish left the County Ground yesterday.

However, it is believed that he is waiting for the sale of the club to be complete before making any major decisions. The takeover is likely to be completed by the end of the week, with a five-strong consortium hoping to receive Football League approval.

Once the sale is sanctioned, it is expected that Di Canio will get the go-ahead to complete the signings of Marlon Pack, Danny Green and Bradley Wright-Phillips, whose proposed moves to Wiltshire were blocked by the League on deadline day.