Di Canio admits off-field activity is impacting on his squad (From Swindon Advertiser)

Di Canio admits off-field activity is impacting on his squad

6:00am Saturday 26th January 2013 in STFC News By Sam Morshead

Paolo Di Canio

PAOLO Di Canio has admitted that the current uncertainty regarding Swindon Town’s future has distracted a handful of his players.

The Robins are up for sale, after majority shareholder Andrew Black confirmed he is no longer willing to bankroll the club, and the search for a new owner is on. Four parties are understood to be in advanced discussions with Town regarding a takeover, of whom two are foreign and two are domestic consortia.

A buyer could be confirmed as early as next week, but there have already been nine days of speculation and confusion – and Di Canio revealed that that has taken its toll on a couple of members of his squad.

“For me it’s not a distraction but I’m an adult person, it is more motivation. I always try to take positives because doing special things in this moment is even more amazing. Someone can think that not having a sure future can distract you and cannot give you security during the day. Not for me,” he said.

“Obviously I would like to have a very stable situation like last year but it can’t be possible at the moment.

“I have discovered by reading some interviews from my players that someone - we saw Chris Martin - said ‘I’m worried’ because he wants to stay, because he really feels positive in here. “For someone else it is a distraction because it gives them the opportunity to concentrate completely and maybe come to the training session in the morning free in the brain, ready and focused.

“It’s my job to help them to focus and let them understand that it’s the best way to have a chance to remain or even if that’s not the case to go somewhere else.

“It’s not easy; I can understand that it can be a distraction for someone but not for many because they have behaved completely professionally in the last two sessions even if we have spent much time indoors.

“For me and my staff there is no distraction.”

Meanwhile, Paul Benson was due to watch Cheltenham Town play Rochdale last night as he mulls over a loan move to Whaddon Road.

The League Two club are willing to pay the majority of his wages for the remainder of the campaign and Swindon are keen to see the 33-year-old make the switch to Whaddon Road.