By Russell Barder
Paolo Di Canio has contacted West Ham about succeeding Alan Curbishley as the club's manager, according to his agent.
The 40-year-old Italian is a fans' favourite at Upton Park after spending four years as a player at the club.
A shortlist of Mission possible ...
Sales gloom sees M&S shares dive ... 30 candidates has been drawn up for the job and Di Canio's agent Phil Spencer said his client would "love to be considered".
"We have made moves to talk to West Ham and advised them that he wants to be considered," Spencer told BBC Sport.
"He wouldn't be putting himself up for the job if he didn't think he was capable of doing it.
"He just wants the opportunity to sit in front of the decision makers at West Ham to tell them what he would do and how he would take them forward.
"Unfortunately he can't do that unless they invite him to do so."
Di Canio has been installed as one of the leading contenders to replace Curbishley, who stepped down after claiming that the club completed transfers without consulting him first.
Croatia manager Slaven Bilic is the bookmakers' favourite for the job but refused to comment ahead of his country's World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan.
"The players asked about it - they read it on the internet or the papers or whatever," said Bilic.
"But we are playing Kazakhstan on Saturday and are just concentrating on that game."
Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp, who had been linked with a return to West Ham, has ruled himself out of the running as has England Under-21 manager and ex-Hammer Stuart Pearce.
Di Canio was a popular player during his time in east London after signing from Sheffield Wednesday in 1999 and made 118 appearances for the club.
"He's had lots of support from fans that would like to see him, I think he is the fans favourite for the job," added Spencer.
"But that doesn't always mean anything so we're hopeful that we will get the opportunity to at least speak to West Ham."
West Ham's vice chairman Asgeir Fridgeirsson told BBC Sport that they hope to narrow the shortlist down to in the region of five to seven names as early as next week, but Spencer said he was unsure whether or not Di Canio was on it.
"We haven't heard from the club yet, so we don't know whether Paolo is on that shortlist," said Spencer.
"I don't know what West Ham are thinking and I don't know what manager they are going to bring in.
"It seems the ones they initially wanted have ruled themselves out of the job.
"You don't always get what you want, but the situation is they have to do the right thing for West Ham and Paolo loves West Ham, he's doing his coaching badges and he's very serious about managing."
(BBC)
<< Back