Former Swindon Town assistant manager Fabrizio Piccareta has talked about the “unique” experience of working alongside Paolo Di Canio.

The 58-year-old spent 18 months at Swindon as Di Canio’s right-hand man, winning League Two in 2011/12 before pushing on again the following season, before the former West Ham United player departed in February, with Piccareta taking one game in interim charge, a 3-1 victory over Tranmere Rovers, before following his countryman to Sunderland.

Speaking to TribalFootball, Piccareta discussed what the experience of working alongside Di Canio during the time they spent together at both Swindon and Sunderland was like.

He said: "Working with him was a unique experience for me, and if you think I was the only one to work with him during his time as a coach because, in his only two experiences as a coach, I was his assistant at Swindon and Sunderland.

"I worked with him for four years and they were beautiful years for us that taught us a lot. During those years we achieved success as we failed. I will always be grateful to him because he chose me as his assistant coach.

"Working with him was difficult because in the public eye and in the media, he seemed a very hard character to get along with but in private he is a very humble guy, he treats you always with great respect and helps you a lot.

"We got along very well with each other, and we created a great relationship on and off the pitch.

"Also, I learned a lot from him because for me he was a really good coach and he has always achieved success.

"In the end, I can say that for me it's a bad thing that he didn't continue to coach because I am sure he had a lot of things to give to the football world."

Since working under Di Canio, Piccareta has held a number of different roles, working in the academies at Roma, Sampdoria and SPAL, amongst other jobs around Europe.

But the League Two title winner did mention his desire to work in England once again during his career and this time as the head coach.

He said: "My future is unpredictable because my journey until now has been [unpredictable].

“I hope that my future is in England because that is my dream to be the head coach of any English team in the Premier League."