Paolo Di Canio to cut Sunderland squads' holidays

Paolo Di Canio’s Sunderland host Stoke tonight in a crucial game for his club (Getty)

Sunderland's players have been told they will not be allowed to fly off on their holidays once their game at Tottenham finishes on Sunday. They have also been informed their summer break may be cut dramatically in length.

In the past only a small number of the players who travelled to the final game of the season returned to the North-east. This time manager Paolo Di Canio has told all his players to fly home and to attend further training sessions on Monday and Tuesday next week.

Only then will he allow them to begin their summer holidays but the 44-day break that had been agreed is set to be reduced to as little as 28 days.

"I can't accept anyone relaxing," Di Canio said. "They don't go on holiday straight away. In some way we have to change the mentality."

He added: "In the past, they told me, they used to fly as a 20 [on the final day of the season], and then 17 would fly everywhere.

"Everybody has to come back on the plane. We will stay another two days together to say thank you and then they can have a holiday.

"People can't disappear like this. We are not a parks team, we don't go together and then you go in a car, you go there, see you next year.

"No. We are a team, we fly together, we play together, we fly back together and then I will let them know when they can go."