Former Sunderland captain Michael Gray says sacked manager Paolo di Canio got it wrong during his final days in charge.
Gray reckons Di Canio was wrong to round on a squad full of "strong characters'' such as ex-Manchester United duo John O'Shea and Wes Brown.
Gray, 39, said: "Publicly, he has criticised a few of his players but some things you keep in the dressing room.
"You criticise your players face-to-face. When you say things in front of the cameras, dressing rooms can become very strong.
"You look at the likes of Wes Brown and John O'Shea. They're strong characters who have been fantastic in their careers.
"Paolo Di Canio is going to say what he thinks - he doesn't hold back - and maybe he did lose the dressing room in the end.''
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