Sunderland boss Paolo di Canio learned English thanks to a karaoke machine!

The Italian's former team-mate Alan Stubbs has revealed how the Sunderland boss struggled with the language when he signed for Celtic in 1996.

Stubbs explained: "Paolo's spoken English wasn't great when he arrived at Celtic from AC Milan. It was broken and stilted and it used to frustrate him.

"Then he came in one day and said he had solved the problem - he'd bought a karaoke machine.

"He decided if he couldn't speak English, he'd learn to sing it. It must have helped because, by the time he left Celtic a year later, his English was excellent.

"Paolo loved his music, in particular Oasis and the Manic Street Preachers.

"He'd learn a song at home, then belt it out in the dressing room the next day - at the top of his voice. It was brilliant entertainment, especially when he'd forget the words."