Sunderland boss Paolo di Canio has revealed his two daughters have been targeted over the hysteria created in sections of the London media over his appointment.

The 44-year-old said that his eldest daughter, Ludovica, who is a student, and his younger daughter, Lucrezia, who is still at school, had been targeted because of his ­apparent political beliefs.

"I was sad for the club, and obviously for my family, especially for my daughters," Di Canio said. "The oldest one goes to Southampton University and people were knocking on her door. I don't know how they found out where she lived.

"My little one, who is 15, goes to a British school in Rome, in the school someone... [said something to her]. It is for them that I feel sad. I couldn't understand how it caused a problem for them."