Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio bans mobiles, ketchup, mayonnaise, ice in coke and singing There were suggestions last season that Di Canio's attitude had alienated members of his squad, but the Italian insisted his methods were receiving support. He added: "In general, the players are getting the message. Maybe one or two will never understand, but some who I thought might have a hard time taking things on board have pleasantly surprised me. Gone are the days of a player coming in and boasting about drinking seven beers the night before. Now they arrive an hour early for training. Before they'd get here with 10 minutes to spare. Stephane Sessegnon was always the first to leave, five minutes after training. Now, he stays late. People can change. It depends how you teach them. We need to have lectures about why we can't have every day things like mayonnaise, ketchup and coke. They can cause chemical problems to the liver, to the stomach. If you have ice with coke you can have indigestion. I know players who've had ice with their coke the night before a game and then couldn't play. Even coffee can be a problem. You can have one when you get up, but not an hour before you go out training or playing. We give the players diet sheets to follow. Obviously, you have to enjoy life. I won't say anything if one day you like to go and have a cheeseburger. I ban my daughter from going to places like that, but I know sometimes she goes because she enjoys it and because it's typical of a student. It is all right, but not as a habit. His plan at the club, he insists, is to make sure his plans are plain. "We go step by step because I want our game to be clear," he said. There is a clear methodology. I know it's not interesting for the people who focus their attention on me because of some things I did in the past and because I have passion on the touchline and sometimes friction, but there is a clear, clear methodology. Di Canio also appeared to reserve a sideswipe for Titus Bramble, the defender who left in the summer with a bitter parting shot at the Italian's management style. "Someone will always be unhappy, like some stupid guy that left already," he said. If you ought to be 88 kilos and you are 104.8 kilos then you won't like my regime. And that's a regular footballer, not one after six months out injured. It's just unprofessional, an insult to a real professional. He can maintain his opinion, but he's probably not very clever. The forbidden items in Paolo's sights Mobile phones Di Canio says they are a distraction and will throw them in the sea if he sees a player using one at the training ground. Ice in coke The manager claims it causes indigestion and should not be consumed before matches. Coffee Di Canio has concerns over the effects caffeine has on a player's mood if consumed close to a game or training. Tomato ketchup and mayonnaise He is opposed to the sauces because of their high fat content Singing before games No more serenading in the showers at Sunderland. Di Canio says it disturbs players" concentration.