‘No chemistry, no desire to fight’ – How Antonio Conte and Napoli reached breaking point just months after Serie A title success
After two lifeless displays in the dour draws with Como and Eintracht Frankfurt at the start of the month, Conte implored his players to resuscitate their season by beating Bologna just before the international break. However, after watching Napoli slump to a lame 2-0 loss at the Dall’Ara that saw them slide from first to fourth in the Serie A standings, he unintentionally evoked memories of the comedy ‘Weekend at Bernie’s’ by stating that he had no intention of “accompanying a corpse” for the remainder of the season.
“Heart transplants aren’t an option,” Conte told DAZN. “Each of us needs to rediscover our spirit and our grit. We needed more energy in everything. What’s disappointing is that they showed more positivity and desire than us, and that should make us reflect. It’s the fifth defeat we’ve suffered this season.
“I’ll talk to the club, but three or four months have passed and there’s no chemistry, no desire to fight together. I don’t know if we’ll be able to change the situation. One thing is to talk about the pitch, technique and tactics, but when you see other things, I’m sorry, it means I am not doing a good job. Or that someone doesn’t want to listen to me…”
At that stage, speculation was rife that Conte was seriously considering quitting. De Laurentiis dismissed such talk as “nonsense” and claimed that “between me and Conte there has always existed a special harmony that unites men who use the 3 C’s: character, competence, and courage.”
Conte nonetheless felt compelled to take a break, with the 56-year-old heading north to Turin to spend a week with his family as his assistant Cristian Stellini oversaw training while several members of Napoli’s squad were away on international duty. Conte returned on Monday, reportedly revitalised and doubly determined to turn his team’s season around. The next week feels vital, though, with Napoli facing two home games, against Atalanta and Qarabag, that they’ll be fully expected to win.
In a way, though, the performances will be of greater significance than the results, with Napoli’s players having been accused by former striker Roberto Sosa of playing as if they “want to get rid of the coach”. If they produce another spiritless showing on Saturday, Conte would likely grant them that wish.
