NAPLES, Italy (AP) – Coach Antonio Conte admitted on Sunday: he will leave Napoli He was in charge for two years, during which time he led the Southern team to the Serie A title.
Conte, 56, is one of the favorites to coach Italy and could return to the Azzurri after first managing from 2014 to 2016.
After Napoli’s final game of the season, a 1-0 win against Udinese on Sunday, Conte held a press conference alongside club president Aurelio De Laurentiis.
“A month ago, I called the president and told him that I felt that our project was coming to an end,” Conte said. “I made this decision because of one mistake I made in Napoli. It’s difficult to compete with other players because I couldn’t bring unity to the environment.”
“I failed because I didn’t bring everyone together and raised my hand. I know I can’t change things… It was an honor. Thank you to the president and the fans for understanding me.”
Napoli finished second in Serie A, although they were plagued by injury problems throughout the season.
Manager Conte signs a three-year contract Napoli were coming off a disastrous season in which they finished in 10th place, becoming one of the worst defending champions in league history.
Napoli regained the Serie A title in Conte’s first season as manager.
Conte has previously led Juventus and Inter Milan to Serie A titles, as well as managing Chelsea and Tottenham in the Premier League.
Conte unexpectedly led Italy to the quarter-finals of the 2016 European Championship, but they lost to Germany in a penalty shootout.
The Italian national team is in crisis 3 consecutive failures He urged him to resign in order to qualify for the World Cup. FIGC President Gabriele Gravina and coach Gennaro Gattuso last month.
“It’s all lip service,” Conte said Sunday when asked about his job in Italy. “Previously, all I said about the national team was that if I were president of the federation, I would include Mr. Conte as a candidate.
“But at the moment I don’t know anything about my future. I might consider taking some time off.”
___
AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
