Napoli have changed their coach for the second time this campaign, dismissing Walter Mazzarri and hiring Francesco Calzona. The new boss will manage them and Slovakia at the same time. He’s returning to the Azzurri, where he previously worked in Maurizio Sarri and Luciano Spalletti’s staff.
President Aurelio De Laurentiis announced the turn of events to Sky. Marek Hamsik won’t be back as an assistant as initially thought. The president previously ousted Rudi Garcia, but the call didn’t lead to the turnaround he was hoping for. The Tuscan skipper collected 4 wins, 3 losses, and 5 wins in 12 Serie A matches, having a worse point average. They were eliminated early from the Coppa Italia and lost in the Supercoppa final.
Calzona spent three years on the Napoli bench from 2015 to 2018 under Sarri and then a campaign with Luciano Spalletti in 2021/2022. He branched out on his own after getting the call from Slovakia. He has managed the national team for 14 matches, winning half of them and qualifying for Euro 2024. They finished second in a group that comprised Portugal, Luxembourg, Iceland, Bosnia, and Liechtenstein.
According to Tuttomercatoweb, the Federation agreed to his appointment but will also extend his contract, including a release clause, which the Azzurri would have to pay to keep him.
Our Take on Napoli, Mazzarri and Calzona
They fumbled their last two choices if their main goal was to chase the ghost of Spalletti. At least they have gotten closer stylistically now. Sitting idly was no longer an option.
 |
Follow us on Google News for more updates on Serie A and Italian football |