More details have emerged about Napoli going with Walter Mazzarri over Igor Tudor. It wasn’t just a contractual choice. The former accepted a seasonal deal. Instead, the Croat wanted more long-term reassurances, Corriere della Sera reports.
The Italian coach told president Aurelio De Laurentiis that he studied Luciano Spalletti’s tactics and movements and he’s convinced he can replicate them. The former Olympique Marseille gaffer would have preferred to install a three-man defense.
The Napoli owner and Tudor met on Monday, and there was no spark between them; thus, the former reached out to Mazzarri. He had already made it known that he was keen on coming back.
The returning manager will earn just €1M for the next seven months. His salary softens the blow of having two bosses on the payroll. The Partenopei have a very tough schedule coming up. They’ll face Atalanta, Real Madrid, Inter, and Juventus in rapid succession.
The new ‘old’ tactician put together his staff. He will be assisted by his usual right-hand man Nicolò Frustalupi, who led the Azzurri’s Primavera team last season, athletic trainer Giuseppe Pondrelli, and former players Claudio Bellucci, Salvatore Aronica, and Gianluca Grava.
Our Take on Napoli, Mazzarri, and Tudor
If the main reason of the hire is a stopgap to go after a big fish in June, it makes sense to go with somebody familiar with the team. But it’s too early for that. Plus, it’d be a big surprise if they really managed to execute Spalletti’s concepts properly.
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