Serie A has just started – & Napoli have already broken Antonio Conte’s brain

If you felt like Antonio Conte’s stint at Tottenham felt like him doing a speed run, you’ve seen nothing yet.

It’s all too easy to forget now that there was a boom part of the classic Conte boom-and-bust cycle at Spurs, much as the enduring memory is of the Italian moping about the place, looking regretful at how he reduced himself to working with a load of useless schmucks that couldn’t match his ambition.

There was that extraordinary post-match interview after a defeat to relegation-battling Southampton, in which he might as well have brought in a giant handmade sign saying ‘SACK ME’ as he called out Daniel Levy, the club itself and the players for being a bunch of losers.

But before all that, there was a promising first season. Beating Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal and pipping them to a top-four finish, the only time that Spurs have qualified for the Champions League in the post-Pochettino era.

It’s all lost in the scorched earth he left behind for Ange Postecoglou, but initially, Conte made a pretty positive impact when he arrived mid-season, with no transfer window open and no distraction from knuckling down on the training pitches.

Moving on to Conte in 2024 and things at Napoli look remarkably similar to the situation he walked into at Chelsea eight years ago. Inheriting a squad with some excellent individuals that won a league title just a couple of years prior.

For Eden Hazard, there’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. For Diego Costa, there’s Victor Osimhen (for now, at least).

Like Chelsea in Jose Mourinho’s final season, Napoli inexplicably self-destructed to finish midtable last season. All the better for Conte. No European distraction. More time on the training pitch.

But Conte would not want you to think for a second that Napoli are capable of doing what that Chelsea side did. Oh no. Every noise out of the Italian’s mouth this summer suggests he’s hellbent on skipping straight to bust.

“We must not think that last season was a coincidence. Maybe there are people who talk about bad luck or other things, but to that I say just look at the table, and it shows a huge gap compared to other teams.

“Anyone who thinks it was just bad luck is far from reality,” Conte gravely told reporters on the eve of the 2024-25 campaign.

“I expected a better situation, positive surprises, which is why when I spoke at the beginning I said, even after such a negative year we must not throw everything away but let’s understand if there are also positive things,” Conte said.

“I expected positive surprises, but I had a hard time finding any. But you arrive and there are nine, ten, exits.

“We are not saying that we are at year zero but at the year very close to zero. It doesn’t scare me but it’s better to be clear, when there is reality and clarity you know where to go and what problems to face.”

No sugarcoating there.

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To be fair to Conte, in his first summer at Chelsea, they spent over £100million. Squad additions N’Golo Kante, Marcos Alonso and David Luiz proved particularly important in making his patented 3-4-3 formation a massive success.

There have been some recruits, including Alessandro Buongiorno and Leonardo Spinazzola to bolster the defence, but they’re yet to replace the influential Piotr Zielinksi who left on a free to reigning champions Inter.

On the evidence of Napoli’s disastrous 2024-25 Serie A opener, a 3-0 defeat to a distinctly ordinary Hellas Verona side, we’re unlikely to see any of that classic Conte magic if he doesn’t get the investment he’s crying out for.

Umiliazione totale per Conte alla prima in A col Napoli: 3-0 incredibile del Verona#VeronaNapoli pic.twitter.com/cJjSe1uJLm

— Boomerissima⭐⭐ (@Boomerissima) August 18, 2024

“In the first half, there was only one team in it. I don’t think Verona had a shot. Having said that, we immediately let Verona have a shot at the start of the second half, and in the second instance we went behind,” Conte told Sky Sport Italia after full-time.

“Then we melted like snow in the sun. What I feel like saying is that we should apologise to the Neapolitan supporters, who follow us with such passion. I am the coach and it is right that I take full responsibility.

“I humbly apologise because the second half was unacceptable. A performance that shows we need to work hard in every aspect. I came to Napoli with lots of enthusiasm, with great desire. If I can help Napoli, I will.

“There is only shame. I am ashamed as a coach. A thing like this has rarely happened to me, both as a player and as a coach. Today my heart is bleeding. Let’s see if anyone else is bleeding in the next few days.”

Let’s wait and see how this one plays out. But Conte already sounds like he did when he reached the end at Juventus, Chelsea, Inter and Tottenham. The amateur dramatics are in full swing, and that doesn’t bode well.

By Nestor Waatch