Napoli sporting director shuts down talk of Antonio Conte’s resignation

Napoli Sporting Director Giovanni Manna has dismissed suggestions that coach Antonio Conte was considering resignation, stating the recent media frenzy surrounding the team was exaggerated, as reported by TuttoMercatoWeb citing his comments to Sky Sport.

Speaking before the match against Atalanta, Manna acknowledged the high volume of discussion around the club but insisted the core situation was calm.

“There was a lot and too much emphasis,” Manna said regarding the media coverage. He acknowledged the difficult moments but downplayed the crisis talk, adding: “Many things have been sensationalized, but that’s fine. Comparisons are natural, they exist even when you win.”

Specifically addressing the most dramatic rumors, Manna denied any thought of Conte leaving, explaining that the coach was simply making a demand for better performance: “There were many voices, there was even talk of the coach’s resignation, but the mister sent an alarm signal to raise the bar and the level of tension for everyone and I don’t see anything wrong with that. We have always been united, cohesive and compact: ours is a serious group, with values, we demonstrated it both last year and this year. We are calm.”

Conte had made it clear two weeks ago that he will discuss several things with the club’s board, questioning the commitment of Napoli players. As they pick up a win over Atalanta, it seems like his approach has worked.