Liam Duckstein
Antonio Conte has departed Napoli following a 1-0 win over Udinese on the final day of the Serie A season, a result that secured second place. The decision ends a two-year stint at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona that yielded a league title and a runner-up finish, but also exposed deep fractures within the club’s environment.
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Conte joined Napoli ahead of the 2024/25 season after spells at Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, and Inter. His first season produced an immediate return: Napoli held off Inter to claim their fourth Serie A title. The second season was a different story. Napoli were eliminated in the league stage of the UEFA Champions League and finished 11 points behind Inter in the domestic table.
The turning point, by Conte‘s own account, was a 3-2 home defeat to Bologna. What followed that result convinced him the relationship had run its course.
“I failed in one thing. I wasn’t able to bring compactness to Napoli, and if you don’t manage to do it, it becomes difficult to fight against other teams.”
“I’ve seen a lot of poison, and those who spread it are failures. Napoli doesn’t need failures, those who need a ‘like’. It needs serious people who want to love the team, just like the fan who pays for the ticket. Instead, these people should stay away, because they are harmful.”
“I failed from this point of view, and I understood that I would never be able to compact the environment. For me, it was fundamental, so I raised my hands.”
“After Bologna, what I felt were situations that I didn’t like, and even there, it takes balls to say things. I have never played anonymous seasons, and I never will. I was also ready to step aside, certainly some signings didn’t get in tune with the old group, and very difficult dynamics were created that were right to report.”
“I called the president a month ago, and I told him, ‘by virtue of the friendship we have, I perceive that my journey here is about to end’. The decision was taken by me.”
This marks the fifth consecutive managerial role Conte has left after exactly two seasons, a pattern that spans Italy, Chelsea, Inter, Spurs, and now Napoli. At three of those clubs, Chelsea, Inter, and Napoli, he delivered league titles. His directness and demand for control have repeatedly created friction with club hierarchies, cutting each tenure short regardless of results.
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Guardiola Named as Conte’s Pick for Italy
With Gennaro Gattuso having vacated the Italy head coach position following the national team’s third consecutive failure to qualify for the World Cup, speculation around a successor is building. Conte ruled himself out while publicly endorsing Pep Guardiola, who recently left Manchester City.
“There’s zero between me and Italian Federation to become Italy head coach. Zero so far. Let’s see in future.”
“There’s not even the federation president yet, but let me say, are Italy ready to appoint a top coach? I read about Pep Guardiola. Should I suggest a name, I’d say Pep. But, do they have the funds to make it happen? It’s too early to say. I have zero agreements so far.”
Whether the Italian Football Federation can attract and afford a coach of Guardiola‘s standing remains an open question. Conte‘s endorsement carries weight given his own record with the Azzurri, but for now he steps away from management without a next destination confirmed. Follow TipsGG for continued coverage of the coaching market and Serie A developments.