During the press conference held in the Dimaro theatre, home of Napoli's retreat, coach Antonio Tale he took stock of the team's situation after a particularly disappointing season. “It is inevitable that the waste from last season has not completely gone away”, declared Conte.
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“Let's not forget that it was a particular season, very disappointing. I tried to put it behind me with the boys, let's try to focus on the reconstruction that awaits us, but I also told the boys not to forget that experience.
It is right to put what has happened in the past in a drawer, but we must be ready to take it out in the event that there are difficulties to refresh our memory".
“At this stage the most difficult thing was to realign the whole situation and put the Napoli club back at the centre of everything. We did it and it is thanks to everyone, the club and the players.
When you win, all the dynamics change, there are great honors for everyone but at the same time the burdens, you have to try to handle the year after the victory with care because it is not easy", he continued.
Conte: “Champions League objective, gap still difficult to close”
“At the same time, it is also difficult to manage disappointment, there was a moment in which there was so much negativity in the whole square. The president was the first, I saw him deeply disappointed by what happened.
When there is so much disappointment, sometimes you think that everything is wrong, but there are values that cannot be lost in a year, which is why the realignment work played a decisive role. There was a risk of destroying everything because of a strong disappointment, let's try to be balanced, there are things of value that must be maintained".
The coach then analysed the significant gap from the main competitors in Serie A: “This gap is difficult to eliminate in two days: 41 points behind Inter, 22 behind Milan, 18 behind Juve and 15 behind the famous zone Champions.
This is the reality of the facts, when you make predictions you also have to be reasonable, otherwise you risk falling into something that is not true".
Conte said he did not fear external pressure: “I’m not afraid of predictions, if someone wants to put pressure on me or the team it’s not a problem, I accept it willingly. We have to talk little and let others talk”. The coach clarified what the realistic objectives are for the new season: “We know that we have had an absurd, unjustifiable year, we have the duty to improve and return to the cups, possibly through the main door (the Champions, editor's note).
This must be our realistic goal, if I had to make a different speech today someone would have to commit me".
Article published on 13 July 2024 - 15:33
