Maurizio De Giovanni doesn't take it well. The author of Commissioner Ricciardi, the heart and voice of Naples, bitterly comments on Luciano Spalletti's decision to return to Juventus after his experience with the national team. "It's disappointing," he says. "As a supporter of a team that represents only one city, I'm saddened by Spalletti's decision to coach a historic rival like Juve. I recognize that this football no longer resembles me."
A regret that stems from a deep sense of belonging, the one that for De Giovanni binds fans to the symbol, rather than to the results.
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For the writer, Spalletti is and will remain the man who brought Napoli the Scudetto after thirty-three years. But his new adventure in black and white leaves a wound that's difficult to heal. "We love him, but we can't wish him good luck professionally. No one can ask that of us. His good fortune would be our defeat, since it's a direct competition. On a personal level, of course, I wish him the best. But not on the pitch."
Then he delves into today's football: "Spalletti is part of this new, glamorous football, built on image and commercials. A football that isn't ours and never will be. We still watch the games because we're passionate, but belonging still means something to us."
Comments (3)
Forty minutes of applause for De Giovanni: no one could better express what is surely the point of view of almost all Neapolitans.
I agree with Lneri: football should be a bond between the team and its fans. Spalletti has done so much for Napoli, but what does it all mean now? It's all confusing now.
I don't understand why Spalletti chose to go to Juve; it's a decision that hurts many fans. Football should be about more than just money and publicity, but it seems that's no longer the case.