TMW
The sporting director of Napoli Giovanni Mannaspeaking from the Social Football Summit 2024, spoke thus about the Napoli championship and various topics related to current affairs for the Azzurri: “The championship is long. We know where we started from and we are trying to return to what De De’s Napoli was Laurentiis. We’re focused on that. The second team is certainly something that doesn’t have to be an end in itself.” Then, the sporting director spoke about the algorithms used in the world of football: “I think they are a support. The numbers help you but they cannot decide for you. I am a romantic, I still believe that scouting is based on going and seeing a footballer. Manna’s touch? He must have free image rights (laughs). However, you know how the market works, you have to be ready for every situation because things change.”
On image rights he added: “I found myself thinking about this for the first time this year, in some cases I forgot. I first convince the player and then we refine the details. As I often say, it is important to stay focused on the moments of the season. We need to remain clear-headed both in the negative and positive moments. It’s a warm city that is giving us so much, I didn’t expect it. Every day you find yourself in situations where people ask you and you feel like you have to give It was complicated but they remained positive. The expectations are high because two years ago we won a championship at the moment we don’t think about that objective.”
On Conte and De Laurentiis: “My experience now is extremely positive. De Laurentiis has a certain type of depth. From the outside I was worried but I can say that I am happy. He let us work. The choice of the coach was fundamental. I am 36 years old and It helped me to have a coach like that. I can say without shame that he was also a coach who took care of me.”
The first contact with Napoli: “After Juventus-Frosinone, a number I don’t know calls me and I don’t answer. The same number calls me back the next day, I answer and it’s Chiavelli. I spoke to Juventus and I met Doctor Chiavelli. When an important club like Napoli can’t say no. At first, no, then a little, Conte? First thing: we met at Juventus he had already spoken to the president about the economic plan in October. He immediately said that Di Lorenzo and Kvara should not be touched.”
On the market: “We had the diktat to make the market with Victor’s exit because Victor wanted to leave. This is well known and I’m not saying anything new. Then we didn’t sell Victor but due to how well Napoli had worked in the previous years we managed to make a market anyway”.
On the renewal of Kvaratskhelia: “We want to reward his journey in Napoli. However, he has another two years with us. We must find agreement on every point. We have already talked about it and if it doesn’t work out we will talk about it again at the end of the season. We agree with the footballer not to distract us from the pitch”.
On the January market: “We are always careful to improve the current squad. We will seize if the right opportunities arise. It must be said that we have invested a lot in any case. Things must be done with a logical sense.”