Two minutes and forty-five seconds. Plus a few side comments. That’s how long Aurelio De Laurentiis’ participation in the day dedicated to Antonio Conte lasted. Two minutes and forty-five seconds in which he says everything, though. He doesn’t make flights of fancy, he doesn’t get lost in any reasoning: a lucid and precise De Laurentiis who opens one door and closes two.
The one that opens is for his coach, the ones that close are for John DiLorenzo e Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. No case.
Landlord
Beauty is at home at Napoli. He knows it well too Of Lawrence which moved from Capodimonte to the Teatro di San Carlo and then to Royal Palace. He seems to have a mission, to bring together Naples and his Naples like never before. Last year’s experiment with Garcia didn’t go very well, he also remembers it on stage: “All these handshakes didn’t bring us much a year ago…” he sketches between one shot and another. After all, even the king was superstitious, let alone the patron.
He opens the ball by welcoming everyone onto the stage of the court theater which surrounds the new coach. After the photos everyone leaves. The spotlight goes on Conte but Aurelio remains on stage to act as support. His moment remains brief. It seems like a preview of what could happen next year: intervene only when it’s really needed. «He starts again from the beginning with great enthusiasm».
But where are you going?
De Laurentiis seems to be saying this to two of his players: «Di Lorenzo is a great footballer and also a man of high caliber. Maybe he got “annoyed” » he says. «But it also happened to others among us in a complicated season like last. Maybe he felt a little abandoned, but I explained to him that that wasn’t the case. Because you can’t abandon someone like him.” All clear? Yes. But if that wasn’t enough he adds: «You know that the players are young, it can happen that they let off steam a little. But let’s hope he recharges with the European Championship.”
Indeed, the Italian full-back and captain is still in Germany today thanks to that equalizer in the last shot against Croatia last Monday. AND Of Lawrence he did not give up a dig at his former coach Spalletti: «We are still in the running thanks to that lucky draw». He avoided, however, references to the captain’s agent, Giuffredi. She could have sunk the blow, but instead she chose the diplomatic route after yesterday’s face-to-face meeting. This too is an effect Conte.
The renewal
Khvicha and Napoli’s path, however, will be different: Kvaratskheliawho scored a splendid goal against Portugal after just two minutes, is still waiting for a match that will take place shortly: «There are no problems, we will sit down with sporting director Manna and his entourage for a renewal with contractual adjustment, I don’t see any problems.”
Yes, instead, the problem exists and for now it is called Paris Saint Germain. Because the Parisians are serious about the Napoli ace and they don’t even hide it. Aurelio knows this well, he knows that behind Napoli’s back you can plot for the player, entice him, circumvent the rules. And he says it: «If someone then contacts the players without authorization, then I can think of calling them to order: then in those clubs there is also a president of the ECA… But now I’m not surprised by anything anymore». The not even veiled reference is to Nasser Al-Khelaifi.
I want a manager
He had tried with Rafa Benitezhe had ventured with Carlo Ancelottinow it is Antonio Conte the manager who finds himself on the bench. For De Laurentiis, a long-standing objective that will not necessarily clash with his way of managing the club.
He talks about “university”: «Antonio did it in Premier League con Chelsea e Tottenhamhas acquired the status of a manager. He knows that all the daily things, even the smallest ones, contribute to the good of the company. I am happy to have him here with us, he embodies my idea of a coach and a great manager”.
It is the closing statement at the presentation, before the big goodbyes. He holds out his hand to build something important and lasting together. Last year’s defeats hurt everyone but also and above all De Laurentiis, who imagined he could have handled the great triumph differently. It wasn’t like that. He smiles and looks at Conte the whole time, peers into the audience and tries to read between the lines of the new coach. They will say things to each other’s faces without problems. The secret of great families.
Those who can also clash before making peace and doing great things together. As of Tuesday evening, Antonio Conte has officially joined the family Of Lawrence: they did it at the table in Chiaia, when Antonio’s wife and daughter were also present, in the same place that saw the great decisive break with Spalletti just over a year ago. «Nothing is created, nothing is destroyed, everything is transformed» Lavoisier taught us, a Conte e Of Lawrence he will have to follow his path: transforming the Napoli of the last year into a team that once again gives satisfaction to those who follow it.
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