Napoli President De Laurentiis Open to Conte as Italy Coach, Criticizes Federation
Aurelio De Laurentiis, the president of Napoli, has said he would not stand in the way of Antonio Conte taking the Italy national team job if the former Tottenham and Inter Milan manager was interested. The comments came during an interview with CalcioNapoli24.it while De Laurentiys was in Los Angeles for the US premiere of a documentary about Napoli's title win.
"If Antonio asked me, I would say yes, I would give him the go-ahead," De Laurentiis said, according to the outlet. He added that Conte, who has been out of work since leaving Tottenham in March, is "very intelligent" and suggested the coach would likely wait for a serious, organized project before committing. "Until now, there hasn't been a serious interlocutor," De Laurentiis noted, implying the current state of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) is not yet organized enough for such an appointment.
De Laurentiis, a vocal and often controversial figure, used the platform to launch a broader critique of the Italian football federation. He argued that Serie A, which he claims funds the federation with 130 million euros annually, is underrepresented in the FIGC's power structure. "Italian football is considered a Cinderella," he stated, referencing the 18% voting power Serie A holds within the federation, compared to the majority held by amateur and player associations. "Without Serie A, the federation wouldn't exist," he added, suggesting the league could break away and form its own autonomous league and federation if the imbalance isn't addressed.
He also commented on the recent 2-2 draw with AC Milan, where his team secured second place in Serie A. He praised the team's performance, particularly in the absence of star striker Victor Osimhen, saying, "We were extremely galvanized... it was also useful to show that the others are extraordinarily committed to the cause and can deliver results."
On the future of the FIGC, De Laurentiis threw his support behind the idea of Giovanni Malagò, president of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), taking a leading role in a reformed federation. "He is the perfect person to be commissioner first and then president of a new federation," De Laurentiis stated, but only after significant changes are made to the current structure.
