Napoli, Conte and the paradox of words: should directors speak out or not? | OneFootball

From Borussia Dortmund to Inter, and finally to Napoli: how the thoughts of the Salento coach have (truly) changed. Reported by Gazzetta dello Sport

Napoli, Conte and the Paradox of Words: Should Executives Speak or Not?

After his Napoli's victory against Inter and the subsequent controversial statements aimed at the Nerazzurri executives, the Lecce coach has revived an old topic: the role of executives in post-match communication.

“I don't like that I have to be the one to face the music every time,” Conte said yesterday, implying that certain “tactical” interventions by executives – whether in defense or accusation – would be inappropriate.

A clear stance, but not entirely consistent with the past. Because the same Conte, when he was on Inter's bench, demanded the exact opposite.

Dortmund 2019: “Someone from the club should speak every now and then”

To understand the paradox, we need to go back to November 6, 2019, a Champions League night. Conte's Inter was experiencing one of its first major European disappointments: ahead 2-0 in Dortmund, they were overturned and defeated 3-2 by Borussia. At the end of the match, the coach didn't just criticize the performance but pointed the finger at the club.

“We've reached the limit, miracles can't be made... I don't want excuses, but I don't like that I have to be the one to face the music every time. Someone from the club should come here to speak every now and then,” Conte declared.

Those words, direct and bitter, marked a moment of strong tension with the Nerazzurri leadership, particularly with Beppe Marotta, who is now at the center of new controversies. Conte, at that time, was asking for communicative support: he wanted the club to expose itself, to act as a shield, to share the burden of responsibilities.

READ ALSO: Inter, Marotta Furious with Rocchi: “He Had Said No More Soft Penalties”

Conte in Conference: “Tonight They Wanted to Kill Us Sportively, But We Don't Want to Die”

From Silence to the Microphone: The (Apparent) Shift of Antonio Conte

If in 2019 he lamented the absence of executives, today Conte seems to see their voice as interference. The paradox hasn't escaped Inter fans, who on social media have highlighted the “selective memory” of their former coach.

The truth is probably more nuanced: the current Napoli coach adapts the discourse to the circumstances. When he feels under attack or left alone, he calls for the club's presence. When instead the target is another bench – as yesterday, with Chivu and Inter – he prefers to claim the primacy of the field and the autonomy of the coach.

The Precedent of Inter-Parma 2020: “It's Right for Executives to Speak”

Another episode that questions the coach's consistency dates back to October 31, 2020, after a 2-2 Inter-Parma marked by a penalty denied to Perisic. On that occasion, it was Marotta who spoke, denouncing the “regulatory void on VAR.” Conte, instead of being annoyed, openly approved:

“The club spoke, it's right for executives to speak if they have something to say. I analyze the match.”

It's difficult, therefore, to reconcile the Conte who today invites executives to silence with the one who, just a few years ago, demanded their public voice. As often happens in football – and in communication – positions are modulated according to the context, needs, and internal power dynamics.

A Game of Roles: The Communicative Strategy in the Scudetto Fight

The Conte case, more than a contradiction, seems like a Pirandellian game of roles. Every word, every controversial hint, every jab at the former club serves to direct the narrative, shift attention, or fuel competitive tension. The Scudetto fight – between Napoli, Inter, and Milan – is played not only on the field but also in front of the microphones. In this, Antonio Conte remains true to himself: a strategist of words, a man of the field who knows how to use communication as a tactical weapon.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.