Koeman on Noa Lang: 28 days in camp without touching a ball | OneFootball

The head coach of the Netherlands, Ronald Koeman, revealed in a press conference a curious and significant outburst from Noa Lang, the Napoli winger, who is currently experiencing a difficult period with limited playing time and growing frustration.

Netherlands, Noa Lang and Napoli, Koeman reveals the outburst: “28 days of training camp without touching a ball”

Koeman explained that he spoke with Lang in September, asking him how things were going in Italy. According to the coach's account, the Dutch forward confided to him:

“He told me that in 28 days of training camp he hadn’t seen a ball. It’s a real change for a player and you have to grit your teeth. But it’s not so bad if they see it and have to do it.”

The arrival at Napoli and initial difficulties

Lang joined Napoli in the summer transfer window for about 25 million euros, with a contract until 2030, after a high-level season at PSV Eindhoven (11 goals and 10 assists). Despite the expectations, the Dutch winger’s playing time has been very limited: just 110 minutes in total between Serie A and the Champions League, never starting as a regular.

The player has already expressed his discontent in the past, particularly after the 6-2 defeat against PSV:

“Better that I don’t say anything, I think every player wants to play, right? I don’t know what else to do. I’m training hard, but I have no other choice.”

On his relationship with Antonio Conte, Lang added:

“I’ve only spoken to him once.”

Koeman: every coach has their own method

The Dutch coach tried to put the situation into context, emphasizing that every coach has their own method and that periods of inactivity can be part of broader strategies for observing or managing players:

“For a player, it’s a real change, you have to grit your teeth. But it’s not such a negative situation if the coaches are watching.”

However, the moment Lang is experiencing remains delicate: his public statements, although understandable, might not be well received by Conte and could further complicate his chances of starting in the upcoming matches.

The future of Lang at Napoli

The Dutch player hopes to gain more playing time and carve out an important role at Napoli, but he will have to face internal competition and adapt to the methods of the demanding Lecce-born coach.

The next step will be to see how Lang manages to fully integrate into the Napoli squad and whether Conte will use him consistently in the crucial Serie A and Champions League matches.

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