“There is something that worries me a lot”, then he appeals to the team

Napoli coach Francesco Calzona speaks again after weeks in the press conference leading up to Sunday evening’s match against Roma.

After about two months, the press conference on the eve of the championship returns at home Naples. After some time, we have the opportunity to test the situation on the immediate eve of a Serie A match. The next one is not trivial at all, given that Roma will be guests at the Diego Armando Maradona in the match valid for the thirty-fourth matchday of Serie A.

There is curiosity to understand more about probable training choicesas well as having a clearer picture of the situation regarding the withdraw. From this evening, in fact, the team will meet in Caserta and will remain isolated until Sunday. But it doesn’t end here: in fact, for days there has been talk of a possible prolonged withdrawal in the event that there are no comforting answers in the match against Daniele De Rossi’s team.

In short, the objective is to end the season in the best possible way and it is also coach Calzona himself who spoke about it in the press conference, who already revealed his discontent with the performance of his men in the post of Empoli-Napoli.

Calzona’s statements at the press conference

THE CLIMATE IN THE LOCATION ROOM: “So far we have defended poorly but we have created a lot. This worried me. I pointed this out to the boys. We have a duty to work on the pitch and finish the championship in the best possible way. We owe it to a city. We are growing during training. Today I saw that the right enthusiasm has returned. It’s right that I take responsibility, I’m the one who leads them. I hope pride comes out. I expect a great match in terms of motivation.”

CHAMPIONS: “We threw away important opportunities. Right now we have to think game by game and our future doesn’t depend on us alone. I asked you guys to think only about Rome.”

TOWARDS NAPLES-ROME: “I would feel satisfied with a good performance in terms of character”.

ON THE RETREAT: “Two days of retreat are due because we need to spend as much time together as possible. I agree with the company because sometimes it can be useful. It is not a punitive retreat, but a productive one.”

A PROBLEM ON HIGH BALLS: “There is a problem defending the goal. We conceded goals in multiple ways. We lack the desire not to concede goals. It doesn’t just depend on the defenders, but on the team.”

COMPARISON WITH LAST SEASON: ““Clearly we have negative numbers: we conceded a lot of goals but it’s clear that at the end of the year I judge my work from when I arrived until now. I can’t compare this season with last year, at the end of my management I will make some evaluations and I have no problem talking about it publicly.”

THE DIAGNOSIS: “There is also something under construction that hasn’t gone right. Those who arrived to replace players like Kim, Lozano or Elmas didn’t have much impact. I expected fewer problems.”

BREAK-UP IN THE LOCATION ROOM? “The players cannot help but feel responsible for this situation. I make choices based on what I see during the week. Apart from three players, Mazzocchi, Natan and Dendoncker, the rest of the squad had space and opportunities to show themselves. I tell them every day that they and I are primarily responsible. The president has been close to me so far and has never had a negative impact. With me he is nice, polite and respectful. I think it’s normal for the head of a company to know how things are going. In Castel Volturno everyone must feel responsible. If not, you won’t go anywhere, even those who don’t go on the pitch. When we win we are all together, but also when we lose.”

VOICES ABOUT THE FUTURE AS A REASON FOR DISTURBANCE: “No because we are professionals, they also pay us well to do the job we would have liked to do as children. There are also downsides. You talk about new coaches, players, director and everything else. In a moment where things are not going well we have to live with these things, it is normal for this to be the case. Same thing for footballers. We must also accept moments like these where we are all spoken of negatively. This news doesn’t disturb me.”

THE TEAM’S MOTIVATIONS: “In Empoli it was a lack of desire to win because we didn’t have a shot on goal, it was the first time. In the other matches, however, the desire to not want to concede goals was missing. But it’s not a tactical question. I don’t see that extra run up to make up for a teammate’s mistake. It was a truly troubled year but this doesn’t mean that we have to finish the championship with this trend. We must react.”

FROM A TACTICAL POINT OF VIEW: “We struggle to get back on the ball. We are missing a step, but that must be the first thought. By mentality I always ask to defend forward, but in some moments you have to build density. This does not happen often, but only when for example Osimhen has been out for a few minutes. Why don’t we perceive danger? I don’t have an answer to that.”

ON ROME: “De Rossi has sown a lot. There are so many things to worry about. If we play a match in Naples we also have our weapons. We must counter their verticalizations. Roma is a healthy team, with important objectives. Regardless of the opponent, we must find ourselves.”