Napoli have parted ways with Walter Mazzarri as the club’s manager with Francesco Calzona appointed as the new manager.
The dismissal of Walter Mazzarri, an Italian football veteran, who was on his second spell with the club, was long envisaged after Napoli’s dwindling Serie A fortunes showed no sign of abating under his watch.
Mazzarri managed 12 games for Napoli would h just 4 wins after taking over from Rudi Garcia. He left the club 9th on the Serie A table, 27 points away from league leaders Inter Milan.
Rudi Garcia was equally in charge of 12 games as Napoli manager after taking over from Scudetto-winning former manager Luciano Spaletti, who is now Italy national team coach.
Garcia won 6 matches with Napoli, and left the team in the Champions League spot, 10 points away from Inter Milan at the top.
Having previously managed the club from 2009 to 2013, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis tipped Mazzarri to overturn the club’s stuttering campaign but it appears it went from bad to worse.
Napoli has now gone under three different hands in less than four months in what could be seen as a tumultuous upheaval in the dugout at the Estadio Diego Maradona.
Announcing the departure of Walter Mazzarri, Napoli president confirmed the appointment of Francesco Calzona as the club’s new manager.
“I thank Walter Mazzarri, a friend of the De Laurentiis family and Napoli, for supporting the team in a difficult moment,” Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis said on his X account.
“He will remain in the hearts of the Neapolitans and our family. Welcome back to Francesco Calzona, who has already worked with us under both Sarri and Spalletti.”
Ringrazio Walter Mazzarri, amico della famiglia De Laurentiis e del Napoli, per aver sostenuto la squadra in un momento complesso. Resterà nel cuore dei napoletani e della nostra famiglia. Bentornato a Francesco Calzona, che ha già lavorato con noi sia con Sarri che con Spalletti
— AurelioDeLaurentiis (@ADeLaurentiis) February 19, 2024
Francesco is the current head coach of the Slovakia national team. He reportedly worked as an assistant under former Napoli managers – Luciano Spaletti and Maurizio Sarri – before taking on the Slovakia national team job where he qualified the team for 2024 Euros.
Slovakia Football Federation have reportedly granted him the waiver to serve in a dual capacity as both Slovakia national team coach and Napoli interim boss till the end of the season.
