Marco Rossi, the current head coach of the Hungarian national team and former Eintracht player, recently spoke on `1 Football Club`, a radio program hosted by Luca Cerchione on 1 Station Radio. Below is an excerpt from his interview.
On the Serie A Title Race: As someone with your football experience, do you believe the last Serie A matchday, with Inter losing to Roma and Napoli winning against Torino, delivered the final blow to the championship race?
“In my opinion, yes, because a three-point lead with four matches left, considering the remaining schedules for both teams, suggests a likely victory for Napoli. Neapolitans are traditionally superstitious, so they`ll be crossing their fingers, but it`s clear that at this point, Napoli can only lose the title themselves. On paper, they face three teams fighting for survival and one with nothing left to play for. Inter, on the other hand, still has some tricky fixtures, like the one against Lazio. Furthermore, I`ve observed a mental dip at Inter in recent weeks: from the draw in the Coppa against Bayern, to the defeat in the Coppa Italia derby, and the losses against Bologna and Roma. All of this means the league title is quite clearly headed in one direction. So, essentially, as of today, also due to the results of the recent matchdays, Napoli has everything in their own hands. The coach and the players have done something exceptional, truly beyond ordinary football logic. Great credit must be given, first and foremost, to the coach, who in my opinion deserves huge compliments. He is a great leader, and he has proven it everywhere. Of course, we know there`s always room for criticism in football, especially in a city like Napoli. But, I repeat, in football, only the result matters in the end; everything else is just talk.”
On Alessandro Buongiorno: Looking at individual players: you were a defender and also played for Torino. Is it disappointing to see Alessandro Buongiorno`s somewhat inconsistent season? Do you also consider him one of Serie A`s best defenders in absolute terms?
“Certainly, yes, Buongiorno is among the best Italian defenders. It`s no coincidence he`s also in the national team setup. It`s true, it hasn`t been the luckiest season for him, but that`s the case for many other players too. It`s clear that such packed schedules don`t help, although this year Napoli, for example, didn`t have European commitments. Injuries are now a daily occurrence. Next year, with an even busier calendar, it will be crucial to have an adequate squad and be very careful with the physical management of players. Injuries depend on the calendar, yes, but also on many other aspects like training pitches and facilities. These are all situations that need improvement and which Conte has vehemently emphasized.”
On Antonio Conte`s Frustrations: Speaking of that, Conte has been quite aggressive and alarming in his statements, even towards the Napoli club. In your opinion, is there really a possibility he might leave at the end of the season?
“In football, anything is possible. We don`t know what verbal agreements were made between him and the club. Certainly, the nervousness could also have been fueled by some unfulfilled promises from De Laurentiis. Furthermore, Conte perceived criticism from the fans, and this may have annoyed him. Conte is a coach who, at his age, has proven to be one of the best in the world. If he still has to justify his work, he might get tired, especially since he feels he is not to blame for the situations that have arisen, like the injury issues. Certain reactions are understandable: the pressure at these levels is immense, and those who don`t experience it from the inside perhaps cannot fully grasp it.”