"Napoli's struggle, Spalletti for the coaching position: without winners in Italy."

Luciano Spalletti is taking a break in his coaching career, but he seems perfectly suited to lead Italy in the upcoming European Championship. Yet, this seems unlikely. Currently, the situation is clear but absurd.

In24 days, Italy, defending champions of Europe, will be playing qualifying matches for Euro2024, and after the sudden resignation of Roberto Mancini on Sunday, there is no national team coach to lead the team or select players. The Italian Football Association wants to appoint Luciano Spalletti, who last year led Napoli to the Serie A championship and the Champions League quarterfinals. Currently, he is "on sabbatical" and would be honored to take this job... except that it would require him (or more likely, the Italian Football Association) to pay Napoli3.2 million euros.

Spalletti does not want to pay, and the Italian Football Association does not want to pay. Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis does not want to give up, despite all attempts to boost his patriotism or his love for the national team, one of the few institutions that unite the country.

How did we get here?

It seemed that everything was fine four months ago, when Spalletti showcased his coaching skills and Napoli easily won their first league championship title since the era of Diego Armando Maradona. His contract was expiring at the end of the season, but the club had an option to extend it for another year, and it seemed that he would sign a new agreement with a well-deserved salary increase.

However, as soon as he expected a joyous conversation about a new contract, Spalletti received a short email from the club. It simply stated that they had exercised their option on his contract and his agreement now runs until2024. Without a salary increase, without a new contract. Most likely, this was just a tactical move in negotiations, because Napoli knew well that applying the one-year option without a salary increase after such a season is not only inappropriate, but also counterproductive: no team, in any sport, wants an unhappy coach, because that is a recipe for self-destruction. But Spalletti was really upset. He stated that he was "tired" and would not return to coach the club.

Why is Luciano Spalletti leaving the position of head coach of Napoli?

Gab Marcotti explains why the coach who won the Serie A championship is taking a sabbatical at the end of the season.

Stubborn person, Spalletti's mind was not changed, and that's why Napoli reached an agreement with him. They won't force him to come back, but instead he must take a year-long sabbatical from coaching. And if he doesn't comply and signs a contract with another club without their permission, he must pay them3.2 million euros as compensation. So Spalletti returned to his125-acre estate inTuscany, where he produces olive oil and is surrounded by all kinds of domestic animals, from chickens to pigs and donkeys.

Italian Football Association and Luciano Spalletti

But then Mancini, enjoying his vacation on the Greek island of Mykonos, announced that he is leaving (the second part here is a completely different story, presumably related to the former Manchester City coach feeling a lack of support and sympathy from the Football Federation.

The Italian Football Association immediately reached out to Spalletti, and he gave the green light, with plans being made for his announcement by the end of the week. But then De Laurentiis intervened. He stated that this is a "matter of principle," not the "almighty dollar" - Spalletti signed documents agreeing to take time off, and if he returns to work for someone else, he must pay. He added that if they can find 3 million euros after taxes (almost 6 million euros before taxes) to pay Spalletti over three years, then the Federation can afford to pay Napoli a million a year for three years to secure his services.

The owner of Napoli, De Laurentiis, publicly points to the signed contract with Spalletti as a reason to prevent him from taking the position of coach for Italy. However, the struggle for the national team is spilling into the media, and no one comes out looking good as a result.

The Italian Football Association did not expect this. They claim that the whole goal was to prevent Spalletti from moving to one of their rivals in Serie A, which is why they are trying to use public opinion to make De Laurentiis back down.

And so, the dilemma of "club versus country" enters the public discourse in Italy. Caught in the middle are the Napoli fans: should they support their club (and the president who brought them the title) or the national team?

It's sad that no one here looks good.

Neither the Italian Football Association nor some media outlets describe De Laurentiis as an unpatriotic Grinch, who puts Spalletti on ice and possibly deprives Italy of the chance to defend its European title. It's not De Laurentiis who helped create this situation with that foolish email, and whose position is quite indecent - "3 million euros for Napoli and even less for me"... what, should we admire your wealth? - and there's no need to moralize with his musings about "the rules of business" and "amateurish relationships." Yes, there is the letter of the law, and there is the spirit of the law, but there is something juvenile about an adult man adhering only to the letter. (The agreement was made to prevent Spalletti from moving to a competitor, which the national team of Italy certainly is not).

And, to some extent, not Spalletti either. If you leave Napoli after everything you've achieved together because you're tired and need a break, it's hard to believe that less than three months later you're suddenly ready to coach again. Why not just say you left because you didn't like how De Laurentiis treated you? And if you're so happy to coach Italy, why not agree to a pay cut so the Italian Football Association can cover the fine from the agreement you signed less than three months ago? After all, you've made enough money, and besides, aren't you a country gentleman who is content with the simple joys of life, like tending to a vineyard and driving a tractor on the farm?

We hope that they can come to some common sense and won't resort to lawyers and courts. The last thing the Italian national team (or Napoli, by the way) needs is a long and exhausting battle over contracts and penalties. But when stubborn grown men behave like little children, who knows?