Conte Critiques Coaching Trends Impacting Højlund’s Development

Antonio Conte, the head coach of Napoli, has seemingly directed criticism towards former Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim. He suggested that the arrogance of some coaches has negatively impacted the development of striker Rasmus Højlund.

Højlund joined Napoli on a season-long loan last summer, with the Serie A club obligated to make the move permanent should they qualify for the Champions League.

The Danish player transferred to Manchester United for £64 million ($85.79 million) from Atalanta in 2023, where he scored 26 goals in 95 appearances. During his time at Old Trafford, he was frequently overlooked by Amorim, not making an appearance in any of the club’s first four Premier League matches of the season.

Upon joining Napoli, Højlund started strong, netting nine goals in his first 20 appearances, but has since struggled to score, with his last goal coming from a brace against Cremonese on December 28.

“Some young coaches nowadays are arrogant and don’t want to adapt. They see a young striker struggling, and instead of providing the necessary training, they cast blame on him,” Conte stated at a news conference prior to the weekend’s match against Sassuolo.

“They consistently complain and hold everyone else accountable but themselves, as everything is handed to them on a silver platter.”

In further developments, Napoli’s sporting director Giovanni Manna expressed confidence that Højlund’s permanent transfer from Manchester United is a mere formality.

“We did everything possible to sign him,” Manna told the Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport. “There were more prestigious clubs interested, but his desire to join us was vital, and we take pride in that. There is an option to buy, and an obligation to purchase should we qualify for the Champions League.

“The player sees himself as a Napoli player, and we feel the same way. This is critically important.”

Currently, Napoli sits third in Serie A, trailing league leaders Internazionale by six points, with a match against Juventus scheduled for Sunday.