Walter Mazzarri has taken over at Napoli again following the sacking of Rudi Garcia with a manager who wanted the Celtic job not so long ago back at the Serie A champions.
The former Roma, Lyon and Marseille boss was always likely to be up against it when stepping into the shoes vacated by Luciano Spalletti – the man who guided Napoli to their first Serie A title since Diego Maradona’s heyday – but even Rudi Garcia’s biggest critics might have been left surprised by the speed of which things unravelled for him at the Italian champions.
Garcia, interviewed by Manchester United prior to Ralf Ragnnick’s interim spell in 2021/22, was finally relieved of his duties on Tuesday. He won only eight of his 16 games in charge, Sunday’s dismal home defeat by Empoli the final straw for Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis.
Walter Mazzarri returns to Napoli
“I am having a bad time with (Garcia),” De Laurentiis said in October, his bruising comments about the polar opposite to what is usually referred to as a ‘vote of confidence’ (Goal).
“I’m an entrepreneur, and I must be interested in what happens inside the company. I will make appropriate decisions at the right time.”
The ‘right time’, in De Laurentiis’ opinion, came about 48 hours after Empoli stunned Napoli on their home turf. The Napoli president has since confirmed, via X, that Walter Mazzarri will take Garcia’s place, the Partenopei returning to a ‘safe pair of hands’ and a man who ‘knows the club’, among other cliches.
Serie A veteran wanted the Celtic job
According to the Sunday Post, Mazzarri was keen on the Celtic post back in 2021. Ironically, he would have replaced Neil Lennon at Parkhead, a coach who’s dismal second spell at Celtic brings the phrase ‘never go back’ to mind. Time will tell whether Mazzarri’s second spell at Napoli proves to be rather more successful.
The suave, sometimes-sunglassed 62-year-old, formerly of Watford and Inter Milan, guided Napoli to the Copa Italia title over a decade ago.
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