In an interview with Rai TV's Belve program, coach Antonio Conte revealed that he turned down an offer to coach Saudi Arabia, regretted leaving Juventus and wanted to work at Roma or Napoli.
The program will air today, October 17. Here, Conte was asked about his compatriot Roberto Mancini's sudden resignation as coach of the Italian national team to lead Saudi Arabia on a four-year contract with a seasonal salary of 27 million USD. He replied: "I don't want to discuss this issue, but Saudi Arabia made a huge offer to Mancini and other coaches, including me, but I refused."
Conte before his interview with Belve. Photo: Leggo
Conte led Juventus from 2011 to 2014, winning three consecutive Scudetti - the club's first titles after the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal. However, before the 2014-2015 season, he decided to leave Juventus. The Italian coach said he felt regretful but had no choice because after three years of commitment he "saw big problems in small things".
The 54-year-old coach working for Inter in the 2019-2021 period further worsened the relationship between him and Juventus' leadership, as the two clubs are arch-rivals in Serie A.
After leaving Inter, Conte took over at Tottenham on November 2, 2021, replacing Nuno Espirito Santo. However, he was not successful either. After 76 matches, the team under him achieved a winning rate of 53.95% with 41 matches, in addition to 12 draws and 23 losses, only finishing fourth in the Premier League in the 2021-2022 season. In March this year, he was fired.
Conte revealed that he had just held talks with Napoli, but turned down an offer to replace Rudi Garcia - a coach under pressure after an unimpressive start. The strategist explained: "I did not accept the offer mid-season because there were problems at the club before I arrived that I could not control."
However, Conte admitted that his dream is to manage Napoli or Roma, as those are the two clubs he would like to try his hand at - stemming from the passion of the fans. "Hopefully one day I will have the chance to live this experience," he said.
Napoli are currently fifth in Serie A, seven points behind leaders Milan. Meanwhile, Roma are being managed by Jose Mourinho, whose contract runs until the summer of 2024. According to Sky Sport Italy , the two sides have never negotiated an extension and the "Special One" will leave the Italian capital club at the end of the season. The Portuguese coach has led Roma since the summer of 2021, winning 59 out of 119 matches, helping the club win the 2022 UEFA Conference League and become runner-up in the 2023 Europa League.
Hong Duy
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