“Don't ask me to do things I don't want to do”

Antonio Conte was presented as the new manager of Napoli this summer. The coach was asked by fans at a meeting on Friday night to join in an anti-Juventus chant, but he refused.

Conte played 419 matches for Juventus in his playing career, spread over 13 years. He won the Champions League at the expense of Ajax and also added five Italian league titles. As a coach, he was in charge of Juventus between 2011 and 2014 the old womanwith which he became champion every year.

The now 54-year-old Conte must lead Napoli to better times after a disastrous season. There has been a fierce rivalry between Napoli and Juventus for decades, so it came as no surprise that the Napoli fans started singing 'Who doesn't jump is a Juventino'.

Conte refused, however, and did not buckle under the pressure. “I will always be a polite and respectful person,” the former midfielder said. “So don't ask me to do things I don't want to do.”

“Not for one specific team, but for all teams. We coaches have to be a positive example. What I can say is that you see Napoli's number one fan in front of you,” Conte concluded that topic.

His words were appreciated, because right after he declared himself to be Napoli's number one fan, he received applause from the crowd.

Two seasons ago, Napoli became the Italian champions by a landslide, making their tenth-place finish last season all the more shocking. I Partenopei will not be playing in Europe next season, allowing Conte to focus entirely on the national competitions.

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