Mazzarri's former assistant says Napoli's 2024 slump was not tactical

"The problems weren't tactical. They were problems of management, of renewals, of contract situations." Nicolò Frustalupi was Mazzarri's assistant in both of his spells in charge of Napoli, and he saw the 2023-24 season from the inside.

His account starts with the sacking. "In the year we finished tenth, we weren't given time. The squad was full of injuries, we got to November, then some players went to the Africa Cup of Nations... we left in February." In his view the club was in "a big hurry to change", just as Osimhen and Anguissa were about to come back and there were "a lot of games to play".

That is the defence of a man who was shown the door, and it should be read that way. One fact stands, though: that season, no change of coach fixed the crisis.

Management, renewals, contracts: it sounds familiar

The most interesting part of the interview is the diagnosis, not the defence of his staff. Frustalupi applies it to 2024, but it also describes Napoli this November.

The contracts of Meret, Anguissa and De Bruyne run out in June 2027. Anguissa's future is already in question for January. McTominay is tied to the club until 2028 on around €4m net, and talks with his agent over a renewal have stalled on the figures. Lucca is expected to leave in January, almost certainly, after his row with De Bruyne in Porto. The club is considering selling Lang after his falling-out with the Curva (the hardcore end behind the goal).

These are all management questions. It is hard to believe they are not felt on the pitch.

Kind words for Allegri

Frustalupi is lenient on Allegri. "Scoring little and conceding a lot? Allegri is a coach whose career speaks for itself. The injuries don't help. He has changed the shape on the pitch many times."

He is right about the injuries. Di Lorenzo is out with an adductor tear, Lobotka will not be back until mid-December and Buongiorno is expected in January after knee cartilage surgery. Against Lazio, Allegri fielded only three recognised defenders.

But a coach's career is not an answer to the league table. Fifteen points from 11 rounds equals the lowest total of the De Laurentiis era, set in 2007/08. Fourth place, the stated target, is 9 points away. Napoli have won one of their last five games, at Monza.

Then there is his faith in Allegri's tactical imagination. "From that point of view Allegri is inventive. He has changed a lot of systems in his career. As with the De Bruyne idea, there could be others."

This is the question we have been asking for weeks. If Allegri has changed the shape many times and the results have not come, is another idea enough? Or does the problem lie higher up, as Frustalupi says it did in his year? If so, the club and Manna, who built the squad, have to answer for it before the coach does.

"The medicine is results."

Frustalupi closes with a line that leaves Allegri no way out. The club has kept faith with its coach and let the international break pass without looking for anyone else. Torino visit the Maradona on Saturday 21 November at 20:45 CET (19:45 UK, 14:45 ET), then come Manchester City and Sassuolo within eight days.

In 2024, by Frustalupi's account, Mazzarri was not given time. Allegri is being given it. It is now up to him to use it.