Can Walter Mazzarri Bring Back the Good Times at Napoli?

When Luciano Spalletti walked away from Napoli in the summer of 2023 to take up the role of head coach of the Italian national team, most assumed that his successor – Rudi Garcia – would seamlessly slot into the vacant position. The Naples outfit had, of course, just won the first Serie A title in more than 30 years on Spalletti’s watch, so all Garcia had to do was maintain the momentum with a talented and hard-working squad of players.

But that is sometimes easier said than done – a poor start to the campaign sees Napoli fourth in the table and some ten points behind leaders Inter Milan after 12 rounds of games. That has cost Garcia his job. Walter Mazzarri has been installed as interim head coach, which is perhaps a smart move given that he’s enjoyed success at the club in the past. So, can he restore the good times in Naples?

Back to Basics

With the online football betting odds making Napoli a 13/1 chance to retain their Serie A title behind Inter (4/7), Juventus (11/4) and AC Milan (17/2), it feels as though Mazzarri’s best plan is to aim for a top-four finish. The football tips for today have rarely hyped up Napoli’s chances this term – with good reason, given that they’ve won just 50% of their outings and suffered defeats against teams they really ought to be beating. The 0-1 reverse at the hands of Empoli was the final straw as far as the club’s decision-makers were concerned.