Conte: I am Napoli’s captain in fair weather and foul

Antonio Conte, the manager of Napoli, said on Friday that the team’s adventure this season has led them to the top of the Serie A table, but with much still to go until the end of the journey, he needs to steer the ship through both the good and bad times.

Conte took over Napoli after a disappointing season in which the team failed to defend its title, finishing 10th in the standings. However, he has led the team back into contention this season, where they are one point ahead of Inter Milan.

But now is not the time to assess what the team has achieved, as that can only happen at the end of the journey.

Conte told reporters before facing Lazio on Saturday: “The ship is sailing, and we are in the open sea. When you are in the open sea, you face both storms and calm waters. We need to stay calm and know how to steer the ship, how to act in different situations. What we need to do now is to see the port and reach it safely. We may reach what we deserve, but the important thing is to reach the port safely. Once we are there, we can just catch our breath and understand what happened during the journey. As the captain, I must provide the right guidance, both in difficult and calm conditions, because even when the sea is calm, you must remain cautious. The captain must rely on the crew, and in this case, the crew is the players, and they are exceptional.”

Lazio sits in fourth place with 45 points, 10 points behind Napoli. They have beaten Conte’s team twice this season, in both the league and the Coppa Italia.