Former Napoli head coach Francesco Calzona has revealed one “major flaw” he believes Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen must correct after his long anticipated exit from Naples.
Calzona and Osimhen spent a very brief time together at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. The Italian took charge of Napoli for the final three months of the 23/24 season, becoming the Partenopei’s third manager in a disaster campaign that ended without silverware or Champions League qualification.
Reflecting on his time with the Nigerian forward, Calzona acknowledged Osimhen’s immense talent but stressed the need for emotional maturity when dealing with criticism at top-level clubs.
“Victor is a great player with extraordinary qualities, especially on a physical level, but he needs to understand that playing for a big club also means facing criticism at times for his performances,” he said, as per Calcio Napoli.
“He has to improve in that regard. He needs to understand that criticism can be constructive and help fix weaknesses. Right now, this is still a challenge for him. I believe that’s his main flaw: accepting criticism during moments when we’re not at our best, especially in a place like Naples.
“There, Osimhen was wildly loved by the fans, and the club also took great care of him, but he needs to manage the tough moments better.”
Calzona’s reign left a lot to be desired, much like his predecessors. In 16 games, he oversaw 3 wins, 9 draws and 4 losses, leading Napoli to a 10th place finish (the worst placement ever recorded by a defending Serie A champion).
Meanwhile, Osimhen had a much more respectable impact in Naples, scoring 76 goals in 133 appearances and leading the Partenopei to their first Scudetto success in over three decades.
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