Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso on Thursday furiously dismissed talk about his future as the Italian Cup holders advanced to the semi-finals with a 4-2 win over Spezia.
“It really bugs me that every time I’m systematically asked if I intend to resign,” Gattuso told journalists after his side advanced to meet Atalanta. “I don’t understand why others aren’t always asked this question.”
Gattuso was under fire after losing the Italian Super Cup to Juventus and a 3-1 league defeat to Hellas Verona last weekend, with the club sixth in Serie A with a game in hand.
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis said the 43-year-old Gattuso had his “full confidence”.
“(De Laurentiis) spoke to the team and reassured me, but there is nothing to reassure,” continued the former AC Milan coach.
“I am calm, I don’t need trust and I don’t want to hear questions about resignation. I resigned at Milan but because I thought I couldn’t do more. I’m not resigning. My staff and I give our blood from morning to night. But I don’t get depressed, I’m a badass man. If I get any more irritated, I’ll go coach in Kuwait or something.”
On Thursday, Napoli were four-goals up at half-time with Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly getting the first after five minutes with a back-heel off an Elseid Hysaj cross.
Piotr Zielinski sent the ball over the top for Hirving Lozano to fire in the second on 20 minutes with the Polish midfielder involved in Matteo Politano’s third goal on the half-hour.
Lorenzo Insigne missed a chance before setting up the fourth with Eljif Elmas beating Spezia goalkeeper Titas Krapikas minutes before the break.
Vincenzo Italiano’s Serie A newcomers, who shocked Roma in the last 16 and beat Napoli at home in the league earlier this month, fought back with two goals in a three-minute spell.
Gennaro Acampora teed up Emanuel Gyasi to slide into goal after 70 minutes, with the former Napoli youth player then scoring himself with a low shot from outside the area past a static David Ospina.
Napoli next play Atalanta with Inter Milan taking on Juventus in the other semi-final which will be played over two legs on February 3 and 10.
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