The time is now for Carlo Ancelotti to get the boot at Napoli

Napoli are having their worst season in years. Instead of blaming the players, it may be time for manager Carlo Ancelotti to be canned.

Napoli’s season is over.

At least the Serie A portion of it is, after last weekend’s 2-1 defeat at home to Bologna, making it the eighth straight game without a win in all competitions.

In the Champions League, Napoli are on still the verge of reaching the knockout stage, despite draws in their last two matches. How far they can go in that competition is anyone’s guess.

After the Bologna loss, Ancelotti fired back at his squad, saying the players suffered from “an attitude problem.” It’s probably not the best way for a manager who seems to have lost the dressing room to try and gain it back.

Napoli have been a team in crisis for over a month. Following a string of poor results, owner Aurelio De Laurentiis fined his players a total of $2.5 million after they refused to attend a training camp he had ordered in the wake of a Champions League draw at home to Red Bull Salzburg.

After a recent 1-1 draw away at Liverpool, it appeared as if the Partenopei had righted the ship. Instead, Ancelotti’s team lost to Bologna amid a chorus of jeering fans at the San Paolo Stadium.

Napoli’s outspoken owner recently claimed he “didn’t call anyone” — meaning replacement managers — and dismissed growing rumors that he’s poised to fire Ancelotti amid links to Gennaro Gattuso.

Having said that, De Laurentiis, like most owners who sink their money into a team, is known for having little patience for losing. He’s invested too much time, money and energy over the past decade to get Napoli competitive again after years of mismanagement and futility.

The more Napoli falls off the pace in Serie A, the more Ancelotti is likely to be replaced. If Napoli hope to salvage this season, and even the next one, ownership should seriously consider getting rid of Ancelotti. He’s had great success at other clubs, but at Napoli he’s largely struggled.

The Champions League match next Tuesday against Genk could be a make-or-break fixture for Napoli and Ancelotti’s future there. Staying alive in the Champions League could paper over some of the pain of sitting seventh in Serie A. No silverware at a time when that’s one very big metric in determining success matters. With this season’s trophy opportunities already closing on Napoli, a full season of Ancelotti at the helm would accomplish little to nothing.

The embattled club has some great players, including strikers Dries Mertens and Lorenzo Insigne. Nonetheless, there are issues not limited to Ancelotti’s tactics. The January transfer window and next summer need to be used to effectively revamp the roster. Some of these players aren’t going to work anymore.

Napoli need to rebuild, both on the field and off of it. Next month is the start of a new calendar year. It’s the right time to regroup and hit the reset button with a new manager. It’s time for Ancelotti to go. Replacing several key players will come later.