Conte warns Napoli need to completely rebuild 'from the ground up'
Conte took over in June, after Napoli went through three different managers last season when, after winning the Scudetto under Luciano Spalletti in 2023, they followed that up by failing to qualify for European competition.
Conte, who won four Serie A titles with Juventus and Inter Milan, along with a Premier League title at Chelsea, wants patience from the club and its fans going into the new season.
"Our mantra is to give 200%, we have to go beyond our limits, all of us, because it is a critical moment for Napoli; the president spoke of reconstruction," Conte told reporters ahead of the opening game at Verona on Sunday.
"I have made my assessments and I agree with him perfectly; there is a need for a total reconstruction, from the ground up.
"A squad that puts 10-12 players on the market, means that there is a reconstruction underway and like any reconstruction we need patience and humility."
When Conte took charge at Juventus in 2011, they had finished seventh the previous season and he immediately led them to three consecutive league titles but he does not expect such a quick turnaround at Napoli.
"I expected a better situation, positive surprises, which is why when I spoke at the beginning I said, even after such a negative year we must not throw everything away but let's understand if there are also positive things," Conte said.
"I expected positive surprises, but I had a hard time finding any. But you arrive and there are 9-10 exits.
"We are not saying that we are at year zero but at the year very close to zero. It doesn't scare me but it's better to be clear, when there is reality and clarity you know where to go and what problems to face."
Conte declined to speak about Victor Osimhen, who is expected to be left out of the squad for Verona, with the Nigerian forward likely to leave the club during this transfer window, and he warned it would take time to get Napoli back to the top.
"I don't know how long it will take for Napoli to become competitive again, whether it takes six months, 12, two years, I couldn't say," Conte said.