Why Victor Osimhen Shouldn’t Have Deleted Instagram Posts As Napoli Issue ‘Apology’

• Napoli have seemingly made a situation worse after releasing a statement on the Osimhen matter
• Fans have torn into the 'apology' after the club fell short of saying sorry to their talismanic striker
• Osimhen was targeted by Napoli's own TikTok account after he missed a penalty against Bologna

Picture this: you are on a busy sidewalk, rushing to get home or to work or wherever when, out of the blue, someone bumps into you.

However, instead of outright saying sorry and getting on with it, he or she explains they weren't aware you would be offended by that action. So, in the real sense, they aren't sorry for what they did, they are just sorry that you decided to take offence to it.

And when it happens in the morning - when you are all clean and glam, when your shoes are so shiny that an astronaut from space can spot them - you tend to feel the pain much harder.

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That's exactly what Napoli has done to Victor Osimhen.

Napoli's statement about Osimhen TikTok clip

After more than 24 hours of bewildering silence from the Italian giants, they finally broke their silence on what they thought of the mockery videos on Osimhen.

"Napoli, wishing to avoid any exploitation of the issue, point out that we never wanted to offend or mock Victor Osimhen, who is a treasure of this club," the club said in an official statement.

"Social media, in particular, TikTok, has always used an expressive form of language with a light heart and creativity, without wanting to, as in the case with Osimhen as the protagonist, have any intention of insult or derision," the message added.

Fans reactions to Napoli's statement

As if the TikTok videos weren't enough social media fodder, the statement by Napoli kickstarted a fresh wave of condemnation - with the defending Serie A champions getting called out for a half-baked apology.

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@CareFreeJonty said:

"Could have also said sorry, but instead, they’ve got all defensive. Embarrassing."

@mistaremi asked:

"Is this an apology or justification?"

In the statement, Napoli failed to master the basic tenets of crisis management and communication. After the mistake had been made, the club kept quiet for too long and allowed narratives about the video to be widely peddled.

And when they did communicate, they failed to own up to the mistake but went on the defensive as if they were the victims herein. They also failed to provide a guideline on how they would avoid similar situations in future.

The final dagger was the wording of the message: 'If Victor perceived any offence towards him...' which can be loosely translated to 'we did no wrong, but if you are offended, we are sorry.' The major word here is 'if'.

The original videos were as bad as what the club thought was an apology.

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And don't get us started on the guilt-tripping message of '... you are a treasure of the club; that's why the club firmly rejected any offer for a transfer abroad in the summer'.

Funny how Napoli treats their 'treasures.'

Why Osimhen shouldn't have removed Instagram posts

On the flipside, Osimhen was as livid as anyone could get and his first action was to take down Napoli-related pictures from his Instagram, which I now think was a rash decision.

Hear me out. By taking down the photos, he made the fight between himself and the fans when it was him against the management and whoever authorised the videos.

It is such actions, whether justified or not, that could make fans start questioning your allegiance to the club and project - past achievements notwithstanding.

A legal redress could have sufficed to make the club's hierarchy answer for their sins and disrespectful treatment of their employee.

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But again, we all react differently when wronged and Osimhen can't be blamed for taking down the photos and shunning his teammates.

He did score against Udinese on September 27 and was congratulated by his teammates even though he did not celebrate - he was hurt, and rightly so.

It remains to be seen what the Super Eagles star does after Napoli's statement. Whether he still feels valued enough in Naples will be examined closely in the next months, especially with top clubs looking for a proper number 9.

Nigerian legend calls on Osimhen to leave Napoli

Sports Brief also reported on a Super Eagles legend advising Osimhen to leave Napoli amid the furore surrounding the controversial TikTok clip.

The Nigerian star has maintained his professionalism on the pitch, scoring in his club's 4-1 win over Udinese on Wednesday, September 27.