Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has tipped Maurizio Sarri to be a success at Chelsea. “He has the conditions to do good work.”
Sarri and Mourinho will lock horns for the first time as Coaches in the Premier League this season, and the former Inter boss believes the ex-Napoli tactician will suit his old club’s ‘fantastic’ squad.
“I don’t know him,” he told beIN Sports.
“When I was in Italy from 2008-10, he was not in Serie A. I never met him or played against him. I just follow football and lately the good work he did with Napoli.
“In England, all the good managers have the desire to come. It’s a crazy competition with a high level so I think every manager has the dream to come so he had the chance to come.
“He has a fantastic team, fantastic players and squad – I think he has conditions to do good work.”
Sarri was born on 10 January 1959, in the Bagnoli district of Naples. His father, born and raised in Tuscany, moved back to the region with his family following the end of his tenure as a construction worker for Italsider, a steel company. Raised in the Figline Valdarno neighborhood, Sarri divided his time as an amateur footballer and banker for Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena in Tuscany. His work as a banker saw him travel Europe, working in London, Zürich and Luxembourg.
A central defender, Sarri would play only in amateur side Figline, having failed trials at Torino and Fiorentina. At the age of 19, Montevarchi was close to sign Sarri but Figline asked for a compensation of 50 million lire, and the deal eventually collapsed. He later refused a move to Pontedera, and subsequently retired with Figline after struggling with injuries.
Sarri would work in the bank in the morning, and trained and played in games in the afternoon and evening. In 1999, aged 40, Sarri transitioned into coaching, following the same schedule he adhered to for his entire work life. After gaining employment with minor side Tegoleto, he decided to quit his job to devote himself exclusively to his coaching career.
The Italian is the ninth man to be appointed the Blues’ full-time boss since Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich bought the club in 2003.
His first game in charge iwas Chelsea’s pre-season friendly with Perth Glory.
“With one or two adjustments we can try to play my football,” Sarri told the club’s official website.
“I hope that fans can enjoy the team.
“Chelsea is one of the most important clubs in the most important championships in Europe. The problem is that in England there are another five, six very good teams.