Sarri appointed new manager of Chelsea
CHELSEA finally got their man on Saturday, with Maurizio Sarri succeeding Antonio Conte as manager on a three-year deal after the conclusion of protracted compensation talks.
The 59-year-old former Napoli head coach becomes Roman Abramovich’s ninth full-time manager in his 15 years as owner (with interim bosses that rises to 13) less than 24 hours after Conte parted company with the club he led to a league title and the FA Cup in his two years there.
Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia said: “We are delighted to welcome Maurizio and are looking forward to him bringing his football philosophy to Chelsea.”
Napoli are believed to have held out for at least £4.5million ($5.9million) in compensation while, according to reports, Sarri will be paid £5.7million a year.
He had remained under contract with them even after they appointed Carlo Ancelotti as his successor
Sar r i , a chain-smoking former banker, said he would be starting his new job “and meeting the players” on Monday ahead of Chelsea’ preseason Australian tour.
“I hope we can provide some entertaining football for our fans, and that we will be competing for trophies at the end of the season, which is what this club deserves,” he said.
Winning trophies didn’t save Conte being shown the Stamford Bridge exit door and he didn’t even get a chance to say farewell to the players once he had been officially notified by chairman Bruce Buck on Thursday afternoon as they had left the training ground.
His days were numbered after he fell out with the board and senior players.
Conte had the best win percentage – 65.1 percent – of any of Chelsea’s managers in the Premier League era.
Chelsea believe they have got in Sarri an astute tactician who produces sides playing exciting football with his three years at Napoli harvesting two secondplaced finishes in Serie A.
Indeed his style of football gained him the rare tribute of having it termed “Sarri-ball”.
Sarri was also credited with nur t ur i ng young t a l e nt , although there were gripes that he wasn’t one for rotating the squad – a habit he may have to change with the more frenetic program in England – leaving several players drained and others not happy they were left kicking their heels.
Granovskaia, a close confidant of Abramovich’s, said that even though the unconventional Sarri is yet to win a trophy, his style of play will prove a crowd pleaser at the very least.
“Maurizio’s Napoli side played some of the most exciting football in Europe, impress- ing with t heir attacking approach and dynamism, and his coaching methods significantly improved the players at his disposal,” she said.