Sarri admits he needs to win trophies just justify comparisons

MAURIZIO SARRI has admitted that he needs to win trophies to match “better” managers like Jose Mourinho – and said he could never have imagined competing against the Portuguese when they were at very different levels in Italy between 2008-’10.

The Portuguese returns to Chelsea amidst a hugely difficult season in which his position has repeatedly been called into question, in contrast to the praise Sarri has received for his effect on the London club. It marks quite a contrast from the brief period when they were both in Italy at the same time.

While Mourinho was winning the Champions League, successive leagues and a treble at Internazionale, Sarri was still finding his way in the game and bouncing around lower-league clubs like Hellas Verona, Perugia and Grosseto. Sarri considers himself “lucky” to have got to where he is now.

Asked whether he could have envisaged facing Mourinho as a true rival in those days, the 59-year-old said: “Probably not. My target, in that period, was to be a professional coach. I didn’t think in that period that I was able to arrive in the Champions League. It was incredible at that moment [to think that], so I think I am lucky.”

Changed

Sarri maintained that the situation has now greatly changed and he must now start winning trophies, especially if he is to be talked of in the same breath as managers like Mourinho. He said the United manager’s record obviously makes him better.

“Of course … the results speak for him, I think. So, at the moment, he is better than me for sure. I hope to improve myself in the future, but at the moment I have to say he’s better than me.

“He has won everything everywhere. So I need to win if I want to compare myself to him. At the moment, it’s not possible [to compare]. You are talking about one of the best coaches in the world, and I’m not at the moment one of the best.

“I’d like to win something because, at the moment, I need to win. I have won Serie B, Serie C, Serie D like the Championship, League One and League Two here in England. But now I need to win at this level.”

Asked whether he likes Mourinho’s football, however, Sarri didn’t quite address the question. He did insist their determination is probably similar.

“The problem is not the way of football, if I like it or not. The focus is he is able to win. He has won everything everywhere, so probably that means he is right.

“I think he is different. I think that I have my character, and my character probably is different to his character. So I have to be myself, always. Otherwise I am not credible.

“But I think that, without determination, it’s impossible to arrive here from a non-professional team. So I can speak very calmly, but I think my level of determination is the top level.”

“The character is different, but maybe the level of determination is the same.” When it was put to Sarri why he considers himself “lucky” to be in England, he pointed to the circumstances he found himself in for his big break at Empoli in 2013-’14. That was the season that finally got him promotion to Serie A for the first time.

“To be in the right place in the right moment [was lucky]. First of all, to arrive in Empoli. In Empoli, I had a very young team, but the players were very young but very good. I remember that we won Serie B with [Daniele] Rugani, who was 19. [Elseid] Hysaj who was 19. [Riccardo] Saponara, who was 20. [Lorenzo] Tonelli who was 21. So I was lucky to have young players, but good players. Nobody knew them at that moment, but they were very good. So I was lucky.” Sarri also insisted that the players at Mourinho’s disposal at Manchester United are the best in the Premier League “They are a very strong team. Maybe player by player they are the best team in the Premier League,” Sarri said. “At the moment I think City are better like a team, but player by player they (United) are very, very strong.”

That may be interpreted as implied criticism of Mourinho, but Sarri was not about to emulate his predecessor, Antonio Conte, in igniting a public feud with the former Porto, Inter Milan and Real Madrid boss. “We are talking about a coach who has won everything,” said Sarri, who is yet to win a trophy in his management career.

“He has won everywhere. So I think that I have to respect him. But I think, also, that you all have to respect him.” When asked whether threetime Premier League winner Mourinho was being shown enough respect, Sarri said: “I think, no, at the moment.” (© Independent News Service)