MAURIZIO A GO-GO! Sarri’s only had one day off in 40 as he drills his ideas into Chelsea and that could take him three months...

IT’S been a walk in the park for Maurizio Sarri at Stamford Bridge so far – but the Blues’ workaholic boss admits he can’t switch off.

Sarri is so desperate to lay the foundations for success at Chelsea, the Italian has revealed he has only had one day off in the last 40.

And even then, as he strolled around London last Sunday after Chelsea’s thrilling 3-2 win over Arsenal, he could not escape from football as he bumped into fellow countrymen around the capital.

Sarri said: “I am not able to switch off. I have spent only one day in London in 40 days here because for the moment it’s been difficult.

“We had to prepare the season without players, so it was difficult the first part of the season for me.

“But I’m not able to switch off. Never. I am always thinking about my team and about the match, or the next match. It’s my way to work in football.

“On the day I did do something it was after the match with Arsenal. I remained in London. I only had a long walk in the centre of London.

“And I found a lot of people from Naples who want to talk football.”

Time is of the essence for Sarri – and he cannot afford days enjoying his new London life when he’s trying to change the habits of his Chelsea defenders.

Deadline

Despite hitting the ground running in English football with Premier League wins against Huddersfield then the Gunners, Sarri believes it could take three months to get his stars fully firing.

And he heads to Newcastle having set a deadline of that length to implement a style of defending currently alien to his players.

“It could take that long because it’s not so easy to change the mind,” he explained. “If you are used to defending by looking at the man and I ask you to defend by looking only at the ball it’s not easy.

“I think if you are 18 it’s maybe easier. If you are 28 and, for 10 years, you’ve played the other way, it’s not so easy.

“So you have to change completely the mind. But I think, in this case, with this team, there are very intelligent players.

“I think it’s better doing it that way. If you arrive to think in this way, then it’s very easy. It depends only on you.

“You are not depending on the opponent. I think it’s very easy and, if you defend by looking only at the ball, you can stay very high up the pitch.

“In the other way, you defend on the movements of the opponent.”

Like Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and today’s opposing manager Rafa Benitez, Sarri has a style and philosophy set in stone.

Asked if he would compromise if his stars can’t grasp his methods Sarri left little room for debate.

And he insisted Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich admires his style.

“I am better when I play my way of football. I don’t know if I’m a very good coach if I teach another way.

“But I think the owner knows it. If they called me 40 days ago, I think it’s because they wanted to see my football here, I think.

“It’s not easy, but I have to try.”