A SARRI STATE OF AFFAIRS New Blues boss: I’m all about football. I had one day off in last 40... and when I did get out, I met Napoli fans

NEWCASTLE v CHELSEA

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

And even then, as he strolled round London last Sunday after Chelsea’s thrilling 3-2 win over Arsenal, he couldn’t escape from football, as he bumped into fellow countrymen in the city.

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 the first part of the season was difficult 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.

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

Time is of the essence for Sarri – and he can’t afford days enjoying his new life in the Capital when he’s trying to change the habits of his defenders.

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

And he heads to Newcastle today having set a three-month deadline to implement a style of defending currently alien to his players.

Sarri said: “It could take that long because it’s not so easy to change the mind.

“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.

“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.

“But I think, in this case, with this team, there are very intelligent players.

“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. 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 Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez, Sarri has a style and philosophy set in stone.

Asked if he would be able to compromise if his stars can’t grasp his methods, Sarri left little room for debate – and insisted Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich likes his style.

Sarri said: “I don’t know [about compromise]. Maybe I would have to do that, but 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 of football.

“But I think the owner knows it. They called me 40 days ago – I think it’s because they wanted my football here. It’s not easy, but I have to try. “It’s important I like it, first of all. I want to enjoy, I want to have fun, press the ball. “If I enjoy the game, maybe the supporters enjoy the game. “And, if the team enjoy the game, they have a lot of opportunities to win.”