Chelsea are enduring a tough time at the moment
Maurizio Sarri is under severe scrutiny right now. After a bright start to the season, winning their first six games of the season and going unbeaten until November 24, the coach’s job now seems to be on the line after two heavy defeats in the past month: the first to Bournemouth by four goals, and the second a 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Manchester City.
Sarri has spoken of the players being difficult to motivate and how they are not getting to grips with the basics of ‘Sarriball’. Many have advocated for his sacking. It is after all, easier to change one manager than the entire squad. But Sarri’s compatriot and legend of Italian football Alessandro Del Piero has insisted that Sarri must be given time.
Speaking to JOE at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Monaco, Del Piero said: “Sarri is a great coach because his teams play so good. But in order to reach that level you need time.
“You need good understanding between coach, players, club. It is teamwork. From my point of view, I suggest of course to give him time.”
Del Piero acknowledged that there will be day-to-day issues that we are not aware of from the outside, but reiterated that time will help Sarri iron out the problems he has encountered.
“I am not there day by day so maybe there is some stuff they need to change daily, because I know how usually he works, it is pretty tough, it is time on the field and strict. Maybe sometimes with the mentality you need to adjust, find another way to do things. But Chelsea showed already great games and performances.
“The last month was up and down, it wasn’t the best, definitely. But they have organisation, they have players to re-start winning every game.”
Sarri is a dogmatic coach, who only wants to play his style of football. Del Piero therefore believes he should be allowed to bring in some more players who will buy into his possession based philosophy.
“When you have a coach that has a clear idea and schematics and understanding of the game in one way specifically, it is definitely easier if he has his own players to show what he wants,” he said.
“And to show the game he wants to show. This is the answer at the end of the day. He has HiguaÃn and Jorginho. But that’s it. No more. It is not a lot. Some coaches they bought five, six, seven players.”
