Is Mauricio Sarri Really A Good Manager?

 

For a man who has been managing teams since 1990, Maurizio Sarri’s trophy cabinet is significantly empty. The experienced (perhaps over-experienced) Italian manager caught the eye of many when he won a Serie A promotion with Empoli. He then transferred to Napoli where his direct, pinpoint counter passing style became an immediate success.

While he didn’t win at Napoli, Sarri engineered a successful race to the title in the 2017-18 season, playing some beautiful football that knocked most top European teams off their perches.  

The Italian manager quickly moved to Chelsea where his style of play wasn’t well-received, especially due to claims that he was playing Ngolo Kante out of position. His loyal lieutenant, Jorginho, was also subject to intense scrutiny, having had to prove himself severally to the Stamford Bridge faithful.

After winning the first major trophy of his life, the Europa League with Chelsea in the 2018-19 season, Sarri attracted interest from Juventus. 

Sarri was appointed to replace Maximiliano Allegri, a highly regarded coach that had led Juve to several domestic titles, and of course, two champion league finals.

It was his exit from the 2019/20 champions league at the round of 16 stage courtesy of 2-2 score with French team Lyon that saw the axe land on Sarri. He was dismissed after just a season in charge of the old lady, and we can’t help but wonder, can Sarri ever go higher at Juve?

Reasons why Sarri doesn’t Last as Coach

Too Rigid Style of Play

Sarri’s style depends on how he works it on the training pitch. He’s not the ‘follow your instinct’ type of manager. For Sarri, it’s all about being in the right place at the right time. Players must be at their designated positions for his fluid style to succeed. 

And while his technique isn’t too bad, it often takes time before players adapt to  the style, which consequently leads to substandard performances that lead to poor runs.

Sarri Isn’t too loveable

From Pep’s addictive attention to detail, to Klopp’s father-figure personality and even Mourinho’s conceited character, most successful managers have a way they connect with the fans. 

Sarri never connects to a team, its fans, or its board- unless the team is on a hot winning streak(rarely happens).

Not forgetting that Sarri smokes (not too much of a good example), he sure can be hard to love!

Sari Doesn’t Have an Attractive CV

He has managed teams for over three decades, and his most significant achievement is the Europa League with Chelsea. And although his fans might argue he delivered it in his first season, it goes without saying that the blues team wasn’t in harmony during his reign.

In Juventus, Sarri won the league, but not in a canter. Juventus` poor run of form ensured they finished just a point higher than challengers InterMilan, in the process blowing an over 6 point lead that they held going into the final weeks of the season.

Star Players Don’t Shine

Managers like Klopp, Mourinho, Pep, and Pochetino have a reputation for getting the best out of players. Take Klopp, for instance, a man who manages over four world-class players in the same team. He certainly brought the best out of Mane, Salah, Van Dijk, and Allison.

Pep has transformed Sterling into a goal machine, and is widely credited for helping Messi take his game to truly astronomical heights.

Mourinho also managed an impressive run of form in his first spell as Chelsea Boss, turning the likes of Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and John Terry into modern-day legends.

Pochetino will forever be credited with Harry Kane’s Transformation into a deadly world-class striker.

But can Sarri brag about anything other than being overly reliant on Jorginho?

Sarri was criticized for his treatment of Christiano Ronaldo. But the two appeared to mend their relationship, a move which saw Ronaldo net an incredible 31 times for his team(which included a ten-game goal-scoring streak). Many would argue that Ronaldo could have scored a lot more to win the golden boot.

Why Sarri Was Fired

In a nutshell, Sarri isn’t the worst manager, but he certainly isn’t what most would call, a world-class gaffer. He doesn’t gel well with his team, doesn’t bring out the best of players both individually and collectively, and he certainly doesn’t deliver that feel-good, long term vibe.

Sarri might be a senior, but he doesn’t look half as warm as Klopp, he might be a sucker for detail, but his results can’t compare to Pep’s stats.

And finally, Sarri might be hard-headed and arrogant, but he doesn’t have a glistening CV like Mourinho’s to back it up. 

That’s why Sarri’s probably going back to where he belongs, managing upper to mid-table teams.