Maurizio Sarri explains how he urged Napoli stars “to enjoy their football” and is “Coach, brother, friend or father figure.”

The former Empoli boss has won critics over with his sparkling style of football and above all results, winning 11 of the last 13 competitive games with 33 goals scored and only three conceded.

Maurizio Sarri explains how he urged Napoli stars “to enjoy their football” and is “Coach, brother, friend or father figure.”

The former Empoli boss has won critics over with his sparkling style of football and above all results, winning 11 of the last 13 competitive games with 33 goals scored and only three conceded.

“The Scudetto remains outside of our vocabulary,” insisted Sarri in the Corriere dello Sport. “We have started a journey and let’s keep our feet on the ground, remembering we finished fifth last season.

“There is time to fly. It is an open campaign, without a dominating force, so many different teams competing on level terms. I can say that I’ve been very impressed with Fiorentina.

“The trouble is there’s this frenetic desire to call a Coach a cretin if he loses two games or a genius if he wins two. Similarly, a striker is lambasted if he misses a penalty and a genius if he scores a tap-in. It’s either all positive or all negative.

“This all makes it very difficult to continue a project and help football evolve. In my three years at Empoli I started an era that reaped rewards because we were not conditioned by the most recent result.

“I hope to do the same at Napoli, where I found an organised club and a positive climate. Football either is a project or it isn’t.”

Players have spoken enthusiastically about Sarri’s man-management skills, so how does he prepare his team for a big game?

“It depends on how I perceive the spirit within the group. If I see them tense or irritable, I tell them to go out there and have fun. If I see they are underestimating a challenge, I change tack.

“The most important thing is to create confidence in themselves and each other. Collective psychology is important, as is checking on every athlete, without being intrusive. Off the field matters also have an effect, so they are important too.

“A Coach is not just a tactician, he is also a man. At times he has to be brother, friend or father figure.”

Among the players who benefited the most from Sarri’s introduction is Gonzalo Higuain.

“He has fun and I urge him to enjoy his football. He is a world class player and potentially the best I’ve ever worked with.”

Image via @sscnapoli

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