THERE ARE two habits that Maurizio Sarri cannot kick - cigarettes and his love of English football.
The vastly experienced Italian manager deeply regrets the decision to walk away from Chelsea after just one season. And he wants to put things right.
Despite guiding the club to the Europa League title, a top four finish and a Wembley final, chain-smoker Sarri ‘panicked’ and headed home for safety’s sake.
The gradual breakdown of former owner Roman Abamovich’s deteriorating relationship with the UK government was behind him asking to leave just when he should have been negotiating a new contract.
Sarri is still puffing away as he talks exclusively to SunSport about his unfinished business with the Premier League. And more importantly, whether he would pack up fags because stadiums over here are no-smoking arenas
In answer to that question, he declared: “No.”
He then goes into great depth detailing why he felt he had to leave Chelsea despite winning a European trophy in his one and only season.
Russian Abramovich had his UK visa revoked. Technical director Michael Emenalo had quit the year before Sarri arrived.
Transfer guru Marina Granovskaia was left juggling several roles - and it scared Sarri.
He said: “I could have stayed at Chelsea.
“I wanted to come back to Italy because the situation at Chelsea was not easy. In that period Abramovich was not allowed to go to England. I only saw him at games abroad. We had some telephone calls but not very often.
“My point of reference was only Marina. There wasn’t a sporting director so the situation was not so clear. So I wanted to come back to Italy but it was a mistake.
“It would have been better to stay there. I was a little worried about the situation with Chelsea, the situation inside the club. It was not clear.
“I asked Marina if it was possible to go back to Italy and Marina asked for some money from Juventus to set me free.
“They said if I wanted to stay at Chelsea it was possible. But at the end of the season with Chelsea it was a good experience and good results.
“We got third place in the Premier League table, reached the final of the Carabao Cup and won the Europa League. We played a lot of good matches.
“Of course at times there were two or three disasters, like at Manchester against City, like at Bournemouth.
“Now I am ready to start again. I don’t know where at the moment. But me and the staff are ready.”
Sarri faced an uphill battle to convince Chelsea fans that his possession-based philosophy, or ‘Sarriball’ as it has become known, suited the blood and thunder of the Premier League.
His team was trounced 6-0 at Manchester City and 4-0 by lowly Bournemouth during his sole year in charge. But there is no arguing with the end result.
Sarri left Chelsea and went on to win Serie A with Juventus the following season. Then a proud second-placed finish with Lazio in 2023.
He said: “I managed at the top level. We won the Scudetta with Juve but it is not the same as the Premier League.
“England is the top level for players, for teams, for clubs, for stadiums, for fans. For everything. So I’d like to come back.
“If I had a team and had the opportunity to be the coach of a team at the same level I think that I could do even better.
“If Chelsea were able to get into the top four then my football must have been suitable. Probably the disaster at Manchester and Bournemouth made the fans unhappy about my situation and my football. But I think it was a feeling for a couple of months, no more.”
Two Premier League managers have already been sacked this season - Erik ten Hag at Manchester United and Steve Cooper from Leicester.
It is at this time of year that top flight clubs start getting twitchy.
Julen Lopetegui at West Ham and Russell Martin at Southampton must be looking over their shoulders.
At Chelsea, Sarri used a terrace next to his first floor office at the training ground for smoking.
His only requirements from any new club are an outside space and potential.
Sarri said: “It is very important to get 101 percent from your team. This is more important than winning a cup, a trophy, or the Premier League.
“To get 101 percent from the players, the team as a whole. It is better than winning. Real Madrid can win with 98 per cent of the potential of the team. The real win is getting 101 per cent of the potential.
“I wanted to leave Chelsea - but only because of a particular situation. Not because of England.
"I want to be a coach again.”