Chelsea head coach Maurizio Sarri has displayed a high level of feebleness in his latest defense of the decision not to play Callum Hudson-Odoi regularly.
The 18-year old was one of the bright lights for Chelsea on Thursday night in their Europa League clash with Malmo FF. Starting his third game in the competition this season, Hudson-Odoi made sure he left a mark and reminded Sarri why he needed to be trusted a bit more consistently.
The youngster has been right on the edge of the first team, pushing for starts while first-choice wingers Willian and Pedro continue to falter. But Maurizio Sarri has appeared to have his preferred choice, at least, until now. The former Napoli boss revealed it may not have been his decision all along. The club should share the blame.
“You need to understand in the same position we have Pedro, Willian, and [Eden] Hazard,” Chelsea head coach Maurizio Sarri said after the win against Malmo. It’s not easy for a young player to play with the same consistency as his team-mates.
We are using him in the right way at the moment, of course the 20 matches this season will become 30 in the next, 40 in two years, and I think also the club has to decide because if I’m the club and I want Callum on the pitch with consistency, I have to sell another winger.
Otherwise the manager is in trouble.”
Maurizio Sarri, Sky Sports
It is not a strong stance by a manager many expect to hold firm to his tenets. For the managers who have special philosophies and styles, like Sarri’s ‘Sarriball’, they are thought to be strong in their assertions of how football should be played and what players fit the system.
But Sarri’s words reveal he is probably not in control as much. In fact, Simon Philips of the Evening Standard thinks he showed weakness with a tweet on Friday.
It is bizarre & weak from #Sarri to suggest only way #HudsonOdoi can play regularly is for #cfc to sell one of #Pedro, #Willian and #Hazard. He went on to say: "Otherwise the manager is in trouble."
— Simon Johnson (@SJohnsonSport) February 22, 2019
