Former Chelsea defender Gary Cahill has revealed his frustrations playing under former Blues manager Maurizio Sarri, admitting he absolutely hated his time during the Italian’s tenure at Stamford Bridge, Soccernet.football reports.
Cahill, who was a vital part of Chelsea’s success, including two Premier League titles and a Champions League victory, criticised Sarri’s tactical approach during the 2018-19 season.
A consistent performer for Chelsea over seven years, Cahill found himself sidelined under Sarri’s management, featuring in only eight Premier League matches that season.
Speaking on the ObiOnePodcast, Cahill did not hold back in sharing his views on Sarri’s much-discussed playing style, known as “Sarriball.”
He stated, “It was all tactical. What was Sarriball? I played it and I still don’t know what it is. He didn’t play me so – it was very standstill. He was a very superstitious manager.”
Cahill went on to describe the repetitive nature of Sarri’s training sessions, particularly one tactical routine that left him baffled.
“We would practice a centre, the ball being played back to the centre-back who would put a foot on it, and smash a diagonal. The restart of a game for example. We’d do that every Friday. You’re talking full-on international players. That only needs one session, doesn’t it? It blew my mind,” Cahill added.
Despite Cahill’s dissatisfaction with his experience under Sarri, Chelsea have since moved on, continuing their pattern of managerial changes.
The club is now under the guidance of Enzo Maresca, who has started promisingly this season.
Cahill has previously voiced his approval of Maresca’s training methods, describing them as “hands-on” and a step in the right direction for Chelsea’s future.
Currently, Chelsea’s defensive partnership between Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill has shown promise, with both players starting every Premier League match this season.