Top Coach Wants to Lead Boca Juniors: "It Would Be a Dream"
Italian coach Maurizio Sarri, former manager of Lazio, Napoli, Chelsea, and Juventus, among others, revealed this Wednesday that "coaching Boca Juniors would be a dream."
At 65, Sarri still feels capable of managing. Not just any club, though; the coach, who unexpectedly resigned from Lazio on March 12 and has been free since, stated that going to La Bombonera would be "an incredible experience."
"I don’t see this as my 'last dance.' I still want to coach, and I believe I’m in a position to contribute something. Boca Juniors would be a final dream, a crazy dream, though I don’t know if it’s feasible. A few matches at La Bombonera would be a unique experience," he said in an interview with 'La Gazzetta dello Sport.'
The charismatic coach, known for his smoking habit and stern demeanor, highlighted the importance of experience in his profession, praising fellow Italians Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid) and Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta), as well as Spaniards Luis de la Fuente (Spain) and José Luis Mendilibar (Olympiacos).
"Young coaches are in vogue right now, but last year the three European cups were won by managers my age: Ancelotti in the Champions League, Gasperini in the Europa League, and Mendilibar in the Conference League. The same goes for De la Fuente, who led Spain to the European Championship," he pointed out.
The poor start of Milan under Portuguese manager Paulo Fonseca has put Sarri in the spotlight as a potential replacement at San Siro.
"I think it's wrong to talk about it at this moment; you need to have respect. Paulo Fonseca is a good coach and a sensible man. He’s just starting a process, and it’s fair to remain calm. I don’t want to engage in these discussions," he remarked.
Additionally, Sarri spoke about Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuaín, describing him as his "ideal center forward."
"When I arrived at Napoli, he wanted to leave. I convinced him in five minutes: I told him that with the football I wanted to play, he’d score a lot of goals. Higuaín is my ideal center forward, but he would be for any coach. Absolute top," he concluded.