Napoli defender Koulibaly confirms Sarri will be the new and revolutionary Chelsea head coach

After their impressive 2-1 win against Poland yesterday — a performance that was much more than just “pace and power”, as Zito Madu points out on the SB Nation mothership — Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly was interviewed about the game, his emotions, the new Chelsea manager. That’s right, having just won a crucial World Cup game, the question which was seen as one of the most important one’s to ask was K2’s thoughts on Sarri going to Chelsea. Don’t let that pesky World Cup get in the way of transfer rumors.

That said, Koulibaly, who himself has off-and-on been linked with Chelsea over the past few years, basically confirmed that Sarri will be the new Chelsea head coach. That’s how it’s done, rumor mill.

“(Chelsea fans) can expect nice football because he is a very good coach. I’m disappointed that he leaves like this but we have now a big coach (in Carlo Ancelotti). We know we can win something with him.

“I hope he will win something with Chelsea because he’s a nice coach.

“When a coach like [Sarri] comes he needs time. So I think they have to give him time because he will change the football of Chelsea, I think. At Napoli we enjoyed it very much as players and the supporters enjoyed it very much. At Chelsea I think it will be the same.”

-Kalidou Koulibaly; source: Football411

Koulibaly’s promise of “nice football” will surely warm the cockles of many a fan’s (and Roman Abramovich’s) heart. But even free-flowing beautiful exciting attacking football will only go so far if it’s not also accompanied by actual wins and trophies.

Koulibaly says that Sarri will need time to implement his ideas. Will he get that time from the notoriously trigger-happy, though recently softening (or more frugal), Roman Abramovich? One can only hope that the Chelsea hierarchy are aware of this and, despite axing a manager once again (who, in fairness, finished outside of the top four and also developed plenty of discord behind the scenes with upper management and some of his players), are also aiming to change the club’s approach with regard to managers.

What is clear is that for all this to work, everyone at the club, including us fans, will have to be patient and let Sarri work his magic.