Vialli , 34 has decided the demands of being a player-boss at Stamford Bridge are just to great.So he has quit as a player after 499 games, 69 with Chelsea , bringing to an end a glorious career in the hope of emulating his success as a manager.
Vialli won 59 caps with Italy, the European and Uefa Cups with Juventus and the European Cup Winners Cup with Samdoria and Chelsea.
He said "From now on I will be a manager and only a manager"
"I have had enough of training with team-mates , all those five-a-sides and kickabouts"
"It is time to become a more traditional manager , I need to go further and deeper as a boss"
Vialli, who captured the European Cup Winners Cup , European Super Cup, and the Coca-Cola Cup in his first season in charge and guided Chelsea into next season's Champions League is fiercely ambitious in the management stakes.
But he admits it still hurts to think he will never kick a ball in anger again
He added "Every time the realisation it is all over hits me , my heart tightens a little bit"
"I hope I leave good memories as a player behind"
"And I hope the supporters understand that behind my actions and eccenttricities there is a lot of sincerity, sensitivity, and most of all, a sense of humanity.
And he pledged the next two years exclusively to making Chelsea one of the top sides in Europe.
He said "My contract with Chelsea runs through to June 2001 and unless they sack me I intend to honour it , after that we will see"
ROB BEASLEY
News Of The World
6-6-99