Maurizio Sarri fears his Chelsea future is in jeopardy. He has sought assurances and received none, yet continues to do things in very much his own way.
Take this trip to Boston. Sarri must know exactly how Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich feels about the game billed as the 'Final Whistle on Hate' in Boston.
It is a matter close to the heart of Abramovich, a Russian billionaire with an Israeli passport who devised a plan with Robert Kraft, owner of New England Revolution, to help football combat anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination.
Maurizio Sarri is growing increasingly fearful as to whether he will keep his job with Chelsea
The owners have each donated more than £770,000 and Sarri's public complaints about the fixture's inconvenience went down badly. His reluctance to be involved in promotional work around the fixture will also have been noted.
He was a notable absentee as his entire squad of 23 players joined chairman Bruce Buck and staff on a visit to Boston's Holocaust Memorial on Tuesday.
It was explained away as a stomach upset. He was prescribed medication and advised by the doctor to rest, after which he was feeling better and hoped to be on the touchline for the game against the Revs in the early hours of Thursday morning, UK time.
Sarri must know exactly how Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich feels about game in Boston
Sarri was scheduled to speak in Boston at a press conference on Tuesday but was replaced by defenders Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso. Chelsea directors must look at the style with which Pep Guardiola fronts Manchester City or the passionate bond Jurgen Klopp and Mauricio Pochettino have with fans and wonder if they might get more from their manager on this front.
Sarri does not enjoy his media duties and, despite declarations of love for his life in London, he rarely looks like a man having a good time.
There is no chemistry with the Chelsea supporters. His superstition of never stepping on to the pitch means he rarely goes over to the fans after away games and he opted out of the end-of-season lap of appreciation at Stamford Bridge.
The football in his first season has been fitful and dependent on the brilliance of Eden Hazard, although in the end-of-season reckoning Chelsea have reached two cup finals and finished third.
Qualifying for the Champions League was Sarri's minimum requirement and he has fulfilled it. The Europa League, a 16th major trophy of the Abramovich era, would be a terrific bonus. Still, Italian newspapers have been running stories for weeks linking him to Roma, AC Milan and Juventus.
A report on Wednesday claimed he would be sacked after the
