Roberto Di Matteo interim manager of Chelsea looks on during the UEFA Champions League Final between FC Bayern Muenchen and Chelsea at the Fussball Arena München in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Roberto Di Matteo has turned his successful spell as a caretaker into a permanent job. Chelsea announced him as their manager on Saturday.
Rather than chasing the biggest names in world football, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has chosen to stick with what's working. Roberto Di Matteo, the former Chelsea player and assistant manager turned interim manager, has been hired on a full-time basis by the team. His contract is for two years.
Di Matteo's biggest job before taking over as Chelsea interim manager was at West Bromwich Albion, where he was surprisingly fired in 2011 after two-month run of poor form. He was subsequently hired as the Chelsea assistant manager on June 29, where he served under Andre Villas-Boas.
By now, the rest of the story is well known. Villas-Boas guided Chelsea to just over a season and a half of poor results and lost the dressing room. He was sacked, and Di Matteo took over as interim manager on March 4. He went on to lead Chelsea to an FA Cup title and their first ever UEFA Champions League title.
Most assumed that Abramovic would be after a big-name manager with big experience when Villas-Boas was sacked, but it's impossible to ignore Di Matteo's results. Additionally, he had an excellent playing career with Chelsea and has great rapport with the club's senior players, making him an easy choice for the permanent job.
For more on Di Matteo and his hiring, head over to Chelsea FC blog We Ain't Got No History.
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