Absolutely love the man to pieces, for obvious reasons . 

 

Anyone know what he's up to at the moment? He's been pretty quiet since he left .

I thought he was taking a year out to recharge and spend time with his family and then will start looking for work again.

I personally think Sky should have brought him for their football shows.

According to the news, He became the football ambassador of Guinness (Beer) and visiting African Nations last month

In July he publicly outlined he wanted to get back into football and he was linked to Fulham prior to this in May after Jol reportedly fell out with their board.  Apparently he gave he far-ranging interview with France Football in July about his relationship with Roman but only small piece printed in Mail on line: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2365531/Roberto-Di-Matteo-returning-management-Roman-Abramovich.html

 

I think he could get back into management but wouldn't be surprised to see him do a Zola and manage a lower league team perhaps.  A great guy but doesn't strike me as overly dynamic - I may be wrong of course.

The issue is is that he's a Champions League winner which should automatically put him in line for the top jobs, but at the same time there's a widespread belief that the team just ran itself and all he did was keep them motivated and together, not to mention Barca and Bayern missing just shy of ten million chances/Drogba being the beastiest beast that ever did beast.

The issue is is that he's a Champions League winner which should automatically put him in line for the top jobs, but at the same time there's a widespread belief that the team just ran itself and all he did was keep them motivated and together, not to mention Barca and Bayern missing just shy of ten million chances/Drogba being the beastiest beast that ever did beast.

 

Not to be controversial but I am of the belief that the players did most of the work to get to the final. While Robbie was an important factor, it was the players that won it for us. Not the manager. I actually thought his tactics were poor in the final. Drogba single handedly won us the CL in my opinion. 

Edited September 9, 201312 yr by JoeyN

Not to be controversial but I am of the belief that the players did most of the work to get to the final. While Robbie was an important factor, it was the players that won it for us. Not the manager. I actually thought his tactics were poor in the final. Drogba single handedly won us the CL in my opinion.

So playing Bertrand wasn't a good move? I think it worked. Drogba single handedly won us the CL have to disagree what about big Pete the two center backs that came back from injury the whole team dug dip that night. Sure drogba got the goals but it was a huge team after. If the penalty drogba gave a way wasn't missed you could be saying drogba cost us the

CL.

So playing Bertrand wasn't a good move? I think it worked. Drogba single handedly won us the CL have to disagree what about big Pete the two center backs that came back from injury the whole team dug dip that night. Sure drogba got the goals but it was a huge team after. If the penalty drogba gave a way wasn't missed you could be saying drogba cost us the

CL.

 

Didn't mean so much in a performance sense.

 

Drogba was our talisman in that CL. The way he spoke to the players before kick off. The way he was organising the team in the game. Yeah, he gave away a penalty, but if Robben scored it, I would have bet my house Drogba would have scored again to make it 2-2. Playing Bertrand on the left wing was a risk, but I could see why he made it. It wasn't a touch of genius by any means. It was common sense to me. 

 

The way RdM motivated the players before the game with the family messages however was a great call. The way I see it is, that those players had been through so much heartbreak in the CL (Cech, Lampard, Drogba, Cole, Mikel etc) that they just had the sheer determination to win it. They were given more freedom than AvB who insisted on his  high line tactics. If you did not comply by those tactics, you were benched (Cole vs Napoli).

 

RDM just unshackled the team from it's tactical restraints. Spirit won us the CL, not tactical masterclasses and most of that spirit came from the spine of Mourinho's men. The men who had endured so much heartbreak that made them more determined than ever.

 

In terms of the tactics vs the Bayern game, I just thought it was horrible to watch. If we lost that game, I would have been massively disappointed. Not because we lost, but we got to the final and played sh*t. We were set up to defend. We didn't have a single CCC and could hardly string passes together. We didn't give a good account of ourselves when it mattered most, but of course after the goal we started playing better. Perhaps due to Fernando Torres being brought on? Or the fact that Bayern made a defensive sub. Who knows? 

 

I just think the players were due more credit than the manager on this occasion. 

Edited September 9, 201312 yr by JoeyN

We've had the spirit of Mourinho since Claudio was dismissed, how many CL trophies have we got? Robbie won us the Champions League through motivation and tactics, he took over after the worst spell since Roman has been here, lets not take anything away from him.

We've had the spirit of Mourinho since Claudio was dismissed, how many CL trophies have we got? Robbie won us the Champions League through motivation and tactics, he took over after the worst spell since Roman has been here, lets not take anything away from him.

 

I'm not. I'm just giving more praise to the players for the win.

I'm not. I'm just giving more praise to the players for the win.

 

 

The players were great but if the manager wasn't a huge part of the win (which he was) what happened to them the rest of the time?

 

Robbie was great for this club, he turned round our worst season under Abramovich and made it our best, we won games against the odds against top opposition and he used our players through injury and form crisis to great effect.

 

I can't see any reason to have anything but admiration and gratitude for the bloke.

Edited September 9, 201312 yr by Chippy

The players were great but if the manager wasn't a huge part of the win (which he was) what happened to them the rest of the time?

 

Robbie was great for this club, he turned round our worst season under Abramovich and made it our best, we won games against the odds against top opposition and he used our players through injury and form crisis to great effect.

 

I can't see any reason to have anything but admiration and gratitude for the bloke.

 

We were also the first CL holders to go out at the group stage next season. I feel Robbie's success was a short fix. You can't rely on spirit forever. Of course I'm grateful for him, he was exactly what we needed at the time. The man is a legend and I love the bloke, but I put that CL win down to the players more than Robbie. 

We were also the first CL holders to go out at the group stage next season. I feel Robbie's success was a short fix. You can't rely on spirit forever. Of course I'm grateful for him, he was exactly what we needed at the time. The man is a legend and I love the bloke, but I put that CL win down to the players more than Robbie. 

 

Every win is the players more than the manager, a manager can send them out with any instructions he feels fit but its the players that have to adhere to them and put the effort in, in Robbies time that's exaxtly what they did and why we were able to attract the players we have done because we were European Champions.

 

Going out at the group stage was painful but its a fine thing when winning the CL is down to the players while going out at the group stage is down to the manager?

did you look at some of the performances? Robbie was a dead man walking by the time he gave up on Torres in the Juventus game and had he had a real option up front, things could have gone differently.

 

Did you see change for the better when he went then? did Benitez and the media have you believing there was an improvement?

 

He done a fantastic job while he was here, deserved the full season and a proper striker and left a legacy that helped attract top players and the top manager we now have.

Edited September 9, 201312 yr by Chippy

Every win is the players more than the manager, a manager can send them out with any instructions he feels fit but its the players that have to adhere to them and put the effort in, in Robbies time that's exaxtly what they did and why we were able to attract the players we have done because we were European Champions.

 

Going out at the group stage was painful but its a fine thing when winning the CL is down to the players while going out at the group stage is down to the manager?

did you look at some of the performances? Robbie was a dead man walking by the time he gave up on Torres in the Juventus game and had he had a real option up front, things could have gone differently.

 

Did you see change for the better when he went then? did Benitez and the media have you believing there was an improvement?

 

He done a fantastic job while he was here, deserved the full season and a proper striker and left a legacy that helped attract top players and the top manager we now have.

 

You make some good points. Especially about our CL group exit but I believe that as an interim manager, you're doing everything you can for results. When you get the full time job, you want to put your mark on the team. Robbie tried to put his tactical stamp on the team but it was too unbalanced. We were potent in attack, but our midfield and defence was shocking. He didn't get it right and if he had lasted the full season I doubt we would be in the Champions League. Feel like a broken record now, but I don't want to be misunderstood. Robbie did a fantastic job motivating and inspiring the players, but he is not a top manager. At least not yet anyway. 

 

Benitez did a good job getting us top four (which again I felt was due to the players more than the manager). We rode our luck and scrapped a lot of results. The Europa League was painful to watch but we won it due to our winning mentality more than the tactics. 

You make some good points. Especially about our CL group exit but I believe that as an interim manager, you're doing everything you can for results. When you get the full time job, you want to put your mark on the team. Robbie tried to put his tactical stamp on the team but it was too unbalanced. We were potent in attack, but our midfield and defence was shocking. He didn't get it right and if he had lasted the full season I doubt we would be in the Champions League. Feel like a broken record now, but I don't want to be misunderstood. Robbie did a fantastic job motivating and inspiring the players, but he is not a top manager. At least not yet anyway. 

 

Benitez did a good job getting us top four (which again I felt was due to the players more than the manager). We rode our luck and scrapped a lot of results. The Europa League was painful to watch but we won it due to our winning mentality more than the tactics. 

 

 

Funny how our opinions differ so much,

I think we played some great stuff up until quite late in Robbies tenure, I think we had a not unusual November slump in form including Clattenburgs catastrophy and a bloody difficult CL group with a woefully out of form striker and not much option and a change of manager was the last thing we needed.

 

Benitez improved us by us dropping from being three points behind UTD to miles off the pace and his name associated with our Europa trophy would be more easily digested using your "it was the players not the manager" logic but again that begs the question where were they in the other competitions?

 

You say Robbie is not a top manager and add not yet anyway and I can't disagree with that, but he showed he can compete with the best and with less ammunition and an inferior team he brought home the bacon, that's enough for me to say he was well on his way to being a top manager and fully deserved the season at least to get the new players all fitted in and a new striker.

 

Robbie was a great fit for the club as well, an ex player who loves the club and proved himself on the field and in the dugout.

 

I'm happy Mourinho's back but there is no way in the world I can justify Robbies treatment here or feel he done anything but good under the circumstances.

Edited September 9, 201312 yr by Chippy

Didn't mean so much in a performance sense.

Drogba was our talisman in that CL. The way he spoke to the players before kick off. The way he was organising the team in the game. Yeah, he gave away a penalty, but if Robben scored it, I would have bet my house Drogba would have scored again to make it 2-2. Playing Bertrand on the left wing was a risk, but I could see why he made it. It wasn't a touch of genius by any means. It was common sense to me.

The way RdM motivated the players before the game with the family messages however was a great call. The way I see it is, that those players had been through so much heartbreak in the CL (Cech, Lampard, Drogba, Cole, Mikel etc) that they just had the sheer determination to win it. They were given more freedom than AvB who insisted on his high line tactics. If you did not comply by those tactics, you were benched (Cole vs Napoli).

RDM just unshackled the team from it's tactical restraints. Spirit won us the CL, not tactical masterclasses and most of that spirit came from the spine of Mourinho's men. The men who had endured so much heartbreak that made them more determined than ever.

In terms of the tactics vs the Bayern game, I just thought it was horrible to watch. If we lost that game, I would have been massively disappointed. Not because we lost, but we got to the final and played sh*t. We were set up to defend. We didn't have a single CCC and could hardly string passes together. We didn't give a good account of ourselves when it mattered most, but of course after the goal we started playing better. Perhaps due to Fernando Torres being brought on? Or the fact that Bayern made a defensive sub. Who knows?

I just think the players were due more credit than the manager on this occasion.

The players got lots of credit and so did the management and the backroom it was a team effort. I do know what you mean but for me Robbie played a huge part. Doesn't really matter what we think all that matters is in 20 or 30 years time when the question is asked who managed chelsea to their first champions leauge throphy the answer is and will always be Robbie. All the players seem to give Robbie huge praise for the achievement. Drogba was huge in the champions leauge knockout stages but what about Cole clearing the ball off the line away against napoli or even Ivan bust a gut scoring in extra time in the home leg. So many players played a huge part. Ramiries super goal at Barca. You give drogba all the praise and yeah he does deserve loads but if messi scored the peno that drogba gave away we wouldn't off been in the final. Drogba owed us a CL throphy especially since he cost us the throphy in Moscow. That's just my opinion. ONE DI MATTEO.

RDM in my opinion didn't have the balanced squad depth required to compete in the league and Europe.

Benetiz came in and only needed to focus on the league and we then bought another striker allowing rotation up front but the central midfield was a problem all year but we got away with it in the Europa Cup playing against a lower standard of opposition.

RDM could have achieved exactly what Benetiz did in my opinion but was hastily sacked.

My opinion aside, Robbie will always have my gratitude. I hope he gets a good job. I can see him at a Everton-like club in the future. 

 

 

He'll probably be Sunderland manager by November.

My opinion aside, Robbie will always have my gratitude. I hope he gets a good job. I can see him at a Everton-like club in the future.

Agreed.

Champions league trophy Robbie and Player's sheer determination won it for us credit to everyone. Europa league I would say team won it for us.

He was heavily linked with the Napoli job before the summer, and his arch-obese enemy took that job like a slimey prick too. 

(Excuses if that was outlined in the thread already, didn't have time to look through it)

Edited September 9, 201312 yr by Joust

I wonder how long it takes for this thread to turn into an argument involving Benitez?

I think he will be looking for a club that will back him and give him time. After the way he was treated here who could blame him. Rushing into another job and maybe not getting the right results straight away could end his time in management.

The Everton job would have been perfect for him apart from there is hardly any money to spend.

I think he will be looking for a club that will back him and give him time. After the way he was treated here who could blame him. 

 

Bar the sacking he got treated fine here. He is probably set up for life too.