Roberto Di Matteo

[robdog 2,084]

as quiet as it is here, RDM still has Schalke playing good in Die Bundesliga. Ok maybe only at home, but still smacking Mainz 4-1 after getting beeyatch slapped by Chelsea is a good result. Many people were ready to say that RDM was done, but Schalke proved otherwise. Can the club qualify for the UCL is another story. RDM needs to get some results on the road for that to happen.

[tiby2979 175]

I love you Robbie

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

Chelsea legend forever and ever and ever...one day if his team knock us out of CL and he wins it I wouldn't hate him, this guy is a very nice person. Shame about today, but it shows that sometime defending is not the best way to go, if only Schalke tried to play like this today 3 weeks ago they may well be through now.

I hope Jose learns from this so if/when we meet Barca/Bayern/Real next and if we have to play the 1st leg at home it is not just happy with a 0-0 from the get go and aim to play in the 2nd leg as it will most of the time like today proves to be futile.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I haven't seen the spirit that Schalke fought with tonight in the CL since....we won it!

Motivation and determination are so underrated in football. Robbie knows how to exploit their full power.

[ZOS 580]

There is only one Di Matteo ... schalke should be very proud of their performance

[OneMoSalah 8,611]

His teams still can't defend very well though. West Brom, his Chelsea side after he won us the double and now Schalke look really dangerous attacking sometimes but over commit and leave easy chances for the opposition like we seen tonight, although Real played very bad and Casillas was pish.

[Jase 43,479]

I haven't seen the spirit that Schalke fought with tonight in the CL since....we won it!

Motivation and determination are so underrated in football. Robbie knows how to exploit their full power.

Funnily enough, that motivation and determination went AWOL in the derby against Dortmund recently.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Funnily enough, that motivation and determination went AWOL in the derby against Dortmund recently.

League and cup football are very different on the psychological level for footballers.

For the record, I don't think that he's doing particularly good with Schalke in the league or that he's likely to last more than a year or so, there.

[termninja 5,290]

I really hope he can do well at Schalke, love the lad !

[robdog 2,084]

After watching Pep Guardiola's Mighty Bayern München get beeyatch slapped by Barca, I think this should put in prospective the job RDM did in 2012. Many people on this messageboard don't rate RDM, but he had done more w/ less than Pep. In fact it was Pep's Barca that RDM Knocked the fuck out of the Euros. So again, let's give a bit more appreciation on the job RDM did w/ CFC

[Muzchap 8,966]

After watching Pep Guardiola's Mighty Bayern München get beeyatch slapped by Barca, I think this should put in prospective the job RDM did in 2012. Many people on this messageboard don't rate RDM, but he had done more w/ less than Pep. In fact it was Pep's Barca that RDM Knocked the fuck out of the Euros. So again, let's give a bit more appreciation on the job RDM did w/ CFC

I don't think people questioned RdM's passion, desire and belief - it's just that he couldn't figure out a way to play attacking football without leaking goals - it's been the same at every club for him.

It was probably a step too far and too early in his coaching career. But, I will always respect him as a player and the man that delivered the CL

[Tomo 21,681]

After watching Pep Guardiola's Mighty Bayern München get beeyatch slapped by Barca, I think this should put in prospective the job RDM did in 2012. Many people on this messageboard don't rate RDM, but he had done more w/ less than Pep. In fact it was Pep's Barca that RDM Knocked the fuck out of the Euros. So again, let's give a bit more appreciation on the job RDM did w/ CFC

Just to add further on what Muzchap said, I don't think any Chelsea fan doesn't rate the work he did in his interim spell, to rally a broken squad together and pull off two cup's (one of them being the one we have been desperately trying to get for almost a decade) was absolutely incredible work and I still to this day defend him against the people who say he just sat there and let the player's take charge.

However the full time job was a completely different kettle off fish and in my opinion was a bit too much for him, which is a shame because if you go back to my post's in the summer of 2012 there was no one who wanted it to work more than me.

However his legendary status at this football club will never ever be in question, his work in bringing big ears to Stamford Bridge puts him up there with Zola for me.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Lets face the facts here though..

He was only offered the fulltime job (a medial 2 year contract might I add) to make the club's PR not look as rubbish as it was back then. He won the Champions League with a Chelsea team that didn't have much to offer and all eyes were on our Board.. For how can a club dismiss a European Cup winner?

The contract offer was a simple waiting game. If he continues to be successful then its a great gamble, but the moment he begins to look like he's costing the campaign he's gone. Gone cheap too.. He wouldn't be owed near the same sums of compensation that we paid to AVB, Ancelotti etc.

That being said, I don't think you'll find a single Chelsea fan who doesn't appreciate and respect the job Roberto Di Matteo did.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

Maybe someday he will be back

[Muzchap 8,966]

Maybe someday he will be back

Indeed - you could argue Mou has set a precedent

I wouldn't be adverse to RdM returning and bagging another big eared trophy

I know that makes me look hypocritical - as I once started a poll on whether RdM should stay - but I knew it was a job too big for him at the time, he should have ended on the high of the CL victory.

I still watch his FA Cup goal - amazing

[Reddish-Blue 2,213]

Good coach, helped us win the UCL trophy (with more than a bit of luck) and that's about it

I'm glad we let him go as he simply wasn't cut out to be Chelsea's manager on a full time basis

[Tomo 21,681]

Lets face the facts here though..

He was only offered the fulltime job (a medial 2 year contract might I add) to make the club's PR not look as rubbish as it was back then. He won the Champions League with a Chelsea team that didn't have much to offer and all eyes were on our Board.. For how can a club dismiss a European Cup winner?

The contract offer was a simple waiting game. If he continues to be successful then its a great gamble, but the moment he begins to look like he's costing the campaign he's gone. Gone cheap too.. He wouldn't be owed near the same sums of compensation that we paid to AVB, Ancelotti etc.

That being said, I don't think you'll find a single Chelsea fan who doesn't appreciate and respect the job Roberto Di Matteo did.

Roman has never been one to care about outside perception, he does what he believes is best for the club.

Infact, my perspective on RDM getting the full time gig was Roman was thinking of the emotional side especially for us the fans, if he ran us purely like a business I reckon he would have made that controversial RDM-Rafa change a matter of days after Munich.

That alone showed Roman cared about our thoughts, imagine being on such a high after Munich only for Rafa to be appointed days later? Would have completely destroyed our 'summer in the sun'.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Roman has never been one to care about outside perception, he does what he believes is best for the club.

Infact, my perspective on RDM getting the full time gig was Roman was thinking of the emotional side especially for us the fans, if he ran us purely like a business I reckon he would have made that controversial RDM-Rafa change a matter of days after Munich.

That alone showed Roman cared about our thoughts, imagine being on such a high after Munich only for Rafa to be appointed days later? Would have completely destroyed our 'summer in the sun'.

I don't see it like that Tomo, but I respect the view.

I think the club felt they didn't have choice but to offer RDM a fulltime contract or face the wrath of the media and others alike in vilifying Chelsea. Backs against the wall and that.