Abramovich’s 12 managerial appointments – how each man has fared in the hotseat
Antonio Conte has become the latest Chelsea manager to be shown the door after a turbulent season in which he appeared at odds with the Blues’ hierarchy.
Conte was the 12th managerial appointment made by owner Roman Abramovich since he took over the club in the summer of 2003, with Jose Mourinho and Guus Hiddink having two spells at the club.
Here’s a look at how those men have fared in the Stamford Bridge hotseat.
Claudio Ranieri (September 2000-May 2004)
The Italian was at the helm when Abramovich arrived at the Bridge. After heavy spending he led Chelsea to a second-placed finish in the Premier League and the semi-finals of the Champions League but faced persistent speculation about his job and was sacked at the end of the season.
Jose Mourinho (June 2004-September 2007)
The Portuguese established himself as a Chelsea hero, winning back-to-back league titles in his first two seasons, one FA Cup and two League Cups. His departure only a month into his fourth season by ‘mutual consent’ was unexpected.
Avram Grant (September 2007-May 2008)
A friend of Abramovich, Israeli Grant had been appointed technical director in the summer of 2007. He was controversially made manager after Mourinho’s departure and lasted only one season, which saw Chelsea finish second in the league and lose in the Champions League final to Manchester United.
Luiz Felipe Scolari (July 2008-February 2009)
Brazilian Scolari was the first World Cup-winning coach to manage in the Premier League but a poor run of form saw him sacked before the end of his first season.
Guus Hiddink (February 2009-May 2009)
Hiddink was appointed until the end of the season and combined his duties with his post as Russia manager. He lost only one match and won the FA Cup but could not be persuaded to stay on a permanent basis.
Carlo Ancelotti (July 2009-May 2011)
The Italian enjoyed a dream first season, leading Chelsea to a first ever league and FA Cup double, with his side becoming the first to score more than 100 Premier League goals in one campaign. He was sacked hours after finishing second in his second season.
Andre Villas-Boas (June 2011-March 2012)
Hailed as the new Mourinho, Villas-Boas’ tenure was not a happy one. After talk of a player revolt, he was sacked with Chelsea outside the Champions League places.
Roberto Di Matteo (March 2012-November 2012)
Former Chelsea midfielder Di Matteo had been Villas-Boas’ assistant and was made interim manager until the end of the season. He enjoyed remarkable success, winning the FA Cup and then guiding the Blues to a first Champions League triumph. That earned him a permanent contract but the following season did not go nearly as well and he was sacked.
Rafael Benitez (November 2012-May 2013)
Benitez was the club’s latest interim manager, and an unpopular one with Chelsea fans because of his Liverpool past. The Spaniard won the Europa League and led the team to a third-place finish in the league.
Jose Mourinho (June 2013-December 2015)
Benitez’s departure paved the way for the return of ‘the special one’. Mourinho won a third Premier League title in 2014-15 as well as the League Cup but, after signing a new contract, a disastrous start to the following season saw him leave the club for a second time.
Guus Hiddink (December 2015-May 2016)
Hiddink returned for a second caretaker spell. He could not match the impact of his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge but he did manage to stabilise the club.
Antonio Conte (July 2016-February 2018)
The Italian enjoyed a terrific debut season, with Chelsea dominating the Premier League and winning the title by seven points. But he entered his second season under a cloud by appearing to criticise the club’s transfer policy in the summer of 2017 and the Blues could only finish fifth in the Premier League, thereby missing out on a Champions League place.
Conte did oversee victory the FA Cup final in what proved to be his final match in charge.
