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Chelsea's ruthless handling of managers somehow continues to yield success and trophies. Since dismissing Gianluca Vialli early in the 2000-01 season, the Blues have employed 14 different managers, with six of them being caretakers or interim coaches.
Nonetheless, the London giants are among European football's powerhouses, and have won 21 trophies since the turn of the millennium. The reigning Champions League winners' trophy haul looks likely to grow under Thomas Tuchel, who has built an impressive squad since arriving at the club last year.
Despite their short tenures, Chelsea's recent managers have won multiple trophies
Club owner Roman Abramovich has strived to set a high standard at Chelsea since taking over the club in 2003. The Blues are infamous for their lack of patience with underachieving managers, though.
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As Thomas Tuchel's men gear up to defend their Champions League crown and make a run at domestic cup competitions, here's a look at the five greatest Chelsea managers this century:
#5 Roberto Di Matteo
The Italian enjoyed a successful spell at Chelsea during his playing career, making 175 appearances. However, Di Matteo will always be remembered for arguably the greatest caretaker spell in English football history.
He was appointed temporary head coach after the Blues sacked the struggling Andre Villas-Boas in March 2011. In less than three months, Di Matteo led the club to an FA Cup triumph, beating Liverpool in the final, and their first-ever Champions League title, defeating Bayern Munich on penalties.
He was given the permanent job ahead of the start of the 2012-13 season. However, he was sacked barely five months into the campaign, with Chelsea on the brink of elimination from the Champions League group stage.
Di Matteo won two trophies in eight months in charge at the club, and is a prime example of the Blues' unusual approach with their managers.
#4 Thomas Tuchel
Thomas Tuchel could very well move up this list by the time the ongoing season comes to an end. The German tactician has enjoyed 12 fruitful months in London since joining the Blues in January 2021. In this period, he has transformed Chelsea into one of the most formidable defensive units in the world.
With the 2021 Champions League and UEFA Super Cup titles under his belt, Tuchel has been a revelation at Stamford Bridge. Although Chelsea's form has been underwhelming in recent weeks, that can be attributed to injuries to numerous key players.
Although the league title is all but out of their reach, Tuchel and co. are still in the hunt for trophies.
They will face Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final, and will start as favourites in their Champions League Round of 16 tie against LOSC Lille. The London giants will also look to win their first-ever FIFA Club World Cup in the coming weeks, and are still in the FA Cup as well.
The Blues have won 39 of Tuchel's 66 games as head coach while conceding just 42 times, giving him a win percentage of 59.
#3 Antonio Conte
Antonio Conte, who joined Chelsea in 2016, captured the hearts of the Stamford Bridge faithful during his two-year reign as manager. The Italian tactician's passion and intensity was on full display as he led the Blues to their most recent Premier League title in 2017 and followed that up with the 2018 FA Cup.
Defensive stability and tenacity in midfield were the hallmarks of Conte's spell with the London club. His combative nature and Chelsea's impatient hierarchy were never going to be a match made in heaven, though. It was no surprise when the Italian had a complete breakdown in communication with the board over transfer budgets and targets.
He was sacked in 2018 despite the club winning 69 of his 106 games in charge, giving him an excellent win percentage of 65. Conte's Blues side also hold the record for the most consecutive league wins in club history, with 13 straight victories in 2017-18.
#2 Carlo Ancelotti
One of the greatest managers of all time, Carlo Ancelotti spent just under two years at Stamford Bridge, between 2009 and 2011.
The Italian coach, who has managed some of the biggest clubs in the world, led Chelsea to their first-ever league and cup double in 2009, winning the Premier League and the FA Cup. The Blues also clinched the Community Shield earlier in the 2009-10 season.
Unfortunately, the Blues fell off in Don Carlo's second season, finishing trophyless. However, they embarked on a superb run of form in the second half of the campaign to finish second in the league. That came after Chelsea were fifth in December and at real risk of missing out on European football altogether.
It wasn't enough to save Ancelotti's job, though, and he departed London at the end of the 2010-11 season. The club won 67 of their 109 games under the Italian, with his win percentage standing at 61.
#1 Jose Mourinho
'The Special One' is widely acknowledged as the greatest manager in Chelsea's history.
It was under Jose Mourinho that the Blues truly established themselves as one of the world's elite clubs. His first spell in London came between 2004 and 2007, lasting just under three years.
It was a golden period for the club, as the Blues won back-to-back Premier League titles (2005 and 2006), two League Cups, the FA Cup and the Community Shield.
The 2004-05 Premier League crown was Chelsea's first domestic top-flight title in 50 years. They also conceded just 15 times in 38 games, which remains the lowest tally in the league's history. Mourinho's first stint in London came to an end in November 2007, and he departed after winning six trophies. Incredibly, he never lost a home game during that period.
The Portuguese tactician returned in 2013 for a 30-month spell, where he led the Blues to another Premier League title and the League Cup. Although his time at the club ended in conflict on both occasions, Mourinho is still fondly remembered by the club's fans.
With eight trophies in 321 games as Chelsea head coach, Mourinho saw his team come out on top in 63.5% of those fixtures, winning 204 times.
