DI MATTEO CONFIRMED AS SOUTHAMPTON MANAGER

Roberto Di Matteo has been confirmed as the new manager of Southampton after Mauricio Pochettino departed St Mary's to join Tottenham Hotspur. There is a definite task on the former Champions League winner's hand as he will try to rebuild Southampton after many first team players have left this summer.

Di Matteo, 44, began his managerial career at League One side Milton Keynes Dons in July 2008. In his one year reign as MK Dons manager, he brought former Chelsea team-mate and Norwegian international striker Tore Andre Flo out of retirement and signed him on a one-year penalty. Ironically, MK Dons finished third that year and it was Flo's missed penalty that sent them out of the play-off semi final against Scunthorpe United.

After he reached the play-offs with the Dons, he attracted the attention of West Bromwich Albion, who had just been relegated to the Championship. In his first season, he got the Baggies promoted alongside Newcastle United and Blackpool. He started the second season successfully in the Barclays Premier League, but a series of poor results lead to him being sacked despite keeping the side in a reasonable position.

Then he became the assistant manager at Chelsea, behind Andre Villas Boas in 2011. However, in early 2012, Villas-Boas was sacked and Di Matteo became caretaker manager of Chelsea until the end of the season. He guided his old club to victory in the UEFA Champions League that year, beating Bayern Munich in the final on penalties, giving them Champions League football despite a 6th placed finish. He also won the FA Cup that year. In the next year, Chelsea went through a bad run and Di Matteo was sacked, despite winning two trophies in the eight months he was their manager. He hasn't managed a team since, but earlier this year, said he was ready to manage a team again after many offers from teams.

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The former Lazio player, who played as a midfielder from 1988 to 2002, has today been revealed as the manager to succeed Mauricio Pochettino, who steered the Saints to 8th place in the Premier League last season, but leaves St Mary's for Tottenham Hotspur.

As Southampton manager, Di Matteo will definitely have a task on his hands as he tries to rebuild Southampton's squad after the sales of Rickie Lambert, Dejan Lovren and Adam Lallana to Liverpool, Calum Chambers to Arsenal and Luke Shaw to Manchester United. Four of these were key first team players last season, while Chambers appeared for Southampton on many occasions.

Last season, Lallana, Lambert, Lovren and Shaw all appeared in the top ten most appearances for Southampton. Lallana made the most appearances in the league out of the entire Saints team, while Lambert was in the top five. Lallana, Lambert and Lovren also all featured on the top ten goalscorers list, a good achievement for Lovren, a young centre back.

However, some would say that the players have already been replaced. Graziano Pelle has been brought in from Feyenoord and Shane Long from Hull to replace Rickie Lambert, Dusan Tadic arrives to fill the hole Lallana left, Ryan Bertrand has joined on loan from Chelsea to replace Luke Shaw for the year, while Florin Gardos has to replace Dejan Lovren. Meanwhile, Fraser Forster has joined from Celtic after third choice keeper Paulo Gazzanigo left on loan for San Lorenzo and Saphir Taider ojoins on loan from Inter Milan for extra back-up in midfield.

Roberto Di Matteo had something to say about the current situation Southampton are in,
"It's great to finally get back into management after quite a long time out of it, and now I'm here to rebuild Southampton and make them into a better team. It won't be easy, and there's a big chance that the team won't be as good as they previously were this season, but I will do my best to improve the team and make everybody forget all of the sales. I just need patience from the board and the fans, because I'm confident I can do a great job here."

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Di Matteo has a month and a half to rebuild the team like he has promised before facing a tricky month with away games against West Brom and Liverpool with a home game against Everton in between in his first month as Southampton manager. The question on everybody's minds is who Southampton will sign and how well they will do this season, which only time can tell.

Nice idea. Hioefully he can rebuild Southampton

OMG THAT IS WHO I GUESSED FOR THE MANAGER! Thought I was wrong as well!

I was right as well, the hint made it easy. Good luck, my boy.

xander_dunlop1: Thanks

Tallery: OMG CONGRATULATIONS!

Oz96: Thanks, it was meant to be between RDM and Moyes.

SOUTHAMPTON UNVEIL DI MATTEO IN STYLE

Well I was going to say Moyes but ok, better choice!

World-class Graphic right there

Haha had a gut feeling it would be RDM

AaronHJFT96: Well you were wrong Thanks!

Tallery: Indeed it is.

Cappy13: Haha, thanks for the comment!

Roberto's Saints Diary

Entry 1 ~ What needs to be done
It is official. I am the new manager of Southampton, and in the crisis they are in at the moment, I consider myself lucky. After I was sacked by Chelsea, I hadn't really got any offers until now. So as soon as I got this offer, not only was it a great chance to bring a Premier League club forward, but it was a chance to redeem myself as a manager by getting them out of this situation where they've lost a lot of their first team squad.

The first thing I thought of right away was the tactics I'd be using. I want to play three very different styles of football - attacking, passing and standard. So, I got to work devising some genius tactics that I could use to be successful in the Premier League. The first tactic I will be using is a risky one. I have decided to use two centre backs and two wing backs, as well as two central midfielders., an attacking midfielder and three strikers for my attacking tactic. Whether this will work for me, I do not know, but that's what pre-season is for.

Tactic 1: 4-2-1-3


The second tactic I wish to use is a more relaxed yet attacking formation. I'll use four defenders, a defensive midfielder, two central midfielders, two wingers and a lone striker. I feel that this is the most convenient tactic given the squad Southampton have - Wanyama is one of the best players in the team so playing him in his best position will get the most out of him. I will probably use this tactic the most out of all three, because it isn't as risky as other tactics, but I'll try all three out in pre-season.

Tactic 2: 4-5-1


And the third and final tactic is similar to the second, but there are four defenders, one defensive midfielder who moves towards the left, one central midfielder who moves towards the right, one attacking midfielder, two wingers and a striker. This will be the tactic I probably use the least simply because it's similar to the second but more attacking. However, I will give this tactic a try in pre-season and see what happens with it.

Tactic 3: 4-2-3-1


The second thing I did was take a look at my squad and see what needs strengthening. So I looked at my goalkeepers first and found that I have three keepers - Artur Boruc, Kelvin Davis and Fraser Forster. Immediately, I decided that I would use Boruc as my main keeper, because he's more experienced and it'll help to have some people who played for Southampton before the exodus. Forster will be my second choice and Davis my third.

Then I went to the fullbacks, hoping to have some sort of solid back-up in the wide defense areas. Unfortunately, this was not the case, as I have just one right back in Nathaniel Clyne, but I believe he's unlikely to be injured. At left back, I only have one player as well, but the situation is even worse as he's only a loan player: Ryan Bertrand. I know that I should get a left back as soon as possible, that is where I urgently need a player. Right back doesn't seem too important to get at this moment.

Next up were my centre backs, of which I have Jose Fonte, Maya Yoshida and Florin Gardos. In my honest opinion, the three of them aren't enough nor are they good enough for the direction I want to head in with Southampton. Of course, they all have their strengths, but I don't see those three centre backs starting for me when I get where I am hoping to go. I'll be looking for a centre back after I find a left back.

Then there were the central and defensive midfielders. Southampton have six central/defensive midfielders who are worthy of starting this season. These players are Morgan Schneiderlin, Saphir Taider Victor Wanyama, Steven Davis, James Ward-Prowse and Jack Cork. Schneiderlin, and Wanyama are two solid players who I will look to build my team around, while Davis , Taiderand Cork are great back-up in case of injuries. Ward-Prowse, however, is a fantastic young player who I will try to play whenever I can.

Wingers. I believe this is Southampton's strongest point, as they have Jay Rodriguez, Gaston Ramirez and Dusan Tadic all fighting for the two winger spots. It's going to be hard choosing from the three when they're all fit, but when one or two are injured, I'll have a dilemma. So, if I have enough money left after signing a centre back and a left back, I will go for another winger who can play either side so I can feel comfortable with my team just in case of injuries.

And finally, I looked at the strikers, an area that impressed me greatly. Graziano Pelle is a fantastic player coming from Feyenoord this summer, while Shane Long isn't too bad either. I also have young prospect Emmanuel Mayuka to consider while picking my teams every week. However, despite the quality of the strikers, I do think I should sign another if funds allow me to do so, just to be sure that I'm playing a quality player every match.

~Roberto Di Matteo

Great update!

Wanayma is a beast, play him loads, oh and Clyne!

read the start

*get's ambushed by angry FM'sers*

nice udpate man: the squad does seem pretty set, and I reckon with the right signings you could be competing for some major honours pretty quickly: good luck!

Tallery: Thanks! Wanyama and Clyne are key players for me this season

fzemdegs:

TodayAtTomorrow: Thanks, you're about to see my signings!