Chelsea's caretaker manager Roberto Di Matteo has revealed the secret to winning all three matches since Andre Villas-Boas was sacked after just seven months in charge. The former assistant under Villas-Boas has sparked new life in an aging side that was showing its age a few weeks ago, resulting in wins in the FA Cup, Premier League and, most recently, a 4-1 extra-time win over Napoli in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie that allowed Chelsea to advance on a 5-4 aggregate score. And according to Di Matteo, the key to leading the squad's rebirth has been letting captain John Terry do his job for him.
"I noticed the problem while watching Andre," Di Matteo told reporters after his side's Champions League win. "John wanted to manage the team, but Andre wouldn't let him. The players listen to John, so I let him do the work while I wear Andre's old suits and dance on the touchline. It's a win-win-win situation. Literally, because we've won all three games."
Though some managers wouldn't appreciate sharing his duties with one of his players, Di Matteo, a former Chelsea player himself, sees it as a pressure reliever that could keep him in the job longer than his predecessor.
Said Di Matteo: "It's great. Unlike Carlo [Ancelotti] and Andre, if Fernando Torres continues his goal drought, I can just blame John. People always believe everything you blame on him."
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