Chelsea’s 15 Managers From Roman Abramovich’s Reign Until Now [Ranked]

Chelsea have enjoyed a merry-go-round of managers in their recent history – but that notion spans back to the start of the Roman Abramovich era. Perhaps thanks to the Russian’s short lack of persistence, many names came and went as the club’s managers across his 19-year ownership.

His arrival in 2003 altered the entire landscape of English football, immediately catapulting the Blues to near the top of the pile, with them looking to contend on all fronts. That all came to an end in 2022 with American businessman Todd Boehly buying the club for an eye-watering £4.25 billion.

Much has been the same under Boehly, however, with managerial quick changes, akin to those seen at the theatre, being an aspect of his management that has carried over from his Russian predecessor, with the likes of Thomas Tuchel, Frank Lampard and Graham Potter all struggling to impress under the new ownership.

Barrel successfully scraped, Mauricio Pochettino is the latest recruit to be testing their powers at Stamford Bridge – but who does he compare to the rest since the arrival of the deep-pocketed Abramovich? We’ve ranked all 15 bosses from best to worst below, taking the following ranking factors into account.

Ranking factors

• Longevity in role.
• Success – both domestically and continentally.
• Win rate percentage.
• How they fared compared to initial expectations.
• The overall feeling among Chelsea fans.

1 Jose Mourinho

July 2004 – September 2007, July 2013 – December 2015

The self-proclaimed ‘Special One’, Jose Mourinho’s most memorable stint in football management came at Stamford Bridge. A reliable figure at Porto, where had won the Champions League, Mourinho went on to build one of the best defences the Premier League has ever been witness to with the likes of John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho at the heart of his side’s backline.

In the west of the capital, he was backed by never-seen-before spending – and in his first season at the helm, enjoyed a record-breaking one with 95 points to their name, while conceding just 15 goals. Although he may not have the best points per game rate (2.09) on the list, his haul of trophies speaks for itself.

2 Carlo Ancelotti

July 2009 – May 2011

Following a string of underwhelming appointments, up stepped Carlo Ancelotti for one of the daunting roles in English football, and he knew that anything but a league title would be considered unsatisfactory by Abramovich and Co. The now Real Madrid chief was an instant hit as he guided them to the club’s first – and only – Premier League and FA Cup double.

3:16

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As he struggled to emulate his maiden season brilliance, posting just 71 points, Ancelotti eventually paid the price and was reportedly given the axe in the tunnel following a 1-0 defeat to Everton, a team he’d later go on to manage – but his first term in the dugout was one to remember.

3 Thomas Tuchel

January 2021 – September 2022

Thomas Tuchel was given the chop before the majority of Chelsea fans wanted him to, especially given it took the German tactician just six months to etch his name into the club’s history books. Upon his appointment, the west London-based outfit transformed into a three-at-the-back machine, going unbeaten in his first 14 games.

His side conceded just twice in that time – and although the attack wasn’t as telepathic, Chelsea’s second-ever Champions League victory, courtesy of a 1-0 win over Manchester City, was Tuchel’s standout moment at the helm. Now plying his trade at Bayern Munich, his Chelsea stint lasted 100 games – and he won 63 of them.

4 Antonio Conte

After Mourinho’s aura wore off the second time around, Antonio Conte was given the keys in July 2016 and lasted two years in the Stamford Bridge hot seat, becoming one of only three men to have overseen 100 games as Chelsea boss under Abramovich. If it wasn’t for his side’s sheer dip in form in what would be his final season, who knows what Chelsea could’ve achieved under the former Juventus custodian?

After the Premier League outfit finished 10th in the previous campaign, the 54-year-old, one of the best top-flight managers based on statistics, oversaw a league-winning season with an impressive tally of 93 points after winning 30 of their 38 top-flight outings. They also reached – yet lost – the FA Cup final under his stewardship that year, before finally getting their hands on the trophy one year later.

5 Roberto Di Matteo

March 2012 – November 2012

A revered name around Stamford Bridge circles pre-appointment, Roberto Di Matteo cemented his status as a bonafide club legend during his less-than-nine months in charge by leading them to the first Champions League trophy in their storied history as a club. Just two weeks earlier, Di Matteo had masterminded an FA Cup final victory over Liverpool.

And when you consider that unbelievable feat, sacking him less than a year later seems a bizarre decision. Overall, the Italian oversaw just 42 games as Chelsea boss in the Abramovich era – only two managers took charge of fewer – but the significance of his success is laced with joyous Chelsea fans.

6 Maurizio Sarri

July 2018 – June 2019

While Maurizio Sarri’s one-season stint at Chelsea was plagued by increasing criticism, it’s important to remember that he won the Europa League six years after their first, finished third behind Manchester City and Liverpool and reached another domestic final, only to lose on penalties. In hindsight, the Italian was dealt a poor hand but played a spectacular game.

The cigarette-chewing boss oversaw 63 games in England before receiving his P45. Tactically, he was questioned by many and his very public bust-up with Kepa Arrizabalaga, who refused to be substituted during the League Cup final, may not have helped his case, pointing to player power concerns in the dressing room.

7 Rafael Benitez

November 2012 – June 2013

Forever remembered fondly by Liverpool fans far and wide, many forget that Rafael Benitez took charge of the West Londoners for 48 games between November 2012 and June 2013. Taking over from popular figure Di Matteo proved to be a struggle for the Spaniard, though he does have the 2012/13 Europa League to show for his 48-game stint in the capital.

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Appointed merely as an interim, his third-placed finish in the English top tier and a record of 28 wins from 48 games was not enough to convince Abramovich to retain his services beyond the summer of 2013. Benitez was, largely thanks to his affinity to Liverpool, an unpopular figure at Stamford Bridge and letting him move on was probably wise.

8 Avram Grant

September 2007 – May 2008

Replacing the showmanship of Mourinho is a tough ask. The club’s director of sport Avram Grant did just that in September 2007 but became one of Chelsea’s one-season wonders after 54 games in charge. In that time frame, the Israeli suffered just six defeats, which is an incredible record in one of the toughest leagues in the world: the English top flight.

The shift in personality from Mourinho to Grant, however, shocked many, and it was his lack of silverware – Chelsea’s first season without any since 2003/04 – which saw him leave at the end of the 2007/08 season. Grant did, however, manage to guide the Blues to their first-ever appearance in the Champions League final – but John Terry’s slip meant his achievement amounted to nothing.

9 Guus Hiddink

February 2009 – June 2009, December 2015 – June 2016

Things went south in the dying stages of Luiz Felipe Scolari’s stint and Guus Hiddink was appointed as their saving grace. He first took over in February 2009 and – in their remaining 13 Premier League fixtures – led the Blues to 11 wins. He also triumphed in the FA Cup.

However, during the Dutchman’s second spell at the helm, which lasted between December 2015 and June 2016, there were fewer successes to scream and shout about. Overseeing 27 matches during that spell, he drew one more (11) than he won (10) as Chelsea finished 10th in the table, which equated to their lowest finish in 20 years.

10 Claudio Ranieri

September 2000 – June 2004

Before becoming a miracle worker for Leicester City during that title-winning season, Claudio Ranieri was employed by Abramovich to bring success to Chelsea – and although he departed, in June 2004, trophy-less, he deserves some credit for his four years at the club.

The wily Italian endured the early stages of Abramovich’s takeover and, for three years prior, had helped guide the Blues’ climb towards the top four of the Premier League. Given just one campaign to win the title under the Russian chief, however, Ranieri’s poor handling of the Champions League semi-final against Monaco was the final nail in the coffin.

Claudio Ranieri – Chelsea Managerial Statistics
Tenure	September 2000 – June 2004
Matches	199
Wins	107
Draws	46
Losses	46
Points per game	1.84
Trophies	N/A

11 Frank Lampard

July 2010 – January 2021, April 2023 – June 2023

For all of his excellence on the pitch for Chelsea, Frank Lampard’s time on the touchline cannot be viewed in the same regard, with him notching just a 1.1 points per game rate across 95 games, which came across two separate periods. His second stint, from April to June 2023, left the Blues particularly dishevelled after he was brought in to steady the ship left by Potter.

Winning just once from 11 matches, all while scoring nine and conceding 21, Lampard was quick to be shunted out the door when the earliest opportunity arose. The former midfielder led them to their first bottom-half finish since 1996, while they also recorded an all-time low in terms of points and goals scored in the Premier League.

Frank Lampard – Chelsea Managerial Statistics
Tenure	July 2010 – January 2021, April 2023 – June 2023
Matches	95
Wins	45
Draws	17
Losses	33
Points per game	1.10
Trophies	N/A

12 Mauricio Pochettino

July 2023 – Present

Current Chelsea boss, Mauricio Pochettino, is struggling to perform at the highest level of English football, isn’t he? Despite having one of the best records against Pep Guardiola, the Argentine, who spent the best part of his career with London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, has flattered to deceive in the west, having won just under half of his games (22/45) thus far.

Pochettino had the perfect opportunity to grasp silverware during his maiden season but ultimately lost to Jurgen Klopp’s heavily rotated side in the League Cup final in February 2024, leaving supporters less than pleased with their lack of killer instinct when it was needed the most. Boehly’s ruthlessness has been showcased in the past, which could mean that the 52-year-old is on borrowed time.

Mauricio Pochettino – Chelsea Managerial Statistics
Tenure	July 2023 – Present
Matches	45
Wins	22
Draws	9
Losses	14
Points per game	1.67
Trophies	N/A

13 Graham Potter

September 2022 – April 2023

After going above and beyond with Brighton & Hove Albion, capturing Graham Potter’s talent before other potential suitors was considered a remarkable coup by many as he looked to bring his considerate and gentle approach to kick-start the post-Abramovich era under Boehly and Co.

Having managed 31 games with 11 losses on his record, leaving Chelsea in 11th place at the time, Potter was dismissed just eight months into the – at that point – relatively new role. Heavily linked with the Manchester United job, Potter’s return to Premier League football could be around the corner – but he’ll be hoping to shine brighter than last time out.

Graham Potter – Chelsea Managerial Statistics
Tenure	September 2022 – April 2023
Matches	31
Wins	12
Draws	8
Losses	11
Points per game	1.42
Trophies	N/A

14 Luiz Felipe Scolari

July 2008 – February 2009

Understandably, when Luiz Felipe Scolari was appointed in the summer of 2008, those of a Chelsea persuasion were beyond excited given his previous success on the international scene with Portugal and his native Brazil. Premier League football, however, was a step too far for the 2002 World Cup-winning boss.

To start, Scolari looked to be the answer to Abramovich’s problems, with his side losing just twice in the Premier League in the first half of the season. The turn of the year was a tricky period for the Brazilian and the wheels of his project started to fall off. Though his points per game rate of 1.94 is nothing to laugh about, the higher-ups were evidently not impressed.

Luiz Felipe Scolari – Chelsea Managerial Statistics
Tenure	July 2008 – February 2009
Matches	35
Wins	20
Draws	10
Losses	6
Points per game	1.94
Trophies	N/A

15 Andre Villas-Boas

July 2011 – March 2012

Once regarded as a Mourinho regen, Andre Villas-Boas’ arrival was met with a youthful buzz, yet his time at the Stamford Bridge helm flattered to deceive. Fresh off the back of a successful stint with Porto, Villas-Boas enjoyed a flawless pre-season campaign and conceded just one goal. That was about as good as things got, though.

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With just a 50% win rate in competitive outings, the Portuguese was not built for such an industrious task of winning over Abramovich and his entourage. Villas-Boas lasted a mere nine months in the dugout of Chelsea – and despite his success as a young coach in Portugal, failed to live up to the bill while rubbing shoulders with some of Europe’s most elite.

Andre Villas-Boas – Chelsea Managerial Statistics
Tenure	July 2011 – March 2012
Matches	40
Wins	20
Draws	10
Losses	10
Points per game	1.75
Trophies	N/A