West Bromwich Albion boss Roberto Di Matteo happy to watch from the sides

Dec 26 2010 by Gregg Evans, Sunday Mercury

ROBERTO Di Matteo admits he doesn’t miss being a player during the festive period – even if it is more stressful on the sidelines.

The Italian spent six years at Chelsea and remembers only too well how physically gruelling it can be as the games begin to pile up.

Di Matteo admitted that he was often left aching after the second game of the Christmas fixture list as he found it hard to recover in time.

This year he will watch his Baggies team take on Bolton, Blackburn and Manchester United in the space of just seven days and he knows it will start to take it’s toll.

“Christmas is very demanding as a player,” he said.

“Playing two games in 48 hours is very tough.

“I remember I was in pain in the second game because your body just can’t recover.

“You go into the second game and your hamstrings and calves are still tight.

“You can feel them and you don’t know how you are going to get through it.

“So it’s a tough period, and in January you always feel it.

“Your body will be run down at some point in January.

“As a manager it’s more a mental pain.”