Schalke Taking Gamble with Roberto Di Matteo Replacement of Jens Keller

One of the first big managerial changes of the new Bundesliga season has come at Schalke 04, with last season's third-place side dispensing with former boss Jens Keller this week, who had been in charge since late 2012.

BBC Sport report that Roberto Di Matteo is the new man in charge at the Veltins-Arena, his first role in management since being dismissed from Chelsea in 2012 just a few short months after winning the UEFA Champions League.

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FC Schalke announce the departure of Jens Keller and the appointment of Roberto Di Matteo as head coach pic.twitter.com/XlafseGNRl

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) October 7, 2014"

It's a bold move from Schalke as they bid to get their season back on track, but one which yields plenty of questions over whether they have taken the right move at the right time. 

What's Gone Wrong so Quickly?

Schalke managed to take advantage of Bayer Leverkusen's second-half-of-the-season slip-up last term to roar past them and finish third, in the automatic Champions League places, ending the campaign seven points behind second-placed Borussia Dortmund.

This season, they sit 11th in the early Bundesliga table, winning just two of their seven games so far and losing 2-1 to Hoffenheim at the weekend. In addition, they have drawn both Champions League group-stage games, sitting third in what will likely be a very tight group.

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

The tight-knit and consistent side of last season hasn't been in evidence this term so far, with injury and loss of form contributing to the starting XI being changed regularly.

Goals have been tough to come by at times, star youngsters Julian Draxler and Max Meyer haven't really flourished yet this term and, ultimately, Keller has paid the price for being unable to galvanise the group enough.

Is RDM Vindicated?

Di Matteo won the Champions League with Chelsea in May 2012 and, despite being sacked a few months later, has spurned job offers since then in the clear belief that he has proven he has done enough to earn another big role.

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1 - Roberto Di Matteo won the Champions League 2011/12 with Chelsea beating Bayern at Munich after penalties 5-4. New pic.twitter.com/rgoewhlwth

— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) October 7, 2014"

Perhaps this appointment at Schalke is a vindication of the Italian's convictions in his own ability; he was reported to have turned down the Sunderland job, via The Guardian's Louise Taylor and Dominic Fifield, and was linked on and off with other clubs since then.

There will be all eyes on him to see if he can reproduce the success of his Stamford Bridge days at Chelsea, but having not exactly wowed the watching world in his previous job at West Brom—and his early management days seeing just 50-odd games in charge of MK Dons—there will be a lot of pressure and expectation on him to show he is not a one-hit wonder.

Have S04 Chosen Wisely?

Clint Hughes/Getty Images

Schalke have jumped first and have taken an interesting direction with their approach. Even below them in the table, though, is Borussia Dortmund, currently in 13th, but who have shown no signs of departing from the established route with Jurgen Klopp themselves.

The Gelsenkirchen club have plenty of time left to rescue their campaign and push on for a top-four finish once again—surely the minimum requirement for Di Matteo, just four points out of reach at present—but they will need Di Matteo to adapt quickly to a new league, a new country, a new squad.

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Brilliant work from @ZDFsport on Keller's departure and Di Matteo's arrival. pic.twitter.com/OGmHM0U6GA

— Alex Chaffer (@AlexChaffer) October 7, 2014"

Should he prove a hit, Di Matteo's stock could rise very quickly, and he certainly has talented players to build his new team around.

With games against Hertha Berlin and Augsburg to begin with, he has a chance to get off to a good start, but any struggles in his debut campaign in the Bundesliga will lead to questions not only of his own career, but also of S04's process in deciding Keller's replacement.

Follow @karlmatchett