MK Dons Chairman Pete Winkelman says he is relishing the challenge of making another summer managerial appointment following the departure of Roberto Di Matteo to West Bromwich Albion.

Italian Di Matteo became the third successive Dons manager to head for pastures new after a successful first season in Milton Keynes, completing the formalities of his move to the Hawthorns late on Tuesday night.

It leaves Chairman Pete with the task of finding another new man to lead the team forward as the Dons look to build on the success of recent seasons.

And while disappointed to lose another talented young manager after just 12 months in charge, Pete says the opportunity on offer at West Brom was too big for him to stand in the Italian's way.

He told mkdons.com: "We know from experience that football is about constant change and Milton Keynes Dons is a Club that has always been prepared to embrace that. Robby's departure is not what we planned or expected, but West Brom are a massive club with a fantastic chance of winning promotion to the Premier League and I couldn't deny him that opportunity.

"Our fans will be familiar with our policy by now - it has to be a massive club for us to part company with our best assets and that has been the case. Am I frustrated with the timing? Of course I am. Did we want to lose Robby? Absolutely not. But part of me is also very proud that he is going to make this step towards top level management with what is effectively a Premier League club. I wish him every success in the world.

Pete has wished Roberto Di Matteo every success at West Bromwich Albion.

"Unfortunately it's the risk you take when you employ hungry, ambitious young people, but I actually find it incredibly flattering that our Club continues to be a breeding ground for some of the best up-and-coming managers in the country."

With the players having reported back for pre-season on Tuesday, preparations for the 2009/10 campaign have already started thanks to the work of the Club's core backroom staff - a group Pete has complete faith in ahead of the trip to Portugal this week.

He said: "One thing that has remained constant over the last few years is our solid, talented group backroom staff and they will ensure preparations for the new season will go ahead as planned.

"Mike Dove, Paul Heald, Paul Mitchell, Simon Crampton, Matt Hillyer, Andrew Stone and several others have formed an important team of staff that has evolved over the last few seasons and will have a big role to play in the coming weeks."

Pete will now begin the all-too-familiar process of finding a successor for a position that has become a huge platform of opportunity for its last three occupants.

But following the successful appointments of Di Matteo, Paul Ince and Martin Allen, he's confident the Club is experienced enough to make the right selection.

He said: "It's the single most important appointment you can make at a Football Club and we're excited by the challenge. We're experienced enough not to panic about it.

"We've got some time, especially with the players heading to Portugal in the safe hands of our backroom staff, so there's no need to act hastily. We'll look at the applicants and appoint the person we feel is best suited to taking the Club forward.

"In the meantime it will be business as usual. The signings we've made are players any manager would be pleased to work with and our established squad have shown in the past that they can easily adapt to change."

Dons SMS subscribers were the first to get this news straight to their mobile phones. Click here to sign up today.