Chelsea manager Graham Potter breaks silence on speculation that he may be fired
Graham Potter admits he wouldn’t be surprised if the Chelsea board fired him, despite understanding that the owners want to retain him even if Chelsea fail to qualify for the Champions League.
Chelsea are in their worst crisis since Jose Mourinho’s final season in 2015, with just six points from nine league games, having been eliminated from the FA Cup in ignominious fashion last weekend, and being jeered off the pitch by their own fans at Fulham.
However, the club’s owners Todd Boehly, Behdad Egbahli, and Jose Feliciano reportedly remain committed to instituting a lasting cultural shift.
Even though they are extremely dissatisfied with the current results, they believe that the current strategy, with Potter at its core, is necessary to make the club once again a Premier League title contender.
“There are always questions if you don’t get results,’”said Potter.
“I was under pressure after two defeats before the (World Cup) break, that’s from the media. In terms of the board, I’ve had full support. They have been very reassuring.
“But I’m not naive and if anyone I work for thinks the problem lies with me they have every right to say: “Thank you very much but it’s not working” and I accept that.”
Even if they are eliminated from the Champions League by Borussia Dortmund in March and, as seems likely, fail to qualify for next year’s elite competition, Potter appears to be safe.
While the current owner had Champions League qualification factored into their plan, there was no “or else” requirement for Potter to finish in the top four when he took over.
“If they believe, as they do, that progress is being made, even if it is hard-won progress, it is not automatically a fireable offense under the new regime.
Potter has been forced to rely on a combination of untested young players, such as teenagers Lewis Hall and Bashir Humphreys, and players nearing the conclusion of their Chelsea careers, such as Jorginho, Cesar Azpilicueta, and Kepa Arrizabalaga.
The latter three were all expected to leave last summer but remained, with Potter denying any lack of effort or spirit from them or any players who may leave before the transfer window closes in January.
“I don’t think so. From what I see they are professional, they are responsible, they are honest. We are in a bad moment and we have challenges.
“Everybody suffers from that point. January is always complicated, no matter where you are, because the window is open and human beings are human beings. But I don’t see any problems in that regard, I have the boys’ support and they have mine, and we just need to keep working.”
The club is reviewing their medical procedures in light of their extensive list of injured players, which Denis Zakaria joined on Thursday night. Joao Felix, who was signed from Atletico Madrid on a £10 million short-term loan deal with much fanfare last week, will also miss Sunday’s match at Crystal Palace.
Felix was signed amid much fanfare on a short-term loan deal that was announced amid much fanfare. The Portuguese forward was dismissed less than an hour into his debut against Fulham and will miss the next three games for Chelsea.
Chelsea manager Graham Potter breaks silence on speculation that he may be fired
