Why Chelsea must sack Graham Potter now as next manager shortlist emerges
Following Saturday’s game, Graham Potter asserted that he was not solely responsible for the issues at Chelsea. While this statement is partly accurate, there are multiple problems within the club, and Potter is not the suitable candidate to drive the team’s progress.
Despite his exceptional coaching abilities, the Chelsea job has arrived prematurely for him, and he is not the type of “winner” the club requires at present to execute Todd Boehly’s strategic plan. It’s not easy to admit, but Potter isn’t the right individual for the job.
Graham Potter’s 25-game tenure as head coach at Chelsea is characterized by unique circumstances. The task has been made more challenging by the significant number of players introduced in recent months, with eight signings in January and a squad overhaul in the summer following his takeover from Thomas Tuchel.
The introduction of these players means that they require time to adapt and integrate with the existing team, which has not yet occurred. Furthermore, the significant amount of money spent by Todd Boehly on the squad puts a great deal of pressure on Potter, with his role coming under even greater scrutiny.
Despite this, most managers in the world of football would welcome the opportunity to utilize around £500million worth of new players, especially world-class talent.
Graham Potter currently holds the record for the lowest win rate of any manager in Chelsea’s history, with a win rate of just 36% after 25 matches in charge. He has only won nine out of his first 25 matches across all competitions.
In recent years, Chelsea’s most successful managers have been individuals with a proven track record of winning. These managers possess strong personalities and are often described as being “loose.” In today’s football landscape, such individuals tend to be the most successful.
Examples of successful managers in English football, such as Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp, illustrate the importance of having a strong personality and being animated on the touchline. These managers cannot hide their emotions during press conferences, before or after matches, which contributes to their success. Thomas Tuchel was similar in this regard.
Graham Potter is the opposite of what we see with Tuchel and other successful Chelsea managers in recent years. This is not to suggest that Potter’s approach is wrong, as it is not. However, at present, Chelsea needs a head coach who appears to be willing to do anything for the team on the sideline, as demonstrated by successful managers at Stamford Bridge like Antonio Conte, Jose Mourinho, and many others.
Despite the support of the club’s board, including Todd Boehly, for Graham Potter since his appointment in September, it is unlikely that the negative reaction from Chelsea supporters following the team’s 1-0 defeat to Southampton on Saturday did not affect the senior figures within the club. The opinions of the fans matter to them.
While Potter’s successful tenure at Brighton cannot be denied, Chelsea is a different club altogether. With all due respect to Brighton, the two clubs operate on different levels. Chelsea is a club that should be contending for every possible trophy.
It is fair to say that Graham Potter has not yet established a positive relationship with the Chelsea supporters. However, this goes both ways. Potter has not been treated well or supported by the majority of fans since he took over from Thomas Tuchel. This has been and continues to be a problem for Potter. He is not Tuchel, and any manager who replaced the immensely popular German would have faced similar challenges.
Potter was written off by fans from the outset, which is unfair. Therefore, it is understandable why he has not yet bonded with the fans. Negative chants about wanting Tuchel back, criticism of the previous ownership, and other factors can certainly affect a manager’s mood.
Graham Potter is not only different from Tuchel in terms of his coaching style and approach to the game, but also in his ability to connect with the fans. Tuchel had a certain aura about him that allowed him to communicate effectively with supporters and reflect their thoughts in his press interactions. However, Potter has not been able to do the same.
Following Chelsea’s defeats, fans often take to social media to criticize Potter for his comments after the game. Some fans feel that he has a defeatist attitude, which is not something they are accustomed to. In my opinion, Potter is trying to find the positives after a loss, even though they may be few and far between. However, the club should have briefed him beforehand on how the fans would react to these types of comments.
Although he is highly intelligent, pleasant, exceptional, and shows great potential as a head coach, I don’t believe he is the ideal candidate for Chelsea at present.
While I think Potter should step down from his current position, I support a long-term plan for the club. However, if the owners are starting to question the head coach’s abilities, then it might be wise to end the partnership before the situation deteriorates further. In some way, action needs to be taken.
Next Chelsea manager shortlist emerges
Due to a decline in performance since the positive display against Borussia Dortmund, Potter is now becoming the favorite with bookmakers to be the next head coach to lose his job, with odds of 5/4. The current manager of Bournemouth, Gary O’Neill, is the second favorite.
Among the next Chelsea manager shortlist includes Antonio Conte’s whose odds are at 4/1, followed by a lengthy shortlist of potential new head coaches, including Mauricio Pochettino at 6/5, Zinedine Zidane at 6/1, Luis Enrique at 8/1, and Brendan Rodgers at 9/1. Former Chelsea managers also feature in the list.
Why Chelsea must sack Graham Potter now as next manager shortlist emerges
Why Chelsea must sack Graham Potter now as next manager shortlist emerges
