Chelsea Football Club is welcoming Graham Potter as their new head coach and manager. The club has a new manager just a day after sacking Thomas Tuchel. Graham Potter will sign a five-year deal with Chelsea. Fabrizio Romano reports that no other candidate was close enough to sign for the club, as owner Todd Boehly only wanted Potter.
https://twitter.com/ChelseaFC/status/1567886827305975808
Graham Potter managerial profile
Graham Potter will leave Brighton after 3 years. He signed for the club in May 2019 and managed the club for a total of 143 matches. He led Brighton to victory in 43 matches while losing 48 matches and drawing 43. Brighton scored 161 goals and conceded 172. His last game for the club was a big 5-2 win against Leicester City on 4th September.
His stocks were raising after brilliant performances from Brighton last season where they finished 9th in the table with 12 wins and 51 points. The club continues its run this season as well and stands 4th on the table with 4 wins and 13 points.
The 47-year-old manager was a former left-footed defender who played for clubs such as Stoke City and Southampton. He retired in 2005 after playing for his last club Macclesfield.
Graham Potter will be the 5th manager for Chelsea in 5 years. This will be a long-term project over the next 5 years and will try to work adjacent to new owners who over the club 3 months ago. His preferred formation on the pitch is 3-4-2-1. Potter will look forward to utilizing the new signings former manager Thomas Tuchel made in the summer transfer window, where the club spent record money to sign new defenders and forwards.
Reactions from Graham Potter and Todd Boehly
Chelsea has released a statement that quotes Graham Potter and the new owner Todd Boehly.
On making the move to Stamford Bridge, Potter said: “I am incredibly proud and excited to represent Chelsea FC, this fantastic football club. I am very excited to partner with Chelsea’s new ownership group and look forward to meeting and working with the exciting group of players and to develop a team and culture that our amazing fans can be proud of. I would also like to place my sincere thanks to Brighton & Hove Albion for allowing me this opportunity and in particular Tony Bloom and all the players, staff and supporters for their continued support during my time at the club.”
Todd Boehly, chairman, said: ‘We are thrilled to bring Graham to Chelsea. He is a proven coach and an innovator in the Premier League who fits our vision for the Club. Not only is he extremely talented on the pitch, he has skills and capabilities that extend beyond the pitch which will make Chelsea a more successful Club. He has had a major impact at his previous Clubs and we look forward to his positive impact at Chelsea. We look forward to supporting him, his coaching team and the squad in realising their full potential in the coming months and years.’
Graham Potter will take charge of the team immediately. Chelsea was due to travel to Fulham on 10th September, but the Premier League matches for the weekend have been postponed as a mark of respect on the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Chelsea will face RB Salzburg in UEFA Champions League on 15th September.
