Graham Potter Reflects on Chelsea Tenure: ‘Naive’ to Expect Culture Change Under New Ownership
Graham Potter has reflected on his time as Chelsea manager, acknowledging that he was naive in thinking the club’s new ownership would bring about a cultural shift after the departure of Roman Abramovich.
He became the first manager appointed by the new owners, Todd Boehly and his team, following Abramovich’s long tenure marked by a high turnover of managers.
Potter had previously enjoyed success at Brighton and believed that the new management would adopt a different approach.
However, he quickly realized that the club’s demands for success remained unchanged. Chelsea’s poor performance, including three consecutive losses before the World Cup break, intensified the pressure on him.
After the break, results did not improve, and he was ultimately sacked in April. Potter acknowledged that his lack of top-level experience may have contributed to the decision to let him go. He told Sky Sports, “The mistake I made was thinking that new ownership means there’s a chance of a change of culture. But actually culture runs a lot deeper than that.”
Potter emphasized that Chelsea’s history of winning meant that any lack of success could easily be attributed to the coach, which he understood given the circumstances.
He noted the club’s readiness to hire and fire managers, as evidenced by Mauricio Pochettino’s short-lived stint after replacing him, with Enzo Maresca now in charge.
Since his dismissal, Potter has remained out of management but has taken the opportunity to reflect on his experiences.
He expressed gratitude for the chance he had at Chelsea and recognized the importance of treating setbacks as learning experiences. Despite the challenges, he found moments of success during his time at the club.
Graham Potter Reflects on Chelsea Tenure: ‘Naive’ to Expect Culture Change Under New Ownership
