Chelsea have announced the appointment of former Brighton and Hove Albion manager Graham Potter as the successor of Thomas Tuhcel who was sacked following their 1-0 defeat against Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League opener. The sacking of Tuchel definitely came as a shock for all the fans and even for some experts who felt that the German should have been given more time despite the lacklustre start to the new season.
Now with Potter in the mix the Blues management feel that they can hit the reset button properly. Reports suggest that Todd Boehly was never a fan of the German tactician and wanted to revamp a few things from the last ownership, one of them being the manager itself. Potter was always the first choice for the Blues with managers like Zinedine Zidance, Mauricio Pochettino and Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim also in the conversation. But Boehly and management did secure the services of Graham Potter who along with his assistant manager and other coaches will be joining Stamford Bridge.
It is reported that Graham Potter had a very fruitful discussion with the Chelsea owners and there he came to the ultimatum that he wanted to take the leap of faith after enjoying a few exceptional seasons with Brighton. During his stay at the Amex Stadium, he did an exceptional job, playing a high class brand of football and making the Seagulls one of the most competitive teams outside the top 6 in the Premier League.
He will look to carry on that energy and style of play to this immensely talented Chelsea side and will try to resurrect a very below average start to the new Premier League season. He will also have the responsibility of guiding the team in the Champions League after their early setback against Dinamo Zagreb.
After putting pen to paper, the Englishman shared, ‘I am incredibly proud and excited to represent Chelsea, this fantastic 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 our amazing fans can be proud of.”
He also showed his gratitude towards Brighton management for giving him the opportunity at the first place. “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,” he concluded.
