Graham Potter led his first training session as Chelsea manager on Friday, even though Premier League games for this weekend have been postponed.
Chelsea, who were scheduled to go to Fulham on Saturday before all UK football games were canceled out of respect for Her Majesty late Queen Elizabeth, are reportedly preparing as usual for their Champions League match against Red Bull Salzburg on Wednesday at Stamford Bridge.
On Thursday, Potter was officially announced as Chelsea’s first manager under new owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali.
On Thursday, co-controlling owners Boehly and Eghbali spoke to Chelsea personnel along with Potter as the Blues’ new era took another significant step.
On Friday morning, Potter had his first meeting with the Chelsea team before heading to work on the practice pitch.
Boehly, the chairman of Chelsea, compares Potter to the baseball executive he hired for the LA Dodgers to run the team in California, Andrew Friedman.
Boehly and his fellow Dodgers owners believed that Friedman had learned all the savvy business practices during his overachieving time with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Boehly and Eghbali think Potter acquired the same inventive mentality by maximizing resources at Brighton, and they think the additional tools Chelsea has at its disposal might help him have a big influence at Stamford Bridge.
The new owners of Chelsea have already started working on a long-term initiative to completely revamp the west London club.
Following a 100-day evaluation of their fledgling ownership by the new Blues managers, Thomas Tuchel was fired on Wednesday.
After a remarkable start in which the German coach led the Blues to the Champions League trophy in just 124 days at the head of Stamford Bridge, the Chelsea board believed Tuchel’s tenure had lost its course.
Even though most people believe Tuchel was sacked due to Chelsea’s Champions League humiliating 1-0 loss to Dinamo Zagreb, the decision to fire Tuchel had already been made before the game.
How Qualified is Potter?
Potter made the decision to focus on his education after hanging up his boots in order to get ready for a career as a coach. He graduated from the Open University with a degree in social sciences before enrolling in a master’s program at Leeds Metropolitan University in leadership and emotional intelligence.
Will Graham Potter Succeed At Chelsea?
Alan Curtis, Graham Potter’s Swansea City assistant, said on Sky Sports that he thinks the latter will succeed at Chelsea.
“I think everyone can see that they’re going to get a first class manager and he’s an excellent coach, good communicator”, Alan Curtis said. “I have no doubt that if he goes to Chelsea he will be a resounding success.”
Potter is an excellent coach who spent the last few seasons in the Premier League with Brighton and Hove Albion, where he established his reputation and resume. Many in the English top-flight have praised his tactical acumen.
The Englishman’s managerial track record thus far does indicate that he develops players and has a distinct vision for the style of play he wants his club to adopt. It’s interesting to consider if he would have the time to do it at Chelsea while still getting good outcomes.
The players must also accept the new way of playing, have faith in the coach, and follow his instructions.
How much will Graham Potter earn at Chelsea?
Chelsea paid a lot of money to bring in the former Brighton manager, and they’ll continue to spend a lot of money to keep him at the team now that they’ve given him a five-year contract at Stamford Bridge.
They gave the 47-year-old a £12 million per season deal, worth £60 million throughout his tenure, and paid Brighton £15 million to release him from his contract.
Kyle Macaulay, Billy Reid, and Bjorn Hamberg, all of whom worked with Potter at Ostersunds, Swansea City, and Brighton, will join Potter at Chelsea.
Following the move of Marc Cucurella from the Amex Stadium to London, while Billy Gilmour went the other way, this isn’t the first time this year that Brighton and Chelsea have worked together.
