Former Chelsea manager Graham Potter has promised he’ll be a “better coach” in his next job in football 17 months after leaving the Premier League club.
Potter left the Stamford Bridge outfit in April 2023 after failing to produce the results wanted by the strict ownership at the club. The 49-year-old took charge of 31 games after leaving Brighton in September, managing just 12 wins.
Since leaving Chelsea, Potter has stayed out of the public eye and worked on his own ability ahead of his return. He rejected the Ajax job in May before pulling out of the race to become Leicester City’s new head coach in the summer.
Potter has been a name constantly linked with the Manchester United job. Towards the end of the 2023/24 season, when Erik ten Hag faced the axe, the Englishman was one of the candidates tipped to replace the Dutchman at Old Trafford.
His decision to delay his return has added further fuel to that fire, and speaking to The Telegraph, Potter expressed his excitement at resuming his managerial career. “I’ve felt ready to return for a little while,” he said.
“It still has to be the right thing, but I’m excited for it. I’m excited to hear what the opportunities are, and I’ll take each one and judge it on its merits.”
Potter is a name that has split opinion among the United fanbase after his troubling time at Chelsea. However, more unconvincing results like the Liverpool defeat and FC Twente draw could lead to Ten Hag facing more pressure.
Despite failing to be successful at Stamford Bridge, Potter has promised to be a better coach in his next role. “It wasn’t so long ago that Eddie Howe left Bournemouth after they had been relegated, he took 18 months out and now he’s at Newcastle doing brilliant things,” he added.
“If you look at Unai Emery, how he was received after leaving Arsenal and look at what he’s doing now. This is the job, the challenge of football. I see it [Chelsea] as an unbelievable experience that I’ve had, it didn’t go as well as I’d have liked. I have to take responsibility for that, but I think I’m better for it and I’ll be a better coach, for sure.”