West Ham’s new manager Graham Potter has opened up about the mental toll of his sacking from Chelsea, admitting it was a brutal period that tested his resilience. The former Brighton and Swansea boss arrived at Stamford Bridge with high expectations, but a dismal spell saw him win just 12 of 31 matches before being shown the door.
At the time, Chelsea were a basket case of a club with a new owner who didn’t seem to have a clue how to run the operation. Clearly a high volume of staff and players struggled in an environment which would have been hard for anyone to succeed in.
Potter’s Chelsea pain could very much be West Ham’s gain but the Irons Gaffer was extremely candid in opening up about his experience in West London.
“At the time, I wasn’t in a good place. Losing your job is tough, especially when things haven’t gone to plan,” Potter admitted this week. “But it made me stronger. It made me a better person and coach.”
Reflecting on his Chelsea failure, Potter said he would tell his past self, “Everything will be OK. The worst that can happen is losing your job, but you move forward.”
Now he’s in the hot-seat at The London Stadium, Potter is determined to succeed despite having an injury ravaged squad. “Time is crucial. It’s about building trust and understanding. The Premier League is demanding, but I’m ready,” he declared. After the Lopetegui disaster, almost anything would be an improvement but the new boss speaks a lot of sense and if we benefit from what was a nasty learning experience we’ll all be the better for it.