The Sports Buff ⚽️ ⚾️ 🏈

Hello, good morning sports fans, I hope you’re well looking after yourselves and are in good health. I want to talk about an issue important in the life of sports and that is the topic of one Graham Potter.

Potter, in his playing days, was a former Southampton full-back. Since making the switch to management, the 48-year-old Potter has managed Ostersunds, Swansea, Brighton and Chelsea.

At one stage, Graham Potter was a sought-after coach, so much so that Chelsea owner Todd Boehly hired him to replace Thomas Tuchel. When the news broke that the former Swansea manager has taken the job at Chelsea, we here at The Sports Buff, knew it was going to end in tears.

Did we doubt his football ability? Not in the slightest, rather we were sceptical that Boehly would be patient with a man who thrives best when he can create a ‘project’. At Ostersunds, Swansea and Brighton over time, he was able to build an infrastructure at all of these clubs.

At Chelsea, you’re on a ticking time bomb. Except for Mourinho, no manager has been given any form of longevity at the club. Some managers like Jose can come into a club and make an instant impact, but with The Special One, he famously doesn’t last more than three seasons.

Since his sacking as Chelsea boss, Graham Potter has been lined up as a replacement for many managers who have been sacked over the last year. Having been linked with Leicester City to Italian giants AS Roma or even French heavyweights Olympique Lyon, Potter despite being linked with these roles, remains out of work.

Some of these jobs, appear to be the media linking him to such jobs. Whatever the reality is, one thing that is fact is that Graham Potter despite being mentioned for managerial jobs, remains unemployed.

On the face of it, it appears hard to see why. Potter is a flexible coach and can be flexible on his tactics too. Graham Potter’s methods seem in line with the modern game.

The main reason, I think the former Brighton man will find it hard to find work, is well, because he is Graham Potter. No disrespect is meant by that. As a manager and in how he fronts up to the press, he’s exemplary, he’s no-nonsense and a model professional.

Potter will never make an excuse ever, he won’t complain ever. I just think with the number of high-profile managers out of work, it’s
always going to be hard for the 48-year-old to get a look in.

When Birmingham were looking for a new manager, I was surprised they didn’t give Potter a chance. The Blues do have a good manager in Tony Mowbray it must be mentioned.

If a Championship team doesn’t come calling for Graham Potter, we think a return to the Amex Stadium (the Brighton manager job) should be considered. Current Seagulls manager Roberto Di Zerbi is in high demand.

Tony Bloom (Brighton’s owner) is the modern Daniel Levy. Bloom gets what he wants on his terms more times than not. When the Brighton owner allowed Graham Potter to go to Chelsea, he got a good compensation figure for his manager too.

In the case of Di Zerbi expect the same too. The 44-year-old Italian has done an even better job than his predecessor. This is why as much as Brighton wouldn’t want it to happen, there’s a sense of inevitability it will happen (De Zerbi moves to a new club).

Barcelona, Liverpool and Bayern Munich will need new managers. I mention Bayern as I feel they will sack Thomas Tuchel, who has a very difficult relationship with the higher-ups at the club now that Oliver Khan and Hassan Salihamazic.

Tuchel would be perfect at Barca, it seems destined for him.

De Zerbi leaving would leave a managerial vacancy at the Amex Stadium with Brighton. Tony Bloom could do a lot worse than re-hiring their former manager. What do you say, Tony, what have you got to lose?

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