[Albion] If Graham Potter is re-appointed...

[Kalimantan Gull]

Are you saying Potter is my daughter?
A bit confused to be honest.

Well he's not our lover either is he He was an employee of our football club. I've had employees leave my organisation for better offers and career progression. I didn't shout at them or boo them out the door, many are still friends. I'm not the biggest org in my field and can respect people advancing their careers. Football fans just act weird

 

[A1X]

So what if Graham Potter is re-appointed? Regardless of the manner of his leaving he is/was a bloody good coach.

Do “bloody good coaches” preside over runs of one home win in a calendar year very often?

Far too many on here seem to think the purple patch of April to September 2022 was the norm rather than an anomaly compared to the rest of his time in charge.

 

[Reddleman]

Do “bloody good coaches” preside over runs of one home win in a calendar year very often?

Far too many on here seem to think the purple patch of April to September 2022 was the norm rather than an anomaly compared to the rest of his time in charge.

You can’t rewrite history. He took us to our highest ever leave finish (at that time) and when he left we were sitting in fourth.

Clearly that is the mark of a good coach .

 

[Baldrick]

Do “bloody good coaches” preside over runs of one home win in a calendar year very often?

Far too many on here seem to think the purple patch of April to September 2022 was the norm rather than an anomaly compared to the rest of his time in charge.

You are overlooking the fact it took some time for GP to transition from Chris Hughton's style of play. Have you heard of "continuous improvement"?

 

[A1X]

You can’t rewrite history. He took us to our highest ever leave finish (at that time) and when he left we were sitting in fourth.

Clearly that is the mark of a good coach .

Yes, after a mere 6 games. After 6 games in 2023 we were 3rd. How’s this season panned out from there?

 

[A1X]

You are overlooking the fact it took some time for GP to transition from Chris Hughton's style of play. Have you heard of "continuous improvement"?

Is it “continuous improvement” to go on worse runs than your predecessor?

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Do “bloody good coaches” preside over runs of one home win in a calendar year very often?

Far too many on here seem to think the purple patch of April to September 2022 was the norm rather than an anomaly compared to the rest of his time in charge.

Even that purple patch included a terrible performance at Fulham.

 

[Flounce]

Is it “continuous improvement” to go on worse runs than your predecessor?

I get that you don’t want Potter back but you really can’t see that without the guy you are now obsessing about you would, almost certainly, have never seen RDZ as Albion manager?

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

For all those who are convinced that Graham Potter slagged as off by saying the Brighton job was an easy life. He didn't.

Here are his quotes in full from that press conference. Try to make your own informed opinion without the aid of a big read tabloid headline to guide you.

'Football is emotion. It's about the results and so, therefore, that overrides everything but the coaching process is something that gets better with time because you go through the ups and downs and then you understand more about this person, who can come with us, who maybe we’re not on the right path together [with] how you can help them, how they can help you.’

If I wanted a nice, easy life, I could have quite easily stayed at Brighton in the Premier League, signed a new contract and been absolutely okay.

And I wouldn’t have had too many questions about myself, pressure, sackings or anything like that.’

The starting point at Brighton was we were a bottom three team in the Premier League and we're trying to change the playing style.

‘You can imagine you get all the narratives that say “you can't do that, you need to fight and need to do this” so you have to try and convince and you go through a process of convincing the players, working and developing the players, changing the players and over time, the team progresses, and then the team functions and everything is ok.

‘You have to go through it. There is discomfort and pain along the way. If you want to do something new, in my mind, you have to fail. It'd be wrong of me to say anything else. There’s no shortcut to it in my experience.'


So for the hard of thinking, what he actually said was he had been through the pain at Brighton and was beginning to reap the rewards. The hardest part of the job was done and it was getting easier, with less pressure and little chance of getting sacked. By taking the Chelsea job he accepted that it was going to be hard and the pressure was greater and there would be a greater risk of getting sacked.

He was speaking to the Chelsea fans, saying trust me. We went through this at Brighton and it worked.

But in typical tabloid fashion, the Daily Mirror headline was,

Graham Potter makes jibe at Brighton as Chelsea manager explains "significant" challenge

The Daily Mail headline, (notice they added an explanation mark)

'If I wanted an easy life, I would've stayed at Brighton!'


And for those who think the players would have been hurt by his "disloyalty", this is what Alexis said before we played Chelsea in Potters first Chelsea defeat


“I hope the fans give him a warm welcome because he deserves it.

“Graham and his staff have been fantastic for us. They’ve been part of this team's progress and we think he was amazing for this club.
“I’m really looking forward to playing Chelsea and of course after the game we’ll wish them the best.

“I was surprised at the time when he left because it all happened very quickly. But I wasn’t disappointed because that’s football. It was an amazing opportunity for him and we must respect his decision.

“He’s in a big club now and you can see they’re already playing the way he wants and winning games. I’m happy for them and of course I wish him the best.”

“He was the first one who played me as a No6. It was a smart move from him because I enjoyed playing in that position and the way he wanted to play football. That was the most important thing.

"The first year wasn’t easy for me. I found it very hard coming from Argentina with a different language and different way to play football. I physically wasn’t as strong as I am today.

“I wanted to kill him… but that’s part of football. He was very helpful — improving my versatility and physically. I’m a much better player today because of it so I can thank him a lot.”

And this is the Sun headline to accompany that piece.
AL OVER THE PLACE Alexis Mac Allister wanted to KILL Potter for playing him out of position… now he aims to inflict first Chelsea defeat.

So maybe we should listen more to the players and less to the scummy tabloid press.

I am incredulous that you and others actually seem to believe what you are saying. He actually said:

'If I wanted a nice, easy life, I could have quite easily stayed at Brighton in the Premier League, signed a new contract and been absolutely okay.'

Yet somehow that isn't saying that he could have had an easy life? The papers will always spin things but even to 'the hard of thinking'
'If I wanted a nice, easy life, I could have quite easily stayed at Brighton in the Premier League, signed a new contract and been absolutely okay.'
means that if he wanted an easy life he would have stayed with us whether it has an exclamation mark or not, by the way, not explanation mark in case you wondered.

Personally, I don't read the press very often and very rarely the tabloid stuff as it is mostly rubbish. I simply listened to what the man said and observed his conduct. He showed not a shred of loyalty, the loyalty Bloom had shown him over more than a season of appalling home form was thrown back in his face. He's not coming back so get over him.

 

[Kosh]

You can’t rewrite history. He took us to our highest ever leave finish (at that time) and when he left we were sitting in fourth.

Clearly that is the mark of a good coach .

Fourth after six games ? With wins against a wretched Man Utd and a porous Leicester… come on, it’s ridiculous to claim that form would have continued… Graham also knew this, hence he jumped when his stock was at its peak… I’ve said before, and I say again we got 6th thanks to a fully focussed, passionate and charismatic coach… he drove us to new highs, physically and mentally… we would have settled out around 9th under GP…

I guess you could counter that with the how could you know that !?! retort, to which I say - no one knows, but champions league ? Under GP - not a chance… fourth was an early season anomaly, and finishing 6th was a miracle.

I’m not one for faint praise, what Roberto achieved was phenomenal, I’m not convinced Graham had the fire to have kept us competing against the odds… nor does he have it now. He’s a steady mid table option, which might suit us I guess ?!? Depending on our actual level of ambition.

 

[DJ NOBO]

The North Stand is going to need a new big flag whoever is appointed. For Potter perhaps it could be all beige, with the inspiring "it is what it is" slogan

Potter’s stylised face on a banner reading “it is what it is”. You joke, but that would actually be perfect .

 

[Reddleman]

Yes, after a mere 6 games. After 6 games in 2023 we were 3rd. How’s this season panned out from there?

True but who can say how it would have played out under Potter. The point is he’s clearly a good coach, to say otherwise is nonsense.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Do “bloody good coaches” preside over runs of one home win in a calendar year very often?

Far too many on here seem to think the purple patch of April to September 2022 was the norm rather than an anomaly compared to the rest of his time in charge.

Just like our young players, Potter was learning as a manager whilst with us. He was constantly trying things, some worked, some didn't. But he's better for it.

Anyway at the end of the day the reason that vast majority of Potter-outers don't want him back is because they were badly hurt when he left because we were doing so well, and are understandably struggling to forgive. End of. Yes, there will be a few who never liked him or his style of play, but that will be a minority. The Potter-inners we're also hurt by his departure but are prepared to forgive him his mistake and hope we go back to what was working so well before.

 

[jackalbion]

You can’t rewrite history. He took us to our highest ever leave finish (at that time) and when he left we were sitting in fourth.

Clearly that is the mark of a good coach .

There is benefits of him as coach, but using this as a benchmark means absolutely nothing. Its a rubbish argument when you look at this season as comparison.

 

[essbee1]

True but who can say how it would have played out under Potter. The point is he’s clearly a good coach, to say otherwise is nonsense.

But a complete and utter ****** knob as a person.

 

[Reddleman]

Fourth after six games ? With wins against a wretched Man Utd and a porous Leicester… come on, it’s ridiculous to claim that form would have continued… Graham also knew this, hence he jumped when his stock was at its peak… I’ve said before, and I say again we got 6th thanks to a fully focussed, passionate and charismatic coach… he drove us to new highs, physically and mentally… we would have settled out around 9th under GP…

I guess you could counter that with the how could you know that !?! retort, to which I say - no one knows, but champions league ? Under GP - not a chance… fourth was an early season anomaly, and finishing 6th was a miracle.

I’m not one for faint praise, what Roberto achieved was phenomenal, I’m not convinced Graham had the fire to have kept us competing against the odds… nor does he have it now. He’s a steady mid table option, which might suit us I guess ?!? Depending on our actual level of ambition.

I actually agree with a lot of what you say and agree about RDZ driving the club forward.

What I would counter with though is the run of form that had us fourth was a continuation from the previous season when we won away at Spurs, Arsenal, Wolves, spanked Man United etc. So there is evidence to say it MAY have continued, Could Potter get us sixth with that team I think he could. Could he with the current team, no, but then neither could RDZ.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Russell Martin is not all that popular down here in Southampton with many Saints fans. Now that they sneaked promotion back to the PL I hardly think he’s going to up sticks to move sixty miles eastwards.

He's not that popular here either.

Despite being a Brightonian he's never played for the club and has set up a competing Academy here and employed Charlie Oatway in an organisation that was working in the same space as BHAFC Foundation.

I'm not saying Bloom wouldn't, but when you add in that he's Potter lite in terms of style and couldn't get a team packed full of stars above Ipswich, I think the only reason people are mentioning him is that, again, someone's had a tenner on Betfair.

 

[el punal]

Do “bloody good coaches” preside over runs of one home win in a calendar year very often?

Far too many on here seem to think the purple patch of April to September 2022 was the norm rather than an anomaly compared to the rest of his time in charge.

Then how bad do you to have to be to be touted as the next England coach? Potter was also on the radar of many Premier League clubs as their next coach. Talking of “bloody good coaches” you do realise that Alex Ferguson was minutes away from being sacked by Man Utd. He‘d been with them for four years and they had won absolutely nothing. Next thing they scraped a win against Nottingham Forest in the F.A. Cup and then went on to win it - the rest as they say is history.

Going back to Potter, if you look back he was improving the team as time went on. The criticism that could be levelled against him was that the possession based style was not reflected in the number of goals that should have been scored. That was remedied by De Zerbi - who also had his faults.

 

[jackalbion]

I actually agree with a lot of what you say and agree about RDZ driving the club forward.

What I would counter with though is the run of form that had us fourth was a continuation from the previous season when we won away at Spurs, Arsenal, Wolves, spanked Man United etc. So there is evidence to say it MAY have continued, Could Potter get us sixth with that team I think he could. Could he with the current team, no, but then neither could RDZ.

I really don't think Potter would have inspired us to a 3-0 win directly after losing 5-1 to Everton. The motivation to get us out of a slump after losing 3-1 to Forest, and beat Wolves 6-0 and go on that run to the end of the season, would not have been forthcoming from Potter. He's not a motivator.

 

[DavePage]

Hopefully team Bloom is orchestrating the Potter interest, only to say sorry that’s just paper talk.
Failing that and a return, we should at least have a pay by performance and no-compension in the event of being sacked, Claus.