[Albion] Potter- what’s he up to? (Managing West Ham from 9 Jan)

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

f*** POTTER...Can't wait to play them now..BBBBBBOOOOOOOO

Careful not to whip yourself up into a Palarse-match-styleee frenzy.

You know what will happen..... your hormones will suck the Sham shots into our net

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I am interested to see how good he is as a manager. He has a good squad and presumably there will be some money to spend. Seems like a good appointment.

Although I would have though lopetugu would have done better so perhaps there are bigger problems at West Ham

I suspect that Lopsytitty is a bit brittle. And incoherent.

These are a good-ish squad.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Laugh it up… he’ll be out on his arse in less than a year.

He is being average… his average points haul/win % (hovering around 29%) with us was the definition of bang average… yes, he’s bang average… and that with a brilliant Albion squad, arguably our best ever.

Almost every critique of Potter focuses on the 'average'. Average points, average results. Long winless periods in the middle of his time. And all this does is ignore the development process of a young, inexperienced manager. Everyone takes time to develop and it's what he became that matters, not what he was early on. We don't hark back to the first year of Mac Allister, we recall how good he was in his final year. We delight in what Baleba is now, not who he was last year. Nothing is static and we were flying when Potter f*cked off. He was in such demand that Boehly hastened the sacking of Tuchel to get him before others did (and gave him a poisoned chalice as a result).

We see the same with Fab, or with other young players like Minteh. People assuming that what they are now is what they will always be.

 

[nickjhs]

Almost every critique of Potter focuses on the 'average'. Average points, average results. Long winless periods in the middle of his time. And all this does is ignore the development process of a young, inexperienced manager. Everyone takes time to develop and it's what he became that matters, not what he was early on. We don't hark back to the first year of Mac Allister, we recall how good he was in his final year. We delight in what Baleba is now, not who he was last year. Nothing is static and we were flying when Potter f*cked off. He was in such demand that Boehly hastened the sacking of Tuchel to get him before others did (and gave him a poisoned chalice as a result).

We see the same with Fab, or with other young players like Minteh. People assuming that what they are now is what they will always be.

I agree with everything you say and I think Potter will do a great job at West Ham, as a coach I like him, but I will forever see him as a traitor to the club that gave him the opportunity and patience he needed, and for that, I will always see him as a complete and utter c***

 

[BadFish]

Almost every critique of Potter focuses on the 'average'. Average points, average results. Long winless periods in the middle of his time. And all this does is ignore the development process of a young, inexperienced manager. Everyone takes time to develop and it's what he became that matters, not what he was early on. We don't hark back to the first year of Mac Allister, we recall how good he was in his final year. We delight in what Baleba is now, not who he was last year. Nothing is static and we were flying when Potter f*cked off. He was in such demand that Boehly hastened the sacking of Tuchel to get him before others did (and gave him a poisoned chalice as a result).

We see the same with Fab, or with other young players like Minteh. People assuming that what they are now is what they will always be.

For me, we didn't enjoy the 'flying' period for long enough to know if that was going to be the new normal or just a run of good/great form.

His choice to leave means that for me the jury will always remain out on how good his ability to manage us was.

Water under the bridge now of course but I will be innterested to see how he gets on at West Ham. I don't really care if he succeeds or fails but it will be interesting to see how good he actually is.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

If he's given time, he will do well there.

 

[Justice]

Almost every critique of Potter focuses on the 'average'. Average points, average results. Long winless periods in the middle of his time. And all this does is ignore the development process of a young, inexperienced manager. Everyone takes time to develop and it's what he became that matters, not what he was early on. We don't hark back to the first year of Mac Allister, we recall how good he was in his final year. We delight in what Baleba is now, not who he was last year. Nothing is static and we were flying when Potter f*cked off. He was in such demand that Boehly hastened the sacking of Tuchel to get him before others did (and gave him a poisoned chalice as a result).

We see the same with Fab, or with other young players like Minteh. People assuming that what they are now is what they will always be.

This is a good analysis the trouble the club have now is managing expectations. RDZ gave us a glimpse through the looking glass and in away it’s created a problem that wasn’t there before.
Fans will lose patience sitting through two or three seasons of average football with FAB before he gets his act together and then pisses off to Bayern Munich or elsewhere early doors leaving yet another unfinished Albion project on the table.

Judging by some of the press coming out of the Amex patronising fans saying they have no patience & trust the process nonsense. The headmaster dishing out a telling off days after getting smashed by Palace and then ST holders making their way to the Amex to find they have been locked out as their seat has been sold may suggest they aren’t handling the early criticism that well.

It’s an interesting debate and one that yet again could divide the fan base like it did when Potter was here if results don’t start improving.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I am interested to see how good he is as a manager. He has a good squad and presumably there will be some money to spend. Seems like a good appointment.

Although I would have though lopetugu would have done better so perhaps there are bigger problems at West Ham

Does he?

Kudos apart their main attacking options are injured, one possibly permanently. The defence is mostly awful save for Wan-Bissaka who is quick and great defensively but pretty average going forward. Their midfield just kind of exists.

They’ll need to buy a striker or Kudos will be creating endless chances for no one and they’ll under perform their xG. I’m sure if that happens their entitled fans definitely won’t point it out.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

This is a good analysis the trouble the club have now is managing expectations. RDZ gave us a glimpse through the looking glass and in away it’s created a problem that wasn’t there before.
Fans will lose patience sitting through two or three seasons of average football with FAB before he gets his act together and then pisses off to Bayern Munich or elsewhere early doors leaving yet another unfinished Albion project on the table.

Judging by some of the press coming out of the Amex patronising fans saying they have no patience & trust the process nonsense. The headmaster dishing out a telling off days after getting smashed by Palace and then ST holders making their way to the Amex to find they have been locked out as their seat has been sold may suggest they aren’t handling the early criticism that well.

It’s an interesting debate and one that yet again could divide the fan base like it did when Potter was here if results don’t start improving.

I don't disagree with your first paragraph, we didn't necessarily need to go back to a rookie manager and redo the Potter process this summer, yet we chased McKenna and then went for Fab. Maybe the club were just being a bit too clever at the time. An Ireola, a Silva, an Emery, maybe we could have got someone in that vein, I don't know. Its why me and many others wanted to get Potter back, he would have been perfect imo.

Still, we have Fab, and am thus going to back him, its very early days to say we are going to have to sit through a couple of seasons of average, he could be a lot better than that, we don't know - hence the calls for patience. And even if we're not patient, nothing is going to be achieved by some of the reactions here, he is going to be here for a while yet. And say Fab turns out to be the next Guardiola, the only way Brighton were ever going to get him at the helm was to strike early and take him while he is still raw. Thats where we are.

 

[Wozza]

Confirmed.

Graham Potter appointed West Ham United Head Coach | West Ham United F.C.

Graham Potter has been appointed as West Ham United's Head Coach on a contract until the summer of 2026.

www.whufc.com

 

[Flounce]

Former Seagulls forward Glenn Murray played under him and said Potter was a "thought-provoking manager" who "meticulously studies every opponent".

"He knows exactly what he wants, but he wants feedback from the players. It's a collective rather than a dictatorship," added Murray.

"One thing that really struck me about him, and he probably doesn't get enough credit for, is that we were a team that were in survival mode in the Premier League.

"He managed to change the culture and change the style of play. That's not an easy thing to do while remaining stable."

Amid the focus on tactically dogmatic coaches such as Ange Postecoglou and Ruben Amorim, Murray said Potter's style was "fluid" and he was not opposed to making changes to formation or tactics during a game.

"When I played under him, we would change formations two or three times in a single afternoon, which is quite a skill to be able to have your players understand everything you want from them and be able to change in-game."

As you can see from the replies flying in already there are some Albion fans with better football manager knowledge than one of Albion’s best ever players.

Not a vendetta in any way from them, just balanced and reasoned criticism from people who clearly missed their vocation

 

[fruitnveg]

Ifs and buts. The fact is West Ham have just sacked a manager after only 6 months demonstrating their much vaunted "patience." Potter will not get the time he desires and will be a failure as a result. Hell, they tried to give him a 6 month contract because even they know.

Potter will never again have it as good or easy as he had it here. A more patient fanbase in the prem do not exist.

 

[Flounce]

I agree with everything you say and I think Potter will do a great job at West Ham, as a coach I like him, but I will forever see him as a traitor to the club that gave him the opportunity and patience he needed, and for that, I will always see him as a complete and utter c***

Hard to argue with any of that.

 

[Flounce]

Ifs and buts. The fact is West Ham have just sacked a manager after only 6 months. Potter will not get the time he desires and will be a failure. Hell, they tried to give him a 6 month contract because even they know.

Potter will never again have it as good or easy as he had it here. A more patient fanbase in the prem do not exist.

I do wonder if he ponders your last sentence occasionally, as a supposedly intelligent man, I am sure he has regrets on what he did, although the bank balance will help sooth any regrets.

Leaving as he did is forgivable, taking the back room staff with him is definitely not.

 

[Hiheidi]

Confirmed.

Graham Potter appointed West Ham United Head Coach | West Ham United F.C.

Graham Potter has been appointed as West Ham United's Head Coach on a contract until the summer of 2026.

www.whufc.com

Potter will be joined at the Hammers by Bruno (Assistant Coach), Billy Reid (First-Team Coach) and Narcís Pèlach (First-Team Coach). Goalkeeper Coach Xavi Valero will stay on in his role.

 

[Springal]

Potter will be joined at the Hammers by Bruno (Assistant Coach), Billy Reid (First-Team Coach) and Narcís Pèlach (First-Team Coach). Goalkeeper Coach Xavi Valero will stay on in his role.

What happened to the Swedish bloke who was coach

 

[Guinness Boy]

I do wonder if he ponders your last sentence occasionally, as a supposedly intelligent man, I am sure he has regrets on what he did, although the bank balance will help sooth any regrets.

Leaving as he did is forgivable, taking the back room staff with him is definitely not.

Ponder? He said it out loud. Brighton was an “easy life”.

 

[Wozza]

Potter will be joined at the Hammers by Bruno (Assistant Coach), Billy Reid (First-Team Coach) and Narcís Pèlach (First-Team Coach). Goalkeeper Coach Xavi Valero will stay on in his role.

Had to lookk up Pèlach.

Pèlach was announced as Stoke's new head coach on 18 September 2024, signing a three-year contract. Pèlach was sacked on 27 December 2024 after only winning three of his 19 games in charge.

 

[Wozza]

What happened to the Swedish bloke who was coach

​

Björn Hamberg is Feyenoord's assistant manager.

 

[Swegulls]

Good first interview!