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

[Guinness Boy]

Have we really spent so long with the Swede on the board that we're conflating 'nice guy' and 'great coach'? I've absolutely no doubt that Potter is a good family man, generous and with his heart mostly in the right place (except for when Chelsea waved their knickers). I'd also rather watch De Zerbi's football every day and twice on Sunday.

For those looking forward to April though I wouldn't get your hopes up. We have very obvious weaknesses and Potter will probably already have a plan for them. Plus a desire to avenge the 4-1 tonking he took last time. He'll be fired up like Russel Martin was. The only question for me will be if they have anyone by then who can put the ball in the net. They don't currently even have "a Maupay".

 

[JBizzle]

Have we really spent so long with the Swede on the board that we're conflating 'nice guy' and 'great coach'? I've absolutely no doubt that Potter is a good family man, generous and with his heart mostly in the right place (except for when Chelsea waved their knickers). I'd also rather watch De Zerbi's football every day and twice on Sunday.

For those looking forward to April though I wouldn't get your hopes up. We have very obvious weaknesses and Potter will probably already have a plan for them. Plus a desire to avenge the 4-1 tonking he took last time. He'll be fired up like Russel Martin was. The only question for me will be if they have anyone by then who can put the ball in the net. They don't currently even have "a Maupay".

I don't think so, personally. I don't think he gets anywhere near the credit he deserves for what he did here. That absolutely grim team in those last 6 months under Hughton were truly awful to watch, and even at it's best the style was hardly earth-shattering. To turn that style of play into the one he left was an achievement and certainly should grant him "good coach" status.

Also, so many people on here are like spurned exes when it comes from Potter and think he's a snake, so you may struggle to agree with the "nice guy" piece too

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

You've gotta give it to him. He's gone from Östersund to the PL managerial merry-go-round in the drop of a hat. He's also had a load of time off and earned an absolute fortune in the process.

Think West Ham is a terrible fit for him.

 

[MJsGhost]

f***ing hell this is a weak sainthood. If I was picking up £200k a week to be out of work, I'd foot the bill for far more than a villa in Spain once a year. It's really not that generous to pay for a holiday when your annual salary is over £10m.

Indeed.

Unless the friends are equally well off, it would be a bit awkward if the Potters insisted on a villa to match their budget and then expected the friends to pay their share. They could always just ask for a contribution in line with what the friends would pay for something in their price range, but it's much easier to just pay the lot if you're that wealthy.
Although it's still a nice thing to do, it would also be a bit of a dick thing to not do it (though some friends might insist on contributing of course).

He's potentially damned if he does (BIlly Big Balls) and damned if he doesn't (tight arse), but I agree that it's not a massive gesture for an enormously wealthy person to pay for something that is relatively insignificant for them.

It's almost like Elon Musk spending millions supporting you doesn't make him your friend

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I noticed this in the BBC piece
"Potter takes over with the Hammers 14th in the Premier League - seven points above the relegation zone - with just six league wins to their name."

Hurzeler has "just" 6 league wins...

Top ten Hurzeler has five more points because of 5 more draws. Five games fewer lost.

It seems Potter is less of a geography teacher than a history teacher.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

You've gotta give it to him. He's gone from Östersund to the PL managerial merry-go-round in the drop of a hat. He's also had a load of time off and earned an absolute fortune in the process.

Think West Ham is a terrible fit for him.

It is what it is

 

[Beanstalk]

Have we really spent so long with the Swede on the board that we're conflating 'nice guy' and 'great coach'? I've absolutely no doubt that Potter is a good family man, generous and with his heart mostly in the right place (except for when Chelsea waved their knickers). I'd also rather watch De Zerbi's football every day and twice on Sunday.

For those looking forward to April though I wouldn't get your hopes up. We have very obvious weaknesses and Potter will probably already have a plan for them. Plus a desire to avenge the 4-1 tonking he took last time. He'll be fired up like Russel Martin was. The only question for me will be if they have anyone by then who can put the ball in the net. They don't currently even have "a Maupay".

Does Potter get fired up?

Think you're spot on in the first part though. I think a lot of fans took a shining to GPotz in a way they didn't to RDZ (especially in hindsight) because he fitted an image that they felt looked kind from the outside. The reality though is that I've heard far more stories about Roberto's kindness and generous nature than I have about Potter from those who worked with him at the Albion. Whilst Potter is clearly a nice man, he was no Chris Hughton apparently.

 

[JetsetJimbo]

I don't think so, personally. I don't think he gets anywhere near the credit he deserves for what he did here. That absolutely grim team in those last 6 months under Hughton were truly awful to watch, and even at it's best the style was hardly earth-shattering. To turn that style of play into the one he left was an achievement and certainly should grant him "good coach" status.

Also, so many people on here are like spurned exes when it comes from Potter and think he's a snake, so you may struggle to agree with the "nice guy" piece too

Agree with this completely. Potter was the man we needed at the time we needed him, imo. Towards the end of Hughton's time I was almost (I said almost!) hoping for relegation so I could see us look good again. We had some dodgy runs under Potter and the lack of end product was always a problem, but generally I enjoyed watching us play his brand of football.

And I think I'm fully over his departure now. Bruno's departure still kinda stings though.

 

[Silverhatch]

I noticed this in the BBC piece
"Potter takes over with the Hammers 14th in the Premier League - seven points above the relegation zone - with just six league wins to their name."

Hurzeler has "just" 6 league wins...

We’ve only lost 4! Getting beat isn’t our problem. Turning f***ing wins into draws is.

 

[Han Solo]

You know the guy who always talk badly about the girlfriend that left him years and years ago?

He thinks he has reasonable grudges. People in his surroundings however think its all quite sad and he should let it go.

That guy is you. Bitter about having lost The One.

Anyway, West Ham looks like an interesting mission. Those who say they have a good squad are wrong however - Moyes has been overperforming with it for years. Right now they are where they are supposed to be with the players they have. With Bowen and Antonio injured it'll be a minor miracle if they can pick up more points in the second half of the season than the first one. So there will be plenty of losses for the hurt ones to enjoy.

West Ham have randomly made this appointment. I don't think for a minute they have some sort of grand plan. They've been linked with Potter forever - Swansea days - due to him playing players from the academy and a more attractive football than they usually get to see. They probably chose between him and the "Spanish manager thingie" because that's also been hyped in their world.

The problem about the whole "Graham Potter should fit in West Ham" thing is that they really don't deliver on what they are supposed to do. Their academy doesn't produce anything. People need to stop talking about Joe Cole and Frank Lampard... the people who coached these players are all dead or retired. Apart from Declan Rice, they've produced nothing in the last 15 years or so.

Their squad is filled with fighters (plus Kudus, who will be gone by next season), many of them past their peak or technically very limited at PL level. Its a big undertaking. West Ham now have the coach for it but f*** knows if they've got the brains for it.

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.

One in five Brighton fans recently voted they wanted to sack the manager, in the type of poll that has appeared for all but one of Brightons PL seasons.
Brighton & Hove Albion currently sit in 10th place in the Premier League.

 

[jackanada]

It’s easy to be generous when you're sitting on a multi-million pound payoff.

I handed over a pack of Rizlas with about 7 papers left in it to a man who asked me for one outside a pub.
Adjusted for spending power I was more generous to a stranger than Potter was to a long standing friend.

 

[Silverhatch]

You've gotta give it to him. He's gone from Östersund to the PL managerial merry-go-round in the drop of a hat. He's also had a load of time off and earned an absolute fortune in the process.

Think West Ham is a terrible fit for him.

Ten times better fit than Chelsea

 

[Nitram]

Just caught some of his interview, reminds me what a boring and uninspiring person he is, talks in cliches. Platitude Potter.

 

[5Ways Gull]

Think West Ham is a terrible fit for him

Like Chelsea without the oceans of dosh. Same level of expectation/entitlement.

 

[fruitnveg]

One in five Brighton fans recently voted they wanted to sack the manager, in the type of poll that has appeared for all but one of Brightons PL seasons.
Brighton & Hove Albion currently sit in 10th place in the Premier League.

And yet we still remain the single most patient group. Imagine what the Hammers will have to say about Mr Potter when they go on their inevitable winless run. I doubt it's going to be flattering.

And how long a run will it be before those critiscisms and calls for his head arrive? 11 games as he managed with us, more? I think not

 

[medwayseagull reborn]

You know the guy who always talk badly about the girlfriend that left him years and years ago?

He thinks he has reasonable grudges. People in his surroundings however think its all quite sad and he should let it go.

That guy is you. Bitter about having lost The One.

Anyway, West Ham looks like an interesting mission. Those who say they have a good squad are wrong however - Moyes has been overperforming with it for years. Right now they are where they are supposed to be with the players they have. With Bowen and Antonio injured it'll be a minor miracle if they can pick up more points in the second half of the season than the first one. So there will be plenty of losses for the hurt ones to enjoy.

West Ham have randomly made this appointment. I don't think for a minute they have some sort of grand plan. They've been linked with Potter forever - Swansea days - due to him playing players from the academy and a more attractive football than they usually get to see. They probably chose between him and the "Spanish manager thingie" because that's also been hyped in their world.

The problem about the whole "Graham Potter should fit in West Ham" thing is that they really don't deliver on what they are supposed to do. Their academy doesn't produce anything. People need to stop talking about Joe Cole and Frank Lampard... the people who coached these players are all dead or retired. Apart from Declan Rice, they've produced nothing in the last 15 years or so.

Their squad is filled with fighters (plus Kudus, who will be gone by next season), many of them past their peak or technically very limited at PL level. Its a big undertaking. West Ham now have the coach for it but f*** knows if they've got the brains for it.


One in five Brighton fans recently voted they wanted to sack the manager, in the type of poll that has appeared for all but one of Brightons PL seasons.
Brighton & Hove Albion currently sit in 10th place in the Premier League.

Out of interest what will be your user name on the West Ham forum ?

 

[SkirlieWirlie]

I'm no fan of Potter. He left us in the lurch six games into a season. But I heard a story about him yesterday from a non football person.

Potter and my sauce have mutual close friends. These friends have holidayed with the Potters for years. For the last couple of years Graham has picked up the bill for the holiday home. He has no need to and it's not a billy-big-ballocks move. It's just a generous gesture.

Hmmm...

 

[Blues Guitarist]

Does our German manager have a sense of humour?

From the BBC:

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler on Graham Potter being appointed West Ham manager and whether he has had any experience with him in the past:

"I followed how they played here at Brighton because I think it's important as a new coach to understand history, to understand the past and to understand the philosophy of coaches that have worked here before."

 

[Hometownglory]

One of the hardest jobs in the PL is to keep the Hammers happy. I heard some of his interview and I couldn't bare the listen. I certainly don't miss the teeth sucking.

I can't wait to see how the West Ham fans handle: 'it is what it is', 'this is the Premier League, hardest league in the world', 'maybe I need a history lesson', 'stop shouting shoot'

 

[severnside gull]

Bruno joining with him as No2