Chelsea lost in the first leg of the ⅛ final of the Champions League, fell to the last team in the Premier League and fell 11 points from the Champions League zone, for which the hashtag #PotterWon went viral on social networks , calling on the club to get rid of the head coach.
The dismissal is really suggested, and it would certainly have to happen after the defeat of Southampton (0: 1), but this did not happen. The English edition of The Telegraph prepared a report in which they shared inside information and explained why club boss Todd Bowley has yet to say goodbye to Graham Potter.
1. Problem analysis
Every club president can cut himself off and fire the head coach, but it’s much better to look at the whole situation and dig deeper so as not to blame one person for all the problems.
Todd Bowley isn’t sure the poor performance is solely due to Potter, and therefore doesn’t want to rush him out. Perhaps no coach would have been able to build a new team so quickly in such a short time. Chelsea only acquired seven players in the winter with an eye on the first team, which in itself is a lot. And there would certainly be even more complaints against Graham if the newcomers were to be handpicked by the coach himself, but earlier reports surfaced in the media that some acquisitions were made without Potter’s consent, further complicating his onboarding.
We must not forget about the objective reasons, namely the injuries that plague Chelsea from time to time. Yes, there are plenty of players on the roster, but the removal of any player breaks the already fragile ties.
2. Mutual respect
The second point is a bit strange for the rich and hard world of soccer, but it has a place too.
Bowley is reported to admire Potter’s courage in admitting his mistakes and taking the blame, although it is not uncommon for many managers, in similar situations, to criticize players and management through the media. Potter is a well-behaved exception.
In addition, Bowley highlights the coach’s courage. He doesn’t forget Potter’s high-stakes move in September 2022, when he walked away from a successful and functional project in Brighton and agreed to lead the Blues, already in turmoil at the time.
3. Potter’s “convenience” and lack of alternatives
Potter does not quarrel with management, does not resent unnecessary acquired players, and all the blow for results comes from the coach. Bowley bought an expensive toy, he plays the role of sports director, and Potter is the one who does not interfere with this.
Even if Bowley were to change coaches, there simply aren’t any suitable candidates on the market. No one wants to lead a club in crisis with a dubious manager closer to the end of the season.
The conditional Mauricio Pochettino would immediately demand to build the system he needs, and the American owner is not one to share power.
