Chelsea new manager LIVE: Graham Potter appointed as new head coach
Todd Boehly and the new owners at Stamford Bridge are set to appoint their own head coach as the Blues’ upheaval continues
Graham Potter has been announced as the new head coach of Chelsea, following the sacking of Thomas Tuchel on Wednesday.
New owner Todd Boehly acted swiftly to dismiss the German following a Champions League defeat to Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday night, with the aim being to quickly put a new man in place before the weekend Premier League encounter with Fulham. Potter has now been confirmed as that man with a five-year contract having been signed, the Stamford Bridge club confirmed. The compensation paid to Brighton is expected to be around £16m, with three staff members also moving with Potter.
Chelsea’s move was all the more surprising at this stage of the season given Tuchel played a prominent role in choosing transfer targets this summer, with the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang signed only a week ago and other big-money arrivals including Kalidou Koulibaly, Wesley Fofana and Raheem Sterling. Find the latest updates and reaction to Chelsea’s new manager below:
Graham Potter in-tray after being confirmed as new Chelsea head coach
Help shape the club’s off-field set-up and strategy:
Communication problems led to Thomas Tuchel’s sacking, with the German determined to be more focused on coaching than administration. Boehly and Eghbali need to build their Blues regime from the ground up however, and they want a lot of input from their manager. The ambitious US magnates crave a robust structure that flourishes in the long-term, and want the manager to be the centrepiece of that set-up. A new sporting director is still expected to be appointed soon, but that will not alleviate the demands on Potter. The new manager’s experiences at Ostersund and Brighton filter into this, with both roles showing different elements to Potter‘s understanding of either shaping, or working within, a framework.
New Brighton manager candidates
Thomas Frank
The astute Dane’s reputation has rocketed during his successful spell with current club Brentford. Frank arrived in England as an unknown quantity but ended the Bees’ 74-year top-flight exile before masterminding a mid-table finish last term. A frosty relationship between Albion owner Tony Bloom and his Brentford counterpart Matthew Benham could prove a sticking point.
Nathan Jones
Potter was plucked from Championship club Swansea to replace Chris Hughton in 2019. Should Albion’s hierarchy wish to go down a similar route, Luton’s Nathan Jones is a potential candidate - and a familiar face. The Welshman spent five seasons as a Seagulls player and, later, two-and-half years as a coach before moving to Kenilworth Road. He reached the Championship play-offs with the Hatters last season.
New Brighton manager candidates
Ange Postecoglou
Celtic boss Postecoglou has emerged as the early frontrunner. The Australian helped the Hoops regain the Scottish Premiership title from bitter rivals Rangers in his first season at Parkhead, in addition to lifting the Scottish League Cup. Whether the 57-year-old would be willing to swap Champions League football for a crack at the Premier League remains to be seen.
Kjetil Knutsen
The 53-year-old’s name continues to crop up when Premier League vacancies arise. He has guided Norwegian club Bodo/Glimt to back-to-back titles and been named coach of the year three seasons in a row in his homeland. Knutsen gained wider recognition last season when he led the club to the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League, which included thumping Jose Mourinho’s Roma - the eventual winners - 6-1 in the group stage.
Former Chelsea coach happy Blues preferred Graham Potter to Mauricio Pochettino
“No, I really value Pochettino, he's a top coach,” former Chelsea assistant coach Jody Morris said.
“He's performed great at Spurs and PSG. Yes [I'm happier with Potter], purely because he hasn't come from Spurs.
“Also, Potter is an English coach. I'd like to get behind English coaches, he's done great, so why not."
Adam Lallana emerges as candidate to replace Graham Potter at Brighton
Adam Lallana has emerged as a surprise candidate to replace Graham Potter at Brighton.
Sky Sports report the Seagulls player, who is described as a student of the game and has a promising candidate to be a top coach when he retires.
Brighton could look beyond their internal group, but Lallana, who will be involved in the immediate coaching group to pick up the pieces from Potter, is somebody to monitor long-term.
Graham Potter was best manager of last two years in terms of ‘impact’, says Ralph Hasenhuttl
"I congratulate them on a very good choice,” says Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl.
“He's the manager in the last two years with the biggest impact, with all the limits, all the transfers they gave away to other clubs.
“They're still competing at a high level. I know Pascal Gross, we spoke often about the development of the club, he did a fantastic job with this group.
“He has all the knowledge and experience to step up to a bigger club and show he can perform at a higher level."
Brighton search for Graham Potter replacement already started
Deputy chairman at Brighton Paul Barber has confirmed they expect big interest in the now-available Brighton job, given the work done on and off the pitch at the club of late.
Potter’s successor will have to impress, but the landing ground is there for that to happen.
“Tony, David and I have already begun work to replace Graham and to secure the very best candidate for the club,” Barber said.
“I have no doubt there will be unprecedented interest in the job, not least because of the excellent work done by Graham but also because of the footballing infrastructure in place at our club.”
Chelsea owners reveal why they chose ‘football innovator’ Graham Potter as new coach
Chelsea believe they have hired a “proven coach and innovator” after confirming Graham Potter as their new head coach.
The 47-year-old leaves Brighton to take over at Stamford Bridge just 48 hours after the sacking of Thomas Tuchel
He guided the Seagulls to their highest finish of ninth in the Premier League last season.
It is the most significant move yet by the new ownership group after their takeover from Roman Abramovich earlier this year.
Chairman Todd Boehly is delighted with what Potter brings to the table.
Chelsea owners reveal why they chose ‘football innovator’ Graham Potter as new coach
Potter guided the Seagulls to their highest finish of ninth in the Premier League last season
Brighton react to Graham Potter departure
Brighton have confirmed that five members of the backroom staff are departing along with Graham Potter.
Assistant Billy Reid, first-team coaches Bjorn Hamberg and Bruno, goalkeeping coach Ben Roberts and assistant head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay. It is not specifically stated that they are joining Chelsea, though at least three of them were expected to.
Chairman Tony Bloom said, “I am very disappointed that Graham will be leaving us. He has done exceptionally well over the past three-and-a-bit seasons, he is an exceptional head coach and an exceptional person. He will be hugely missed at our football club.
“He leaves an excellent legacy for his successor with the club in its highest ever position, and on the back of leading us to our highest finish in the club’s history last season.”
U21 coach Andrew Crofts will be in charge on an interim basis for the upcoming Premier League game against Bournemouth, after which the Seagulls have a free week due to their game against Palace being postponed.
Chelsea manager news latest
Potter is the incoming name but as for outgoing Thomas Tuchel it has been a rollercoaster time.
The Athletic report that he thought he had verbally agreed a new contract with Chelsea, but also that he had the “Tuchel feeling he was close to sack [in] pre-season over tensions with Behdad Eghbali”.
Harmony in the dressing room had been lost, the report claims, and communication between Tuchel and the board diminished significantly after the defeat to Leeds.
Big shoes for Potter to fill, and quickly.
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