Classy Graham Potter opens up on his West Ham sacking and makes major admission

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Graham Potter continues to struggle in his first job since being sacked by West Ham but he has shown real class and honesty when opening up on his dismal tenure.

Once hailed the best young English coach around, Graham Potter was tipped to lead the Three Lions one day.

But it is fair to say Potter’s reputation has taken a battering in recent years after he was chewed up and spat out by Chelsea, flopped at West Ham and now struggles with Sweden.

Potter took nearly two years out of football after being sacked by the Blues before deciding West Ham was the job for him.

Potter’s reputation continues to take a battering post-West Ham

In reality it was never the right fit.

Hammers fans want a certain passion, authority, leadership and aura from their managers – not to mention a style of play that gets them off their seats.

Potter ticked none of those boxes.

He had his doubters from the get-go in east London. Potter was labelled a ‘PE teacher with a psychology degree’ by many who felt he was something of an imposter at the top level of football.

Becoming officially the worst permanent manager in the 130-year history of West Ham did little to dispel those jibes.

After just six wins in 25 games over eight months, it was over for Potter the moment he became a viral meme among his own fans.

Potter has quickly got back on the horse by taking up the job as interim Sweden boss.

That has not gone to plan so far either as Potter continued where he left off at West Ham by losing 4-1 to Switzerland and drawing 1-1 with Slovenia in his first two games.

Classy Potter opens up on West Ham sacking with admission

Ultimately he will be judged on how the underperforming Swedes fare in their crucial World Cup play-off qualifier in March.

But judgement may have already been passed on any future as a Premier League manager after his disaster with the Hammers and Chelsea.

Having stepped straight into the Sweden job, the 50-year-old has not been pressed too much on his time at West Ham since leaving the London Stadium.

Now Potter has shown real class when opening up on his West Ham sacking and has made a major admission – that he simply did not do well enough to keep his job.

“No, I don’t think there’s too much time for regrets,” Potter said in a Sweden press conference when asked if he wished he hadn’t taken the West Ham job in the first place.

“Everything is a learning experience.

“(West Ham) is a fantastic club with great people and I really enjoyed myself there.

“The training ground, Rush Green, is a wonderful place.

“It’s football, if you don’t win enough then we all know the consequences as a head coach and I respect their decision and life moves on.”

Potter clearly has something to offer the game given his excellent work at the likes of Ostersunds, Swansea and Brighton.

Those clubs all have something in common in that they are smaller jobs, with lower expectations and more room to breathe and build.

Chelsea, West Ham – and probably now Sweden too – are simply too big for Potter.

He does not handle pressure well, as he showed during his short time at West Ham.

Michail Antonio actually accused Potter for ruining West Ham’s culture during his spell in east London.

So while offers may be in short supply if and when he leaves the Sweden job, his next career move simply must be a smaller club looking to rebuild, likely in the Championship.