Freddie Potts has admitted Graham Potter’s treatment of him took its toll as he delivered a shock verdict on the worst manager in the 130-year history of West Ham.
While West Ham’s owners have to take their fair share of the blame for appointing him in the first place, there is no way to dress up Graham Potter’s disastrous spell in east London.
Potter was sacked by West Ham in September with the club well on its way to almost certain relegation.
Dubbed a ‘PE teacher with a psychology degree’ by some Hammers fans, Potter is officially West Ham’s worst ever permanent manager after winning just six of his 25 games in charge.
There may have been extenuating factors – including the mess he inherited from Julen Lopetegui and Tim Steidten – but there is no excusing how bad West Ham were under the much-hyped English coach.
Potter’s appointment has failed to impress Sweden’s players.
That has showed in a 4-1 defeat to Switzerland followed by a 1-1 draw with Slovenia.
Potter’s reputation continues to nosedive after West Ham axe
One of Potter’s biggest problems at West Ham was his failure to inspire supporters and the players.
Some of his actions were also highly questionable.
And his time at the club was very much defined by his lip service to the Academy and treatment of one player in particular, Freddie Potts.
In a revealing interview recently, Michail Antonio slammed Potter for ruining West Ham’s culture during his spell in east London.
A massive part of that culture is bringing Academy stars through to the first team.
When Potter first arrived at the London Stadium in January, he declared he would be looking to use do exactly that.
West Ham fans have heard that before, from a succession of managers, but Potter appeared to mean it when he played Ollie Scarles in his first game.
But the way Potter treated Scarles’ fellow emerging Hammers talent Potts was ultimately a huge stain on his tenure.
Potter had gone on record to say Potts would be in his plans, especially after he signed a new four-year deal at the end of last season.
Potts came back to West Ham following a successful loan at Portsmouth determined to make an impact at his boyhood club.
It looked like he would be a key player in solving the team’s biggest problem – a turgid midfield – when Potter started Potts throughout pre-season.
Potter sold Potts a pup over big West Ham chance
Especially when the son of legend Steve Potts impressed with his performances.
But when the season started properly, Potter turned his back on Potts and barely used him.
There were points Potter even selected the likes of Guido Rodriguez ahead of the 22-year-old despite West Ham’s immobile midfield clearly crying out for the legs and energy Potts gave it in pre-season.
The Hammers then spent nearly £70m on Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa late in the summer window.
That suggested game time would be even more difficult to come by for Potts.
And so it proved under Potter, although not for long.
He was sacked with the Irons hurtling towards the Championship and Nuno instantly believed in the homegrown Hammer, who was key to West Ham getting a point at Everton.
Potts was a revelation as he started back-to-back victories over Newcastle and Burnley before the international break.
Skipper Jarrod Bowen said Potts had every right to be unhappy with Potter for his West Ham snub.
Meanwhile Potter’s reputation is taking a battering as he flops with Sweden too.
Now Potts has taken some time to reflect on his rollercoaster season so far with the Hammers first team.
The academy product has opened up on how Potter’s treatment of him was tough to handle emotionally.
But Potts also delivered a shock verdict on the former Hammers boss that will surprise many.
Potts has shared what he really thought of Potter as a manager at West Ham and few will have seen his comments coming given what went on.
Emotional Potts delivers shock verdict on Potter after snub
“Obviously, Graham Potter was a great manager,” Potts said on Iron Cast.
“He helped me out a lot and gave me chances in pre-season.
“But it was tough for me (how Potter treated him after pre-season) because I wanted to show everyone what I could do in pre-season is what I want to show in the Premier League.
“So we had games out there (in the USA) where I was starting and like I said, I keep saying, I just wanted to prove to everyone what I could do.
“But it was tough going into the season. Obviously, not being in the team, not coming on was quite tough emotionally.”
Potts is being very polite here to Potter.
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Clearly the former head coach was not a ‘great manager’ and Potts even provides his own evidence in the way Potter left him demoralised.
While Potter’s career nosedives further, Potts is the man on the rise with West Ham.
And many believe he is potential Hammers captain material in the future.
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