Yahoo News Chelsea vengeance, jumping ship, big statement – Graham Potter's Leicester City impact in focus
Graham Potter has been the odds-on favourite to become the next Leicester City manager for a few days now.
The former Brighton and Chelsea boss is certainly a candidate and has been the subject of long-term admiration at City. There is a decent possibility that he could be the next man in the dugout, with Carlos Corberan and Steve Cooper also under consideration.
But how would that appointment be received? How would Potter fare at the King Power Stadium? To answer, LeicestershireLive’s City writers gathered their thoughts on the good and bad of his potential arrival.
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Amie Wilson
When Enzo Maresca first moved to Chelsea the name who initially came to mind as a replacement was Potter. He seems like the ideal fit and with the added bonus that he is currently without a club.
It’s not the first time that City have been linked with the former Brighton boss, with the hierarchy long-term admirers. I did however think that a move for him this summer would be ambitious, given the other jobs that he is said to have turned down and the ones available.
If City can complete a deal for Potter, then I think it could be a big coup. He has Premier League experience with Brighton, playing a major part in their growth over the last few years, and he was praised for the football he got them playing.
Having changed the style of play completely under Maresca, the club need someone who will continue with a similar philosophy. While every manager will have their own style, changing the way the team play would be less than ideal as City look to secure survival.
His experience at Chelsea could also add to that determination to prove himself in the Premier League again. Leicester could be the ideal place to do that.
Josh Holland
Potter has been my first choice manager the previous two times Leicester have been searching for their next appointment (after Brendan Rodgers and Dean Smith). This time is no different. There’s enough reason to be optimistic about his possible appointment with his football easy on the eye and past experience with Brighton speaking volumes.
However, even though he would arrive on a free, I do have concerns over his commitment to the club. It’s been reported that he’s unsure over the role and that he’s holding out for the England job after the Euros. If Leicester get their man and he arrives, how long will it be until a club comes sniffing for him and he jumps ship?
Premier League experience is pivotal for Leicester and a similar style to the one that graced LE2 last season will be something the club will be looking for. Potter ticks both of those boxes and would arrive with a point to prove after failing at Chelsea. A move does make sense for both parties and the time does feel right for him to finally return to club football.
Jordan Blackwell
Given the links to big jobs like that at Manchester United, given he turned down City previously, and given the predicament the club are currently in, with a points deduction potentially on the way, it would feel like a big statement to appoint Potter. Even before considering the managerial qualities he would bring to the club, welcoming Potter as the new boss would galvanise the fanbase and the squad.
And when the initial excitement dies down, City will still have an excellent manager, and one that crucially provides continuity from where the squad was last season under Maresca. City do not need to rip up the blueprint.
Potter has shown throughout his career that he gets his teams playing high-quality possession football that fashions a lot of chances. That was particularly the case at Brighton, who would have fared even better than their run of 15th, 16th, ninth if they’d had better finishing at the top end.
He’s not committed to one formation either, preferring different shapes at Ostersund, Swansea, Brighton, and Chelsea, and so there’s a level of adaptability there too. Plus, he has experience of winning relegation battles, as he did in his first two seasons at the Amex.
It’s hard to think of a better appointment City could make in the position they’re in. There are barely any notable downsides. It seems quite likely that Potter wouldn’t stick around if City did go down, which would leave them on the hunt for a third manager in three seasons, while an up-and-comer making their Premier League managerial debut, such as Corberan, would perhaps be better able to harness an ‘us against the world’ attitude that may help City’s fight against the drop. But those are minor quibbles and would hardly diminish what a fine appointment Potter would be.
