From England contender to reputation in tatters - Potter's fall from grace

Graham Potter's downward guidance of recreation has taken him from nan coveted coach heavy touted arsenic Sir Gareth Southgate's imaginable England successor to nan symptom of 2 sadistic sackings aft little spells astatine Chelsea and West Ham.

Potter was dismissed by West Ham aft only 8 months successful complaint arsenic they guidelines 19th successful nan Premier League successful nan aftermath of 4 defeats successful 5 games, his reign pursuing connected from 7 months astatine Stamford Bridge earlier he suffered a akin fate.

He claimed he was nan unfortunate of a "perfect storm" astatine Chelsea, his assignment coinciding pinch nan club's caller ownership - who sacked Thomas Tuchel successful September 2022 to name Potter - embarking connected a £323m spending spree successful nan January transportation window.

Potter, a meticulous coach who thrived astatine Brighton connected clip and structure, was near pinch a squad truthful large nan changing room was excessively mini to fresh them each in. He was sacked successful April 2023.

Now Potter has been engulfed by a likewise chaotic situation astatine West Ham, nan estimation he built truthful cautiously - on pinch a talented squad astatine Brighton - successful tatters.

Potter won only six of his 25 matches successful complaint since succeeding Julen Lopetegui, his low-key characteristic ne'er winning favour pinch West Ham's demanding fans and his plight worsened by wretched results.

West Ham's sacking will arguably beryllium moreover much disappointing for Potter than erstwhile he was dismissed astatine Chelsea, a determination that came pinch a measurement of knowing because of nan frantic, unstable surroundings that accompanied his tenure nether co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali.

This is because Potter waited 637 days to make what he regarded arsenic a cautiously calculated return to nan crippled aft leaving Chelsea, believing West Ham was nan perfect spot to flourish erstwhile more.

Potter described his presence astatine West Ham as: "A spot for illustration Christmas - Christmas for nan adults."

Instead, it became a long, drawn-out nightmare reaching its inevitable conclusion, though West Ham's timing still raised questions, coming arsenic it did 24 hours aft Potter had been allowed to transportation retired media duties looking up to Monday evening's crippled astatine Everton.

Potter was surely not nan sole culprit astatine West Ham, pinch nan anger of fans besides directed astatine president David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady, pinch protests taking spot earlier nan location conclusion by Crystal Palace, which proved to beryllium nan manager's last game.

Potter joined West Ham refreshed and pinch his estimation intact, a highly regarded, measured individual who was successful nan Football Association's post-Southgate calculations and who had besides attracted nan liking of Everton erstwhile they dismissed Sean Dyche.

He had risen steadily, a considered constructor of clubs and teams alternatively than a quick-fix problem solver that made him an sick fresh for clubs arsenic demanding - connected and disconnected nan transportation - arsenic Chelsea.

After waiting truthful agelong for what he believed was nan correct nine for his managerial and coaching talents, Potter walked consecutive into a spread astatine West Ham.

He came to prominence astatine Ostersund successful Sweden earlier being appointed head of Swansea successful June 2018, and his improvement and charismatic playing style earned him a move to Brighton a twelvemonth later.

Brighton was nan cleanable level for Potter, location to patience and readying nether proprietor Tony Bloom alongside method head Dan Ashworth, pinch a smart recruitment squad that uncovered gems specified arsenic midfielders Moises Caicedo and Alex Mac Allister.

Potter was astatine his champion connected nan training ground, starring Brighton to ninth successful nan Premier League nan play earlier he left, leaving them to subordinate Chelsea erstwhile nan Seagulls were 4th aft winning 4 of their first six games, including an opening-weekend triumph astatine Manchester United.

He tin constituent to starring Chelsea into nan past 8 of nan Champions League while astatine Stamford Bridge, but - arsenic astatine West Ham - Potter seemed astatine times to beryllium overwhelmed by events earlier being consumed by a ruthless sacking.

Potter's downfall has travel from joining 2 clubs pinch polar other approaches to Brighton, wherever Bloom ne'er mislaid religion moreover aft an early tally of only 2 wins successful 19 games. Potter had nan spot and religion of nan level successful a mode which has ne'er been replicated since.

Former England defender Martin Keown told nan BBC: "Potter was astatine Chelsea not truthful agelong ago. He could person been an England manager.

"Now you look astatine his profession and his triumph percent astatine Chelsea and West Ham. His adjacent occupation now successful nan Premier League, if he gets one, is really very important for him."

Potter has not really dealt successful precocious triumph percentages passim his Premier League career.

In 120 games astatine Brighton he won 34 and mislaid 42, pinch a 28% winning ratio. At Chelsea it was 32%, pinch 7 wins, while astatine West Ham he won six games aliases 26%.

Potter's spot arsenic a coach was ever organisation and tactical discipline, yet he moreover looked mislaid successful this discourse astatine West Ham, particularly astatine set-pieces.

Keown said: "I watched them play Spurs a mates of weeks agone and you saw nan set-pieces.

"They person conceded 7 goals from set-pieces this season. It looked for illustration a group of schoolboys retired location - nary existent direction. Eventually that has to travel backmost to nan manager."

The usually calm Potter exterior was replaced by a characteristic who looked for illustration he was carrying nan weight of nan world connected his shoulders arsenic a 2nd high-profile Premier League nonaccomplishment unfolded.

Where Potter goes adjacent is purely guesswork.

The continent whitethorn call, wherever he could find a set-up that suits him, but nan conception of a large Premier League station is fanciful successful nan extreme.

Potter's ending astatine West Ham caps a spectacular autumn from grace from nan territory wherever he was erstwhile a unrecorded contender successful nan speech of those pinch nan qualities befitting an England manager.