Graham Potter – All you need to know about West Ham manager and his unconventional coaching route
Graham Potter hasn’t had the most ideal start to life as manager of West Ham.
There was calls for Potter to face the sack at West Ham after the 5-1 defeat to Chelsea, but he has managed to retain some hope with the 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest.
He took over at a difficult time for the Hammers, with Julen Lopetegui damaging a Europa Conference League-winning squad, which has seen a huge overhaul of players.
This season, Potter has picked up just three points from a possible nine, including West Ham’s 3-0 defeat to Sunderland.
Despite a poor spell in East London, the 50-year-old worked hard to get into the position he is in today, and was once one of the most desired managers in England.
Graham Potter’s managerial history
Potter broke into the first team at Birmingham in 1992 and had a 13-year playing career before hanging up his boots in 2005.
He started as a coach for Leeds Carnegie FC, which was affiliated with Leeds Metropolitan University but disbanded in 2011.
Potter then made the bold move to Sweden, signing a three-year contract as coach of Ostersund, which continued to be extended until he departed in 2018.
- 249 matches as Ostersund manager – 51% win percentage
- 51 matches as Swansea manager – 41% win percentage
- 135 matches as Brighton manager – 31% win percentage
In his first two seasons, he managed back-to-back promotions. Potter established a slick brand of football that had never been seen before in Sweden and guided Ostersund to the Europa League.
He then had a brief spell with Swansea before a brilliant stint at Brighton, guiding them to 41 points in his second year in charge.
Chelsea then paid £16million for Potter’s services, but sacked him after just seven months.
At West Ham, Potter has yet to set the world alight, but should he rediscover his form from earlier in his career, he could turn his Hammers tenure around.
The jury still out for Graham Potter at West Ham
Last season was uneventful, as Potter’s side finished 14th with 43 points.
Jarrod Bowen was one of the few standouts at West Ham, and it was a surprise that he didn’t attract much interest this summer.
- Three games
- One wins
- Three goals scored
- Eight goals conceded
Early results have put Potter in question, with his attractive style of play so far nowhere to be seen.
The Hammers have spent 12 consecutive seasons in the top-flight, and should that run end this season, Potter’s reputation will be damaged further.
West Ham owner David Sullivan is also at fault for much of their downfall over the past two seasons, and supporters have lost hope.
Sign up for the West Ham Zone WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking West Ham United news sent straight to your phone.