CNN
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Only six months ago, Graham Potter was seen as the man to usher in a fresh and exciting era at Chelsea.
The club’s new ownership group, led by American businessman Todd Boehly, had lured Potter away from Brighton with the promise of managing one of the most lucrative teams in world football.
More than $600 million was spent bringing big-name players to the club and Potter, one of the Premier League’s most exciting young managers, was to mold them into a winning machine.
But, on Sunday, the club announced it had sacked its manager after a disappointing spell in charge.
Potter has only managed to win 10 of 28 league games this season and leaves the team 11th in the Premier League table.
In recent weeks, the players had looked like shadows of their former selves and many fans had lost faith that Potter’s plan for the club could ever work.
Eventually, after previous pushback from his manager, the Blues ownership agreed.
“On behalf of everyone at the club, we would like to sincerely thank Graham for his contribution to Chelsea,” club co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghali said in a statement.
“We have the highest level of respect for Graham as a coach and as a person. He has always conducted himself with professionalism and integrity and we are all disappointed with this result.”
In his previous role as Brighton manager, Potter had time to stamp his identity on the team.
The club was punching above its weight financially and, as a result, carefully selected new signings that would complement Potter’s style of play.
The approach has paid off as the team has become an established Premier League outfit that has continued on strong this season – the Seagulls currently find themselves sixth in the league and in place of UEFA Conference League qualification.
At Chelsea he seemed the complete opposite.
As was the case under previous owner Roman Abramovich, the club expected instant results and used its financial clout to sign a number of high-profile names, including Enzo Fernández and Mykhailo Mudryk.
Despite his impressive CV, Potter had never managed superstars and suddenly found himself in a dressing room with several.
The Scatter Gun approach to recruiting has also left the team lacking balance and organization with Potter failing to get a walk on a team struggling with talent.
In truth, many had raised an eyebrow when Potter, inexperienced at senior level, was chosen to replace Thomas Tuchel as manager.
Although he fell out of favor with fans at the end of his tenure, Tuchel had guided Chelsea to the Champions League title in 2021 and is still considered by many to be one of the best managers in the world.
The German continued to sign with Bavarian giants Bayern Munich during the 2024/25 season and recently told reporters that he needed “a little time to distance himself from Chelsea” because leaving the club had hurt him.
“Todd (Boehly) said he would be different to Roman (Abramovich),” wrote former Liverpool player and current pundit Jamie Carragher Twitter.
“I feel for Graham Potter, but it was inevitable. You don’t change Tuchel for Potter. Ridiculous decision to start.”
With 10 games remaining in the league and a Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid on the horizon, Chelsea still have plenty to play for.
Assistant coach Bruno Saltor will take over on an interim basis, but Boehly and his team must now look for a long-term replacement capable – and willing – to bring order to Chelsea’s chaos.
Potter’s dismissal is yet another sign of how transient managers can be in the top flight of English football, especially when results are not instantaneous.
There have been a record 12 sacks in the Premier League so far this season, with Potter leaving his position on the same day Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers was sacked from his.
The previous record was 10 manager changes in a single season, set in four other campaigns, most recently in 2017/18.
