‘Of course I get angry, I am a human being’: Graham Potter shuts down criticism of his temperament
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‘Of course I get angry, I’m a human being’: Graham Potter hits back at criticism over his temper after pundits questioned his calm reaction when Chelsea were denied a late penalty against West Ham.
- Chelsea missed out on what looked like a flagrant penalty against West Ham
- Experts questioned Potter’s reaction, stating that he was not angry enough.
- Potter insists that he gets angry but chooses to behave in the right way.
Chelsea manager Graham Potter dismissed criticism of his temperament last night ahead of the Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund.
Joe Cole, Rio Ferdinand and Danny Murphy questioned Potter’s calm reaction to Chelsea’s failure to win a penalty against West Ham on Saturday, claiming the Blues boss was not angry enough.
The 47-year-old refused to publicly condemn referee Craig Pawson, who refused to signal the point despite what appeared to be a flagrant handball from Tomas Soucek, during his post-match duties.
It wasn’t the first time Potter’s cool exterior had been questioned since his arrival at Chelsea earlier this season.
And the former Brighton boss briefly responded to claims that he is too placid, saying: ‘If you think you can start a managerial career at the ninth tier of English football.
Chelsea manager Graham Potter has dismissed criticism that he does not get angry enough.
Replays clearly showed that Conor Gallagher’s shot had struck the hand of Tomas Soucek at the end of the London Stadium.
‘In the Northern Counties First Division and getting to this point now as manager of Chelsea in the Champions League without getting angry or being nice, then I suggest you know nothing at all.
“I want to be careful not to get into discussions through the media. Of course I get angry, I’m a human being. It’s just that I choose to behave in the way that I think is the correct way to behave otherwise. The same media talk about me being angry and then run stories about referee problems in grassroots and don’t see the connection.
That’s not to say that we don’t all lose our temper because we do. It’s an emotional thing, but I also have a responsibility to myself, to Chelsea and to the game to act in the way that I think is right for me, not for anyone else but me.”
Asked about his manager’s reaction to the incident at the London Stadium, captain César Azpilicueta added: “I was angry. I can speak for myself when I was looking at the iPad on the bench. It was a bad decision, to be fair. That they didn’t award us a penalty, that’s the truth.
“But I’ve been with different managers who have expressed themselves in a different way.”
Potter also dismissed suggestions of a break between £88m signing Mykhailo Mudryk and Marc Cucurella.
Ukrainian attacker Mudryk appeared to back a social media post suggesting Cucurella was reluctant to pass to him during the West Ham match, while there is also a social media video circulating in which Mudryk appears to suggest Chelsea need a new left back
Potter also dismissed suggestions of a break between £88m signing Mykhailo Mudryk and Marc Cucurella.
But Potter said: ‘No problem in terms of anything sinister at all. If anything, they are just teammates who understand each other. It is a fairly common problem, I would say, when to pass, at what point and at what time.
Meanwhile, Chelsea remain interested in Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, despite spending £600m to strengthen the team.
The England international has been a long-term target for the Blues, but their British record sack of Enzo Fernández last month has softened their need for a central midfielder.
But Chelsea, who are also interested in Declan Rice, still want to sign Bellingham this summer.