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Graham Potter’s behind-the-scenes work at Chelsea and the hope that he can build the Blues into a long-term force are just two of the reasons co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali will stick with him.
Calls are growing for Potter to be ousted from his post after another difficult weekend in which the Blues beat bottom club Southampton 1-0 in the Premier League.
Despite sections of Stamford Bridge audibly venting their frustration after the defeat, meaning they have won just two of their last 14, the club’s board apparently still fully support Potter and are against removing him from his post. .
According The Telegraph there are long-term factors to keep him in charge at least until the start of next season.
While results and performances take center stage, the owners are said to be happy with Potter’s work off the pitch.
Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly (right) and Behdad Eghbali (left) stand with Graham Potter
Potter has faced calls to be sacked as Chelsea manager after a torrid run of results.
Chelsea’s slump continued on Saturday after losing to bottom side Southampton.
Training and analysis have been described as “excellent” while key decisions, such as cutting Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from his Champions League squad, were made after consultation with the board.
The 47-year-old was criticized for deciding to rest stars like Reece James, Thiago Silva and Raheem Sterling against Southampton, but the owners knew why he chose that team beforehand.
Potter was reportedly told that James, Silva, Kai Havertz, Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk were at serious risk of injury and that Boehly and Eghbali recognized that selfless call.
Potter has also been told that he doesn’t show enough emotion or anger on the touchline, particularly when things haven’t gone well.
But behind the scenes, Potter is said to have taken a different tone, holding difficult conversations with his players and expressing his discontent with what they are serving up on the pitch.
Although joining Chelsea represented a big step forward for Potter, who was Brighton’s manager at the time, there are also suggestions that Boehly and other managers feel judgment should be reserved until next season.
He faced a difficult task taking over from Chelsea’s Champions League-winning manager Thomas Tuchel after the season started and may face punishment for not having a proper pre-season with his team.
The decision to rest stars like Reece James (white jacket) for the weekend was questioned by some fans, but the directors gave it the green light.
Potter (left) has been questioned by some for not showing his emotions, but Boehly (right) thinks he’s the right man for the job.
Chelsea reportedly believe they can replicate the relationship City boss Pep Guardiola (far right) has built with his club directors.
Sacking Potter now would give the club the difficult challenge of finding a new manager who is good enough for Chelsea with just three months to go in the season, an incredibly difficult task regardless of how big the club is.
Replacing him with a caretaker manager would only delay the team’s planned reshuffle and set Chelsea back further.
When Boehly secured his takeover of the club last year, he and co-owner Behdad Eghbali apparently understood that re-establishing Chelsea as title challengers would be a difficult and timely process, but it was ultimately worth the wait.
The decisive duo apparently believe that the team can be rebuilt over the course of three transfer windows and understand that there will be patches of erroneous form, like the current one, to overcome.
Potter’s position is secure for now, as club executives believe he must be given time and at least one pre-season in charge.
Yes, Potter has spent heavily on new players since his appointment, but there’s also a degree of caution that he wouldn’t have brought the same style of players as his predecessor and should therefore have more time to build his own team.
Man City’s top-flight dominance over the past decade has apparently caught the attention of Chelsea directors, who are believed to have scrutinized the relationship between Pep Guardiola and Txiki Begiristain.
The pair have managed to work efficiently in the transfer market to identify targets and attract them with apparent ease, something Chelsea hope to replicate.
The understanding between co-sporting director Paul Winstanley and Potter grew stronger during their time together at Chelsea and it is hoped that they can transform the club’s current position given enough time.