Chelsea willing to give Graham Potter time

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly is willing to stick with manager Graham Potter long into the future, according to an update from journalist Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Potter winning round doubters

The 47-year-old replaced Thomas Tuchel earlier in the season but it hasn’t been easy for him, with a lot of results and performances leaving plenty to be desired, particularly in the Premier League.

Potter has found himself under enormous pressure in recent months, with some reports suggesting he could lose his job, but owner Todd Boehly has stuck with him for now.

That patience has paid off, however, with Chelsea winning their last three matches in a row, and there are signs that the Blues have now turned a corner.

The Latest: Chelsea showing patience

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs claimed that Chelsea are playing the long game with Potter, rather than rushing into any quick decisions:

“Chelsea’s owners will always argue that they were doing everything in their power not to sack him in the first place.

“But the daily soap opera around his future has ended for now and Potter will have at least until the end of the season to build his identity. They are still judging him in years, not games.

“So, the full expectation is that Potter will start to build a team that befits Chelsea and their stature, and in doing so will get all of these pieces to come together cohesively with an identity, and then Chelsea will be back to their best.

“If that is via a run at the end of this season, then everybody will be delighted. But if it’s about building for next season, then there is still that faith behind Potter because he’s the right football, strategic and personality fit for the project.”

The Verdict: Refreshing stance to take

Chelsea have been famed for sacking managers fairly ruthlessly down the years, whether it be Maurizio Sarri, Frank Lampard or Tuchel, among many others, with any poor run of forum often proving to be fatal.

It is, therefore, refreshing to see the club taking a different approach with Potter, trusting a young manager with a vision and accepting that he may take time to fully make an impact.

Potter certainly deserves to stay in charge until next season, at which point he will have had a full pre-season with his squad and made new signings, so the 2023/24 campaign will be the time to properly assess him.

He was signed for a reason, having been hailed for doing a ‘brilliant’ job by Jurgen Klopp during his Brighton days, and Chelsea could have a gem on their hands if they show faith in him.