Graham Potter is Out! Naglesmann in?

Chelsea sack Graham Potter 

Chelsea has sacked manager Graham Potter after less than six months in charge.

Potter was appointed at Stamford Bridge after sacking Champions League-winning boss Thomas Tuchel in September. Potter left Premier League rivals Brighton and Hove Albion to take the job but managed just 12 wins from over 30 games in charge.

Defeat to Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on Saturday saw the Blues slip into the bottom half of the Premier League table. It proved the final straw as Boehly and the new Chelsea ownership group yielded the axe.

The 47-year-old has overseen just four wins this calendar year and leaves Chelsea 11th in the Premier League table — 12 points off the Champions League places.

A club statement read: “Chelsea FC has announced that Graham Potter has departed the club. Graham has agreed to collaborate with the Club to facilitate a smooth transition. In his time with the club, Graham has taken us to the quarter-final of the Champions League, where we will face Real Madrid. Chelsea would like to thank Graham for all his efforts and contribution and wish him well for the future. Bruno Saltor will take charge of the team as Interim Head Coach.”

Co-controlling owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali said: “On behalf of everyone at the club, we want to thank Graham sincerely for his contribution to Chelsea. We have the highest degree 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 in this outcome.
Along with our incredible fans, we will all be getting behind Bruno and the team as we focus on the rest of the season. We have 10 Premier League games remaining and a Champions League quarter-final ahead. We will put every effort and commitment into every one of those games so that we can end the season on a high.”

Julian Nagelsmann has been touted as a potential replacement for Potter. He was sacked by Bayern Munich last week, ironically being replaced by ex-Blues boss Thomas Tuchel.

However, Sky Germany reported this weekend that he has no interest in replacing Potter despite being admired by the Blues hierarchy. It is claimed Nagelsman does not want to make an immediate return to management and will wait until the summer to decide his future. However, after the release of Potter’s exit, a statement from Fabrizio Romano sees Nagelsmannas favorite to replace Graham.
The statement read: “Julian Naglesmann is the favorite candidate to replace Graham Potter as new Chelsea head coach, as reported yesterday. Nagelsmann was mentioned yesterday during internal discussions–Julian is considered a talented coach. Talks are ongoing to make the best decision.”

Potter’s dismissal is Chelsea’s 17th managerial change this century and, of the full-time incumbents of the role, his reign was by far the shortest.
Only Luis Felipe Scolari (36), Andre-Villas Boas (40), and Roberto Di Matteo (42) failed to reach the 50-game mark and even interim manager Rafael Benitez (48) lasted longer than Potter. Chelsea paid Brighton in excess of £21m in compensation for Potter to bring him to Stamford Bridge. Boehly said at the time that he fitted “our vision” and had “skills and capabilities that extend beyond the pitch which will make Chelsea a more successful club”. That indicated Chelsea was looking to pursue a long-term approach in the dugout after sacking Tuchel.

Potter leaves Chelsea with the club on course for their worst Premier League finish in 27 years. They are currently 11th in the table and look almost certain to miss out on the top four.