Is Graham Potter a good fit for West Ham United?

The Hammers sacked Julen Lopetegui after strings of poor results.

Graham Potter was fired as Chelsea manager 647 days ago, and he hasn’t had a job since. On Thursday, the former head of Brighton signed a two-and-a-half-year contract to become the next head coach of West Ham.

Potter has been considered for positions at Ajax, Leicester City, and Sweden, and was considered for the England manager position in the summer.

Even though he was only in office for seven months, he acknowledged that his dismissal from Chelsea “hurt a lot” and that his reputation has held steady.

The 49-year-old had stated in a number of recent media appearances that he was “ready” for football again, but the position “still has to be the right thing”

Why, then, West Ham now? What went wrong at Chelsea following his successful Brighton stint? We investigate Potter’s suitability for the Hammers.

Is West Ham the right job for Potter?

After leading Ostersunds FK, a Swedish fourth-tier team, to three promotions in five seasons, Potter first became well-known as a manager.

The Swedish Cup, his first major title, and a Europa League berth—where they famously defeated Arsenal 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium but lost the last-32 match 4-2 on aggregate—were also highlights of his seven-year tenure.

Potter prepares for his first game as West Ham Head Coach 🗣️#TalkingPoint with @LycaMobileUK 📞 pic.twitter.com/xX4tBfuSZK

— West Ham United (@WestHam) January 9, 2025

For an English manager, it was a strange path, but it brought him to Swansea in 2018 and Brighton the following year until he joined Chelsea in 2022.

Potter, who is frequently described as a kind and considerate coach, established himself as one of the game’s most promising young managers at Brighton, where he was tasked with transforming the team from one that was constantly in danger of relegation to a Premier League team with a more daring style of play.

Although Brighton have accomplished more since Potter left the Amex, including playing in Europe under Roberto de Zerbi following a sixth-place Premier League finish, the Seagulls sources indicate the Italian manager greatly profited from Potter’s work there as he built a base there before taking the Blues’ job.

Will Potter make amends and deliver at West Ham?

Former Hammers boss Harry Redknapp said: “It’s not an easy place to manage – the expectation there is very high. Whoever goes there, not only do they have to produce a winning team, they’ve got to produce a team that plays what West Ham fans see as the West Ham way.”

West Ham managers have been in command for an average of 32 months during the Premier League era, which is little more than two and a half years. Compared to Newcastle, Everton, Tottenham, and Aston Villa, that is longer.

In the midst of numerous rumours that Julen Lopetegui might lose his position, sources revealed on Tuesday that West Ham technical director Tim Steidten was working away from the team’s training facility. Steidten and Moyes had a falling out last season. How Potter fits into their current hierarchy is still up in the air.

Potter had been offered other jobs since leaving Chelsea, according to those familiar with the matter, but he had decided on West Ham because of the team’s steady ownership and reputation for giving managers time to develop.

In addition, he thought the position was a good fit and that the team was better than others in the Premier League’s lower positions.

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