The Blues suffered another another setback, this time against bottom-of-the-table Southampton, as Graham Potter faces increasing pressure.
Graham Potter has been tipped as the next manager to lose his job as a star-studded shortlist is formed.
Graham Potter is tipped to be the next manager sacked in the Premier League as an extensive shortlist is prepared for his replacement at Stamford Bridge. Despite just 24 games in charge Chelsea’s 1-0 loss at home to bottom-placed Southampton has been the turning point for many with boos ringing out at half-time and full-time in the game.
James Ward-Prowse’s free-kick was enough to secure the points for interim manager Ruben Selles, who now has as many wins in 2023 as Potter does. With just one clean sheet in 28 games there was still hope of turning the game around but miraculous misses and heroic defending mixed with more poor finishing saw Chelsea go goalless once more.
It is now one win in 10 for Potter – over 17th-placed Bournemouth – and just three in the past 15. It’s a run of form that rivals the worst in memory even for supporters that can remember the pre-Roman Abramovich times.
None of this has helped Potter to build a relationship with the Stamford Bridge faithful. His relaxed attitude to press conferences has been used as ammunition against him whilst the decision to rest a group of first team stars on Saturday massively backfired.
These reasons, mixed with the regression in performance from what was a bright display despite the 1-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund in midweek, has seen him elevated to being the favourite with the bookies to lose his job next. William Hill have shifted his odds now to 5/4 with Cherries manager Gary O’Neill second favourite.
Antonio Conte is some way behind them at 4/1 with spokesperson Lee Phelps explaining: “After defeat to bottom of the table Southampton, it looks like the last chance saloon for Graham Potter at Chelsea and we’ve had to cut him to 5/6 to be the next top flight manager to depart.”
Meanwhile the shortlist of potential new head coaches is much longer. Former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino is the favourite at 6/5, some way clear of the rest of the group. It is three time Champions League winning coach Zinedine Zidane at 6/1 as second favourite.
Former Spain boss Luis Enrique comes in at 8/1 whilst a list of consistently and previously linked names appear after him. Former coach at the club Brendan Rodgers is at 9/1 whilst current Atletico Madrid man Diego Simeone is at 12/1, his future in Spain is far from clear. Behind him is simply a guess who of former Blues managers.
Jose Mourinho, manager of Roma, is tipped at 16/1 whilst more remarkably Thomas Tuchel is above him at 14/1 despite leaving the club just eight months ago. Carlo Ancelotti, the reigning Champions League winner, is further back at 20/1.
For now it appears that Potter has the backing of the new owners even if those that are watching the matches are much less convinced. Having already had chants for Tuchel and Abramovich in recent weeks heard around grounds in England it is a situation that will be far from simple to solve.
source: www.football.london
