Chelsea supporters have rejoiced on social media after it was announced the club had parted ways with Graham Potter.
After a diabolical run that stretched from before the World Cup to the early spring, Chelsea put together a series of strong performances that garnered positive results, including navigating their way past Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
However, two disappointing results either side of the international break, a draw at home to Everton and a loss on Saturday to Aston Villa, put paid to the Potter reign after just six months at the helm.
The mood among supporters on social media appeared to be positive, with one calling his spell at the club ‘disgraceful’.
‘Graham Potter can now buzz off with his mediocre mentality and methods,’ they wrote. ‘At least he has earned his pension as payoff from his short and disgraceful spell as Chelsea manager.’
The former Brighton boss oversaw the club’s slide down the table since taking over last year
Supporters had grown to dislike his methods and booing was heard regularly at home matches
Another supporter claimed they had ‘prayed’ for the sacking of the former Brighton manager.
While the mood among most supporters was one of joy, with Potter having really failed to connect with them during his time, some were more circumspect about Chelsea’s decision to part ways with the 47-year-old.
‘Potter was always doomed to fail at Chelsea. Walked into a club where the owner was just splashing his money left right and centre on players they absolutely didn’t need,’ they wrote.
‘He always needed time to build the team he wanted, and was never going to be able to do it with that owner.’
Others simply just let out their joy, with one in particular claiming: ‘Finally, we are free!’
Another asked social media users to ‘like’ their tweet if it was the ‘best news of the month’ for them. The tweet had received 308 likes in a very short space of time.
While others appeared to ignore pleasantries in the direction of Potter, one supporter thanked him for his service and his commitment to the club – before ending their social media post claiming the ‘old’ Chelsea had returned.
‘All the very best to Potter, we all are sorry that it didn’t work out….He needs more time and experience to reach Chelsea level,’ they wrote. ‘Now we’ll have our old Chelsea back.’
That was contrasted by a fan simply claiming that he will go down as the club’s ‘worst ever’ manager.
‘It’s the right move. He’ll go down in history as Chelsea’s worst ever manager,’ their rather bombastic social media post read.
‘Graham Potter, the damage that you’ve done is enough! You will not be missed,’ another tweet echoed.
Other supporters thanked Todd Boehly, the club’s co-owner, despite the American having appeared to have remained loyal to Potter for his tenure.
The victory over Dortmund at Stamford Bridge last month marked the apex of Potter’s time in west London, and Boehly was filmed greeting the coach in the tunnel almost immediately after the final whistle with a big grin etched across his face.
It had seemed as though they were willing to stick with Potter, but the result against Villa, which leaves them 11th on 38 points, spelt the end for him.
With Chelsea having been leap-frogged into the top half by Saturday’s opponents, their only hope of reaching the Champions League next season appears to be by beating Real Madrid.
Chelsea’s two Champions League triumphs, in 2012 and 2021, came in seasons in which they sacked managers, respectively Andre Villas Boas and Frank Lampard.
‘Normal service resumed at Chelsea,’ one supporter wrote. ‘Come On You Mighty Blues, let’s win the Champions League again and ruin football for everyone else.’
‘Chelsea are winning the Champions League,’ another, rather boldly perhaps, suggested.
Potter’s reign started well, with an unbeaten run of five games in the league before the good work was undone by a 4-1 hammering at the hands of his former employers.
That appeared to knock the confidence of his players, with Chelsea not picking up another win in the league until an unconvincing victory over Bournemouth on December 27.
His record at the end of his tenure read: played 31, won 12, drawn eight and lost 11, including the eventually decisive loss at home to Villa.
Chelsea have spent more than £600m on new players since the new owners bought the club last summer from Roman Abramovich, though have now parted company with two managers.
Jamie Carragher appeared to mock the club on social media for this, suggesting they were much the same as the former incumbent in their desire for instant success.
‘Todd said he would be different to Roman,’ he wrote, followed by two cry-laughing emojis.
‘I feel for Graham Potter, but it was inevitable. You don’t change Tuchel for Potter. Ridiculous decision to start with.’
The club announced that Potter’s former assistant, Bruno Saltor, who joined him from Brighton last September, would take charge of the team for the remainder of the campaign, banishing seemingly outlandish suggestions that Julian Nagelsmann, who recently suffered the same fate as Potter, could be in place to face his former side potentially in the semi-finals of this year’s Champions League.
Aston Villa’s victory heightened the pressure on Potter – and this time he was not able to withstand it
‘Bruno Saltor will take charge of the team as Interim Head Coach,’ they wrote.
Boehly and co-owner 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.’
Source: dailymail.co.uk
