Potter confesses Chelsea job is probably the hardest in football

Chelsea’s under-pressure head coach Graham Potter believes he is tasked with “the hardest job in football” but says he is not seeking pity and is determined to succeed at the club.

Despite a terrible run of six defeats in nine games, Chelsea’s new owners have been steadfast in their support of Potter and this week completed the loan signing of forward João Félix, who could feature in tonight’s west London derby away to Fulham if a work permit is received in time.

Potter, 47, this week convened a meeting of senior Chelsea players, including Thiago Silva, César Azpilicueta, Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic, for open discussions in an attempt to improve the side’s form after fans chanted for Thomas Tuchel, his predecessor, and the club’s former owner, Roman Abramovich, to return during Sunday’s 4-0 FA Cup defeat by Manchester City.

Potter says he understands fan frustration with the club languishing tenth in the Premier League table but believes a “difficult” period and “a bit of pain” was inevitable due to the overhaul of personnel after the takeover.

 “We have to deal with the new and we have to build things up again because things have changed,” Potter said. “That’s part of the challenge to come and I understood that things would be difficult from a leadership perspective.

 “It is challenging, stimulating and ridiculously hard. It is probably the hardest job in football because of that leadership change and the expectation — because rightly where people see Chelsea [is at the top]. I didn’t think we’d lose ten first-team players but that’s where we are at.

“It is pain[ful], but then life can be more painful. Life can really kick you in the nuts and you have to recover from it, deal with it, move forward. And that’s what makes life better — when it moves to a good place. I feel like I have to take more responsibility and I have to be grateful for the challenge and the opportunity that I have. I am not after pity here. I am really grateful and privileged to be here. How do you get through this tough period? Be really grateful for it. Because it is an unbelievable challenge.”

Potter has had the worst start of any Chelsea manager in 25 years after 11 league games but has the full support of the American owners, who show no sign of changing head coach — a regular occurrence during almost two decades of Abramovich’s ownership.

“I understand [fan] frustration, I appreciate their support — because there is support there,” Potter said. “After a game I am not a very pleasant person, in terms of it hurting me. It affects your family. As much as you try to have balance and perspective, I am a human and it is a struggle.” 

Potter stopped absorbing criticism at Ostersunds, the Swedish club that was his first in management, after his wife Rachel intervened.

“She would say, ‘It doesn’t do you any good looking at that,’ ” Potter said. “It doesn’t do you any good reading comments because you don’t know where it’s come from and there’s a lot of angry people in the world. My ex-chairman said — it’s a great line — ‘There’s no point arguing with stupid people because they’re stupid.’ I’m not saying anybody criticising me is stupid at all but you get my point. It’s hard to take anything from it.

 “You have to understand that it’s part of the job. You only have to look at some of my colleagues in a similar position: Pep [Guardiola] for example in his first season [at Manchester City] was criticised quite heavily. Mikel [Arteta] has had to endure a period of criticism [at Arsenal]. Jürgen Klopp would’ve got some criticism [at Liverpool] as well and these guys are fantastic.

“Two months ago, I was considered to be a top coach and if you consider the people I’ve played against and with, they’d say the same.”

After Potter invited a de facto leadership group to speak openly on Tuesday, he feels that progress has been made. “They were honest, articulated their concerns well, they articulated their positivity, they articulated their responsibility, and we are in a place where we can move forward,” he said.

Chelsea responded to the poor run of results and deepening injury crisis — Christian Pulisic will be out for up to two months with a knee issue, while the severity of Raheem Sterling’s hamstring strain is yet to be fully understood — by signing the 23-year-old Portugal forward Félix on loan from Atletico Madrid for about £9 million.

Félix trained with Chelsea . “He’s a quality player that gives everyone a lift,” Potter said. “These things don’t happen quickly and it’s nice to get him in.”