Graham Potter reveals the one mistake he made at Chelsea – former boss admits it felt like ‘the world was closing in’ during six-month nightmare at Stamford Bridge

Graham Potter has revealed the one mistake he made during a miserable six months as Chelsea boss in a rare TV appearance.

The Englishman was appointed Blues boss in September 2022 after a successful spell at Brighton, during which he took the Seagulls to ninth in the Premier League – their highest finish in the competition at the time.

Potter suffered a setback in his first month at Stamford Bridge, slipping to a humiliating 4-1 defeat to his old side, and the manager struggled to revive his perception among fans. He was fired in April 2023 with several games left in the season.

Over the past year, Potter has rarely been spotted in public, but he has still been linked with several jobs that offered him a route back to football, including the England role.

In a surprise return to fans’ screens on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, the 49-year-old impressed with his tactical analysis and also shed light on where things went wrong for him in west London.

Graham Potter (left) revealed the one mistake he made during his dismal spell as Chelsea boss

The 49-year-old was sacked as Blues manager in April 2023 after a disappointing spell

Potter was appointed Blues boss in September 2022 after a successful spell at Brighton

He said: ‘The mistake I made was thinking that new ownership means there is a chance for a culture change.

‘But culture actually goes much deeper than that. Before the World Cup we lost only three games: Arsenal, Newcastle and Brighton, but the world was already closing in, the crisis was almost reached.

‘Perspective is sometimes not so easy to get, Chelsea were used to winning and it was easy to think: ‘we are not winning, it must be the coach who has not worked at that level, maybe he is the problem’ and I can do that. understand why they think that, because the results were not what they expected.”

Potter also shed light on why he dropped off the radar after being sacked by Chelsea 18 months ago, vowing to ‘come back stronger’ after the setback.

“To be honest it has been (deliberate): spend some time with the family and connect with them after a 12-year journey that starts in the fourth tier of Swedish football and ends in the last eight of the Champions League.

‘It is a journey that is not free. It’s nice to spend some time with them and connect with them and see what the journey brings.

Potter said his only mistake was “thinking that new ownership (led by Todd Boehly) means there is a chance for a culture change.”

Many saw the former Swansea boss’ appearance on the show as an audition to take over at Manchester United, where Erik ten Hag (pictured) is under pressure.

‘It’s disappointing. It’s never fun when you lose your job, but you should look at it as a learning experience, you should look at it as an opportunity to grow and improve.

‘I am grateful for the opportunity I was given and grateful for the experience. It was tough and challenging, but there were also some highlights.

‘It’s about putting it into perspective, not blaming yourself completely, but also not blaming everyone else. It’s about finding balance, reflecting and coming back stronger.

‘I watched (a lot of football). It’s been fun taking my boys to football and it’s nice to watch it in my house, away from the prying eyes of the media and the criticism that comes with the job.”

Potter joined fellow pundit Jamie Carragher as he watched Bournemouth brush aside Southampton in a south coast derby, with the home side on their way to a 3-1 win over the newly promoted team.

Potter impressed Manchester United fans with his performance on Monday Night Football

The 49-year-old was praised for his analysis of Southampton as they took on Bournemouth

Many saw the former Swansea boss’ appearance on the show as an audition to take over at Manchester United as he wowed viewers with astute observations of the match.

Erik ten Hag’s future at Old Trafford remains unclear as the manager faces mounting pressure following his club’s dismal 3-0 defeat to Tottenham on Sunday afternoon.

Should the club look elsewhere, Potter would be one of the favorites for the job, despite being out of work for over a year.