Graham Potter said he is “open to anything” as he considers his next step in management amid links with Manchester United and England.
It’s almost 18 months since Potter was sacked by Chelsea after a short spell in charge and the former Brighton boss is considering a return to the game.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is under pressure after the club’s poor start to the season and Potter has a connection with sporting director Dan Ashworth from when they were colleagues at Brighton.
Ten Hag is set to remain in charge for the trips to Porto and Aston Villa this week and Potter said he would be keeping his conversations over a new job “private”.
Appearing on Monday Night Football on Sky Sports, the 49-year-old said that he did not consider United to be an “impossible” task, while describing England as a “fantastic job” for an Englishman.
Interim manager Lee Carsley is set to remain in charge for England’s Nations League campaign while the FA considers a permanent replacement for Gareth Southgate.
Potter was asked about links with the Manchester United job and his connection with Ashworth, who became the club’s new sporting director in the summer, and said a lot of the speculation was “untrue”.
“I am the only coach in world football to be linked with Stoke City and Napoli in the same week,” he said.
“A lot of what I’ve read in the media is untrue and false. I take what the media say with a pinch of salt. I’ve had lots of conversations with lots of people. For the respect of everybody, it’s best I keep it private.”
After analysing Manchester United’s performance in the 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, a result that left Ten Hag facing the sack ahead of a pivotal week, Potter also discussed the challenges of managing a big club in transition.
Potter was sacked by Chelsea after winning just 12 of his 31 games in charge at Stamford Bridge, and with the Blues in the bottom half of the Premier League. He said Chelsea were in a state of “flux” when he was appointed.
“I don’t think anything is impossible but jobs are difficult,” he said. “That’s the reality of life in the Premier League. If you’re a big club like Manchester United and you’re not in the top six, then there’s always going to be scrutiny.
“Sometimes you have to look beyond the results and look at the performances. They’ve missed a lot of chances and sometimes teams go through that where you don’t start reflecting your xG [expected goals], and then a bad day comes along and the clouds come over pretty quickly – that’s what they’re facing.
“The challenge is to try to have some perspective, to try to rationalise what’s actually happened, to speak logically.
“After a game, everybody’s emotional because football is about emotions, it’s about feelings. Fans are hurting, they want to have answers, they want to blame somebody, and sometimes it is the manager. Sometimes we make mistakes and we’re not perfect.
“But it’s part of the job, it’s part of what we sign up for, and I’m sure Erik would say the same. It’s what he expects at Manchester United. If you don’t win, or you don’t play well, or you lose, then people are going to be critical.
“Whoever lost that game felt like they were going to be under pressure. It wasn’t so long back that people were talking about Ange [Postecoglou], about no tactics or no plan B, and all of a sudden he’s won four on the trot and everything’s great for him.
“You need to try and get enough results and then you’ve got to work with your players, stick to what you want to do, and take the club forward as best you can.”
England Under-21s head coach Carsley will remain in interim charge for the upcoming October international break, with Potter and Eddie Howe among the top English candidates to replace Southgate on a permanent basis.
“As an Englishman, of course it’s a fantastic job but I’m supportive of whatever the FA decide to do and whoever the coach is,” said Potter, who added he would consider taking a job in international football. “I think Gareth [Southgate] did a fantastic job and I’m sure Lee [Carsley] – for however long it is – will do really well.
“I’m open to anything, to be honest. I’ve had a fantastic journey over the last 12 years from the fourth tier of Swedish football to the last eight of the Champions League and I would like to spend the next 12 years in the same position, developing players, teams, working with people and making a difference.Wherever that is, I’m open to everything.”
