Graham Potter sacked by Chelsea after less than seven months in charge

Graham Potter has been sacked by Chelsea FC, less than seven months in the top job. The sacking came a day after Chelsea lost 2-0 at home to Aston Villa – making the loss the 11th in 31 games for Potter.

London club Chelsea is now 11th in the Premier League despite having spent more than £550 million on new players this season.

Potter will be replaced by Brighton’s former Spanish right-back Bruno Saltor, who will serve as the interim head coach.

Potter had won 12 of his 31 games in charge in all competitions, but managed just 1.27 points per game in the Premier League.

Reaction to Graham Potter sacking

Alan Shearer told Match of the Day 2 the demand for success at Premier League clubs has led to a “crazy” football environment, where they “press the panic button”.

“You know the rules when you go into a job these days,” said Shearer.

“But who on earth pays £20m for their services – Potter and his staff- puts them a on a five- to six-year contract, pays them £10m a year, gives them a ridiculous amount of players for a stupid amount of money and then seven months later sacks him?

“It can only happen in football. Anyone with a football brain will tell you signing that amount of players is not going to work.”

Danny Murphy believes Potter’s record at Brighton showed he was effective managing a team “punching above their weight” as opposed to Chelsea.

“Most people thought it would be better than it has been,” said Murphy. “Potter made a lot of changes and that didn’t help.

“From a toxic stadium where they were booing – I don’t see how you come back from that. Chelsea’s owners thought ‘let’s do it now.’

“Some managers are better suited to managing the underdogs who have to punch above their weight and I think Potter could be that.”