PEP’S PROVED THAT TOTAL FOOTBALL CAN WIN ON A WET WEDNESDAY IN STOKE
Potter has been inspired by Guardiola’s refusal to compromise on style and insists that’s his biggest achievement
GRAHAM POTTER reckons Pep Guardiola’s biggest achievement in England has been proving his style of total football can work on a wet day in Stoke.
Manchester City arrive at the Amex today with bad memories of a 3-2 defeat on the south coast last season when Brighton came back from 2-0 down to win.
But as Seagulls boss Potter continues his own revolution, changing Brighton’s entire playing style, he admits he has been heavily influenced by Guardiola.
“Without the likes of Pep giving you inspiration, it’s not possible,” he said.
“That’s how human beings evolve, everybody needs someone to look up to, something to be inspired by.
“He’s up there with anybody who’s coached the game when you look at his career. I love the process, how he’s constantly looking to learn and improve.”
What impresses Potter most, however, is not City’s free-flowing total football but the attitude behind it.
He said: “People talk often about the quality of the teams and players they have. Then you look at how much the team fights, how much the team runs – as if they are the worst team. They run like there’s no quality. That’s fantastic.
“The influence Pep has had on English football has been incredible.
“Not only the development of players, but the development of the idea of football in this country.
“Before, there was a bit of a narrative around ‘the rainy day at Stoke.’ But he has shown with the way he plays football you can still win games on a rainy day in Stoke.’’ Potter has found to his cost that Guardiola is willing to fight for his principles, too. They clashed after last season’s match at the Amex when the
City boss felt his opposite number over-celebrated a goal too close to the City dugout.
But there will be plenty of respect this time.
Potter added:
“The inspirational bit for me is how long Pep has been there at the highest level.
And he’s still looking to improve and develop. The challenge is to be able to do it like Pep. That’s what we try to do at Brighton, keep improving.
“We’ve made steps but need to carry on. It’s not a straight line, there are going to be setbacks. But at the same time, we’re excited about what we’ve achieved, and I’m excited about what we can do doing forward.”
Albion welcome defender back Adam Webster into the squad after injury and Tariq Lamptey may be ready to start a league match for the first time since last December. But Danny Welbeck and Steven Alzate are long-term absentees.