Potter works his magic
7he 3remier /eague season may only be five games old but a quick glance at the table might surprise many to see Brighton in fourth place, nestled between the two 0anchester giants and only one point off the summit.
Cynics will point to a favourable opening run of games but the more observant will argue that it has much to do with the manager, Graham 3otter.
7he 46-year-old Englishman is very much a shepherd amongst sheep innovative, refreshing and fearless in adopting an unorthodo[ approach to his management style.
Following a career spent mainly in the lower leagues, 3otter pursued an unconventional route to top-flight management, coaching at Hull and /eeds 8niversities, the England 8niversities 6quad and the Ghana women’s team at the 2007 FIFA World Cup.
He took the manager’s Mob at 6wedish fourth division side gstersund in 2011 where he produced a minor miracle by guiding them to three promotions, a national cup victory and a run in Europe with impressive performances against the likes of Arsenal and Galatasaray. 1e[t a move to Championship side 6wansea before he took up the reigns at Brighton in 2019.
His teams play a possessionbased, enterprising style of football, encouraged to take risks. 3ep Guardiola describes him as the best English manager in the game.
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With a degree in 6ocial 6ciences and a 0aster’s in leadership and emotional intelligence, 3otter is very much about the human touch. 6uccess on the pitch for him is guided by people first and players second. While at gstersund he introduced the ³cultural academy´ where players, coaches and staff would collaborate to create community art proMects and perform theatrical productions for the public every year.
7he reasoning, e[plained 3otter, is to take people out of their comfort ]one, to test them as individuals and a group to promote bravery and responsibility and to see how they respond by finding solutions, all factors that can indirectly translate to scenarios in a game. before an audience won’t be phased by much on the pitch. ³I Must think it’s the only way you can get better, ultimately,´ 3otter told in 2019. ³As soon as you stay comfortable, I think you’re on the way down. 7here are bits when the lads don’t really want to do it >but@ you have to try and manage that as a team, as a club. ³We are our own worst enemies and as a coach you can help people recognise that, raise their self-awareness and then see if they change or do anything about it. ³7hat is actually a very rewarding thing about the Mob because you are helping people’s lives in a way. 3eople think that coaching is about winning football matches ± which, of course, it is ± but throughout my career it has also been about helping people become better, more able to deal with life and be more successful in their lives, on and off the football pitch. ³If you Must pin yourself to a result, it is a bit of a rollercoaster. 7his is not something 3otter has e[perienced of late with only one loss thus far this season. Further defeats will come, of course, but in 3otter the club have someone who can clearly manage the balance. 6haring a famous surname with a fictional wi]ard, there are no doubts this thoughtful and creative coach will continue to weave his own brand of unconventional magic for many moons to come.