Potter: I know what really Spurs me on
BOSS AIMS TO KEEP SEAGULLS IN TOP FLIGHT... THEN BUILD ON IT
GRAHAM POTTER may have been flatteringly linked with a move to Tottenham, but the Brighton boss insists he can achieve his managerial goals on the south coast.
Potter’s focus is on securing the Seagulls’ place in next season’s Premier League, which he can do today with victory at Wolves.
But after Jose Mourinho was sacked, Potter was reported to be a candidate for the Spurs job.
Brighton chief executive Paul Barber has already said there is “absolutely no way” the club would allow Potter to leave.
Potter said: “Can I achieve my goals here? Yes, I think I can.
“I’m a little bit of a romantic, I think you have to respect and understand that 95 per cent of the leagues are determined by finance – so, clearly, if you’ve got more money then there’s a better chance that you can win.
“But I think there’s five per cent that can affect that. And then it’s about how do you get that five per cent and what do you need to do with it. That’s what we’re trying to do here, we’re trying to develop something where we have to be clever.
“We have to align our ideas so that we’re all going down the one path, we have to be really strong with our work and I’m really, really excited by that.”
The last few weeks of European Super League controversy show that managing a top-six club is not always what it is cracked up to be.
So, when asked if managing a smaller club, which cares about its fans, can be more special, Potter said: “Well, I think so – and I’m not disrespecting those clubs, they are fantastic, but I’m proud of Brighton & Hove Albion. I’m proud to work for this club and I’m proud to work with these players.
“With this team we’ve got some room to improve, some room to develop, too.”
That doesn’t mean Potter, who has also managed Swansea City and Ostersund, doesn’t dream of winning trophies and challenging for
Europe.
He added:
“The competitor in me means, of course, you want to win.
“Winning is part of the process and, if you don’t win, it’s hard to convince people.
“So absolutely, that’s true.
“But the most important thing is that you try to improve yourself and the players.
“If you can make a difference, that’s special.”
Brighton will be without long-term injured Adam Lallana today, but have no new injury worries.
Potter added: “We’re not yet mathematically safe, so we’ll give it our all.”
Clearly if you’ve got more money then there’s a better chance that you can win