POTTER’S GLAD HE TOOK SCENIC ROUTE
GRAHAM POTTER would not swap anything he has achieved in management to have enjoyed a more glittering playing career.
By his own admission, Chelsea’s new boss was not a great footballer.
At a time when his opposite number today, Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard, was focusing on World Cups, European Championships and the Champions League, Potter was more likely to be found contesting a Leyland DAF Cup tie.
But just as Gerrard was for a while the poster boy for English footballers, Potter is now the poster man for British managers – and he would not change anything about the scenic route that got him there.
From Leeds Carnegie to Ostersund to Swansea and Brighton, the journey to Stamford Bridge has been a long one.
But Potter said: “I don’t think you can trade your life away. No chance. I wouldn’t change my life for anybody’s.
“When I look back on my career, even that journey over a period of – what is it, 12 years? – that is a story. And I suppose it’s something you can look at and say actually it’s quite a nice thing. It’s something that others can aspire to because I haven’t done it by being extraordinary.
“I’ve done it by being a normal person just trying to improve and take steps – going from university to the fourth tier in Sweden to then promotion, promotion, promotion, a major trophy, European run, into the Championship.
“It has been step, step, step, step, step, and the accumulation of experience and knowledge and trying to learn and develop.
“If you are looking at it from the outside, then I would imagine it’s quite an inspiring story, not because I’m anything special, but just because of the journey.
“I’ve had the journey through some luck and through lots of people helping me along the way, but it’s a positive story.
“My path has been good for me. I don’t necessarily think it’s the right path for everyone but for me it has been good.”
Potter, who hails from Solihull, was a Villa fan in his early days but found himself playing for Birmingham City.
He added: “You realise you can’t have allegiances to both, so in the end, I didn’t support anybody, just sat on the fence.”