View – Graham Potter’s comments about Brighton show what is wrong at Everton
Graham Potter’s comments illuminate not only why he is not interested in replacing Rafael Benitez as Everton manager, but also why many others won’t be.
The Brighton boss was one of the first names mentioned as a candidate to fill the vacant job at Goodison but soon ruled himself out of the running, insisting he was happy at the Amex.
And speaking on Monday ahead of his side’s clash with Chelsea, the ex-Swansea manager’s comments included the south coast club being “a nice environment to work in”, which showed the Toffees in a very unfavourable light.
Asked about the Everton job in his pre-match press conference Potter said: “I’m focused on my job here, repeat, happy here, very happy here. I’m at in my opinion one of the best run football clubs in the Premier League, with a fantastic owner, chairman, CEO, sporting director. Great people at the club.
“I’m at a really good football club that help me. I’m not here because I’m that good, it’s because I’m at a good club and I have good support. I have good people around me. I have people that can allow me to do my job, that give me support, that give me trust.
“These things are important. There’s an organisation around the club.
Dysfunctional
On the surface it would seem to be an obvious step up for Potter to move from Brighton, who have only narrowly avoided relegation in the past two seasons, to Everton who have been Premier League ever-presents.
The increased transfer budget alone would represent moving up the ladder of English football, in line with the change he secured when moving from Swansea in 2019.
But the in-demand manager appears to not have even considered making the jump, with rumours that he was in line for the Toffees job almost immediately being quashed.
And to speak so pointedly about the environment and support he currently has when asked about the rumours should speak volumes on Merseyside, where the management structure appears to be in disarray.
Since Farhad Moshiri took ownership of the club he has sacked five managers, seen a sixth decide to leave, as well as a director of football.
Millions of pounds have been spent without sustained success following, and the ability of the man in charge to read the mood around the club has been called into question.
All in all the situation at Everton sounds like the opposite of what Potter describes at Brighton, and may explain why it is only inexperienced candidates who look likely to be available.
Benitez was highly unpopular with the fans and undoubtedly deserves his fair share of the blame for the situation at Goodison, but one of Potters comments could easily be seen as prescient in light of the recent sacking.
“The reality is we’re [managers] not as good as people think. We’re probably not as bad as people think as well when things aren’t going so well,” he said.
Perhaps the problem at Everton is still there.
In other Everton news, this manager has already said he would take the job if offered.