Is Potter the worst Chelsea manager in history? The records of every coach

Cameron Smith
Cameron Smith
  • Updated: 2 Apr 2023 21:36 BST
  • 4 min read
Graham Potter, Chelsea, 2022/23
© ProShots

Graham Potter has been sacked by Chelsea.

The Blues have endured a disastrous season and find themselves 11 points off the top four with 10 games remaining.

The 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa at home on Saturday proved to be the final straw for Potter, who was sacked by Chelsea owner Todd Boehly on Sunday evening.

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And Potter can have little complaint as the stats show that he is the second worst Chelsea manager since the 21st century began.

READ: How NOT to run a football club, by Todd Boehly and Graham Potter

The record of every Chelsea manager in history

NameTime in ChargeWin %
Guus HiddinkFebruary 2009 - May 200973%
Jose MourinhoJune 2004 - September 200767%
Avram GrantSeptember 2007 - May 200867%
Antonio ConteJuly 2016 - July 201865%
Maurizio SarriJuly 2018 - June 201962%
John Tait RobertsonAugust 1905 - November 190661%
Carlo AncelottiJuly 2009 - May 201161%
Thomas TuchelJanuary 2021 - September 202260%
Jose MourinhoJune 2013 - December 201559%
Rafael BenitezNovember 2012 - May 201358%
Roberto Di MatteoMarch 2012 - November 201257%
Luiz Felipe ScolariJuly 2008 - February 200956%
Claudio RanieriSeptember 2000 - May 200454%
Gianluca VialliFebruary 1998 - September 200053%
Frank LampardJuly 2019 - January 202152%
Ruud GullitMay 1996 - February 199849%
Andre-Villas BoasJune 2011 - March 201248%
Tommy DochertyOctober 1961 - October 196747%
Bobby CampbellMarch 1988 - May 199147%
Dave SextonOctober 1967 - October 197444%
Geoff HurstSeptember 1979 - April 198143%
John NealMay 1981 - June 198541%
David CalderheadAugust 1907 - May 193340%
John HollinsJune 1985 - March 198839%
Graham PotterSeptember 2022 - Present39%
Eddie McCreadieApril 1975 - July 197738%
Ted DrakeJune 1952 - September 196137%
Guus HiddinkDecember 2015 - June 201637%
Leslie KnightonMay 1933 - April 193934%
Ian PorterfieldJune 1991 - February 199334%
Glenn HoddleJune 1993 - May 199634%
Billy BirellApril 1939 - May 195233%
Ron SuartOctober 1974 - April 197424%
Ken ShellitoJuly 1977 - December 197823%
Danny BlanchflowerDecember 1978 - September 197916%

Guus Hiddink's spell in charge during the 2008-09 season is the best period of any Chelsea manager in history. He managed a 73% win ratio during his first spell in charge, although his second spell was far less impressive. He had a 37% win percentage when he took over for the second-half of the 2015/16 season.

That is only slightly worse than Potter's 39% win rate. That record is the second worst of any Chelsea manager (after Hiddink 2.0) since Glenn Hoddle's reign came to an end in 1996.

Graham Potter flopped at Chelsea
© ProShots - Graham Potter flopped at Chelsea

Potter's predecessor, Thomas Tuchel, boasted a 60% win percentage during his time in charge, while Frank Lampard, who was in charge before Tuchel, racked up a win rate of 52% between July 2019 and January 2021.

The aforementioned Hiddink is joined by Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant, Antonio Conte and Maurizio Sarri in the top five Chelsea managers with the best win percentage in history.

Danny Blanchflower, Ken Shellito, Ron Suart, Billy Birell and Hoddle make up the bottom five.

Read more about: Premier League Chelsea

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