Graham Potter tipped for job at Champions League club after Chelsea flop

Robin Bairner

• 5 Jun 2023 14:11 BST
• 3 min read

Former Chelsea manager Graham Potter is being backed to rebound from his Stamford Bridge disappointment by taking the soon-to-be-vacant Celtic job.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou is set to depart Parkhead for Tottenham, with widespread reports that he has already agreed personal terms with the Premier League club.

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Postecoglou sealed a treble with the Hoops by beating Inverness Caledonian Thistle 3-1 in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden on Saturday and will leave a big void to fill.

Former Chelsea and Brighton Potter is being tipped as a potential replacement for the former Australia international defender, though he has equally been linked with Ligue 1 side Nice, who are owned by prospective Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

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Potter ideal for Celtic?

“Only 12 months ago, everyone was raving about Graham Potter. He was viewed as the best young coach in the Premier League after his outstanding work at Brighton,” former Scotland and Celtic midfielder Kris Commons wrote for the Daily Mail.

“Forward-thinking, tactically astute, innovative, an advocate of possession football; he was everything you would want in a modern manager. He eventually got the Chelsea job, only for the whole thing to go sour after barely six months. But I don't think Potter is actually damaged by that.

“Anyone who knows anything about football will look at what's happened at Chelsea over the past 12 months and recognise just what an absolute basket case they have been. A new owner coming in, spending a crazy amount of money, handing out eight-year contracts to umpteen new players, and binning a manager prematurely.

“Trust me, given the bloated squad that was thrust upon him due to all the new signings, there would have been better managers than Potter who would have failed at Chelsea this season. It was nigh-on impossible given the circumstances and I really don't think his reputation will have taken much of a hit.

“If Celtic can land an ex-Liverpool boss like Rodgers, then they certainly would have a chance of getting someone like Potter. It would be daft not to at least ask him the question, if and when Postecoglou does depart.”

If Potter were to take the Celtic job, he would head back into the Champions League, with the club automatic qualifiers for the group stage after winning the Scottish Premiership for a second successive season.