Sacking Potter the FIRST thing Boehly has got right! – Carragher

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 4 Apr 2023 00:23 BST
• 4 min read

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher claims that sacking Graham Potter is the FIRST thing that Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has got right since taking charge of the club.

The Blues have spent spectacularly since American investors headed by Boehly took charge of the club a year ago, with more than £600 million splashed in the transfer market.

On the field, the results have been poor. The Blues sit 11th in the Premier League and are now seeking their third manager of the season after sacking Potter on Sunday following a 2-0 home loss to Aston Villa.

MORE: ‘Like Football Manager!’ – Neville slams chaotic Chelsea after Potter sacking

Former Liverpool defender Carragher believes that finally a good call has been made.

“I’ve been very critical of Todd Boehly but I think this is the first decision he’s got right,” he told Sky Sports.

MORE: Who is Bruno Saltor? Chelsea's new manager after Potter sacking

Chelsea too ruthless for Potter

The former England centre-back believes that the ex-Brighton boss was always a bad fit for the Blues.

“You don’t sack Thomas Tuchel and go to Graham Potter. The track record between the two managers – of course there must have been problems behind the scenes between the new owner and Thomas Tuchel – but he should have stuck with Tuchel,” he added.

“The reason I don’t think it was a good fit is because I think Chelsea, along with Real Madrid, are probably two of the most ruthless clubs in terms of how they deal with managers.

“It’s OK Todd Boehly coming in and saying: ‘We’re going to do it different from Roman Abramovich.’

“I don’t care what he says. Those supporters for the last 20 years have been brought up with a culture of winning trophies, changing managers and getting Champions League-winning managers coming in every two or three seasons.

“They’re saying to Graham Potter from the beginning, chanting things like: ‘You don’t know what you’re doing.’

“So it doesn’t matter what the owner says, that what they’ve been brought up on.”

Carragher does believe, however, that Potter might work for a leading club.

“I’m not saying Graham Potter couldn’t work for a big club, it just wasn’t the right fit. It was too ruthless at that club,” he said.

“When you haven’t got a massive CV behind you, you have to hit the ground running.

“We had Rafa Benitez at Liverpool. We won the Champions League at the end of that season, but for a lot of that seaso nit was very up and down. But in the back of you’re mind, you’re thinking: ‘This is the guy that won two LaLiga titles with Valencia. He knows what he’s doing.’

“Graham Potter doesn’t have that unfortunately. He had to be right on it off the traps.”

Potter is now being linked with the vacant Leicester job, while Bruno Saltor will take charge of Chelsea when they face Liverpool in the Premier League on Tuesday.