Graham Potter disclosed that during his tenure as Chelsea manager, some players had to sit on the floor during team meetings due to space constraints.
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Potter took charge at Stamford Bridge in 2022, succeeding Thomas Tuchel. In an effort to strengthen the squad, he made significant moves in the January transfer window, adding eight players to the team to address weaknesses in various areas….Continue Reading
Among the new arrivals were Joao Felix, who joined on loan from Atletico Madrid for £9.7 million, as well as David Fofana, Andrey Santos, Malo Gusto, Noni Madueke, Benoit Badiashile, Mykhalo Mudryk, and star signing Enzo Fernandez. Chelsea reportedly spent a record £323 million during this transfer window.
With the crowded dressing room, Potter acknowledged that the lack of space meant some players had to sit on the floor during team meetings, highlighting the chaotic environment at the club’s Cobham training ground, which new manager Enzo Maresca has also encountered.
Speaking to The Telegraph this week, Potter said: “We tried to support it as best we could, but it left us with a challenge of a lot of players after January and then they can’t go anywhere.”
He added: “A few of them just had to sit on the floor. It’s not ideal, of course. Everybody recognised it was a really difficult situation because you can only pick 11 players and if you’ve got 20 players not playing, it doesn’t matter where you are. If you can find a coach out there who says, ‘yeah, that’s the best condition for me,’ I’d be very surprised.”
Although Graham Potter signed a five-year contract with Chelsea in early September 2022, his tenure was short-lived, ending in April 2023 when he was replaced by interim coach Bruno Saltor. During his time in charge, the 49-year-old oversaw 31 games, winning 12, drawing 8, and losing 11.
Since parting ways with Chelsea, Potter has yet to take on another managerial role, reportedly declining several offers as he waits for the right opportunity.
Current manager Enzo Maresca finds himself in a similar situation to Potter, with the Chelsea board making significant moves in the summer transfer window, bringing in 13 new players, including Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Tosin Adarabioyo, Pedro Neto, and loan signing Jadon Sancho.
The heavy investment appears to be paying off for the club, which finished sixth in the Premier League last season. They now sit in fifth place, with three wins, one draw, and one loss so far.
Despite starting the season with a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City, Chelsea has since rebounded, securing victories over Wolves, Bournemouth, and West Ham, and earning a 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace.
