- The 49-year-old was sacked as Chelsea boss last year after disappointing spell
- Potter has been linked to the England role which is currently held by Lee Carsley
- SOCCER A-Z: Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube. New episodes every Wednesday
Graham Potter has revealed he is ‘open to anything’ and described the role of England manager as a ‘fantastic job’ in a rare public appearance 18 months after he was sacked by Chelsea.
The 49-year-old was appointed Blues boss in September 2022 after a successful spell at Brighton which saw him take the Seagulls to ninth in the Premier League table – their highest finish in the competition at the time.
However, Potter suffered an early setback within his first month at Stamford Bridge, slipping to a humiliating 4-1 defeat against his old side, and the manager struggled to revive his perception among the fans. He was fired in April with several games left in the season.
Over the last year or so, Potter has rarely been spotted but there has been much speculation over a potential return to management and whether he is line to take the England job.
Now Potter has revealed he is ‘open to anything’, while appearing as a pundit on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football ahead of Southampton’s clash with Bournemouth.
Graham Potter has revealed he is ‘open to anything’ and described the role of England manager as a ‘fantastic job’
The 49-year-old was fired as Chelsea boss in April 2023 after a disappointing spell as manager
He began by saying: ‘Lee (Carsley) is in a lucky position, isn’t he?’
The former Blues boss was then asked if he would be interested in the role of Three Lions manager.
‘I think it’s time for a commercial break isn’t it!’ he joked. ‘As an Englishman it’s a fantastic job, but I’m supportive of whatever the FA decide to do.
‘I’m open to anything, developing players, developing teams, making a difference.’
Carsley has only been handed the England hotseat on a temporary basis but went some way to landing the job full-time after impressive wins over Ireland in Dublin and Finland at Wembley this month.
Potter also shed light on why he went off the radar after he was sacked by Chelsea 18 months ago, vowing to ‘come back stronger’ after the setback.
‘It has [been deliberate] to be honest – spend some time with the family, connect with them after a 12-year journey which starts in the fourth tier of Swedish football and ends in the last eight of the Champions League.
‘It’s a journey that doesn’t come for free. It’s nice to be able to spend some time with them and connect with them, and see what the journey brings.
‘It’s disappointing. It’s never nice when you lose your job, but you have to treat it as a learning experience, you have to treat it as an opportunity to grow and improve.
He began by saying: ‘Lee (Carsley) is in a lucky position, isn’t he?’
Carsley has been handed the England hotseat on a temporary basis but went some way to landing the job full-time after wins over Ireland in Dublin and Finland at Wembley this month
Potter suffered an early setback within his first month at Stamford Bridge, slipping to a humiliating 4-1 defeat against his old side
‘I’m grateful for the opportunity I had and grateful for the experience. It was tough and it was challenging, but there were some highlights as well.
‘It’s about putting it into perspective, not trying to blame yourself completely but not trying to blame everybody else either. It’s about finding the balance, reflecting and coming back stronger.
‘I have [watched a lot of football]. It’s been nice to take my lads to football and it’s nice to watch it in my house away from prying eyes of the media and scrutiny that comes with the job.’
