Would you take Graham Potter at United?

[Irrational.]

Alohomora

Olehomora*

 

[Idxomer]

I don't agree with the 'He needs a another step' line.

The top two coaches people go about on here are Zidane, Conte, who both got their big breaks at clubs due to nepotism. Zidane was managing the Madrid B team and Conte had struggled prior to getting the Juve gig, where he was sacked several times before Agnelli gave him a chance due to his past association with the club. If we hired Conte at the time, the narrative would've been 'the guy who relegated Atalanta'

Agreed.

The man went to the 4th tier of Swedish football in 2011 to make a name for himself and ten years later he's outplaying Klopp's Liverpool in the PL. Sometimes, it's obvious when managers are good enough and you either take a chance on them or keep waiting for the perfect manager.

 

[Lecland07]

Never managed a big club. Never managed elite players. Never won anything.

Absolutely no chance is he ready for this job. It would swallow him whole.

Talented coach he may be.....but this job isnt easy. Managing Brighton where expectations are to stay up is not the same as managing this club.

Do think he has the potential to make it to a big club one day but Brighton to Utd seems a bit of a fairytale to me.

At one point, this is true for every single top manager in existence, though.

Club where these managers won their first trophies
Zidane: Real Madrid
Guardiola: Barcelona
Conte: Juventus
Nagelsman: Bayern Munich
Tuchel: Dortmund
Flick: Bayern Munich
Klopp: Dortmund
Ten Hag: Ajax

Managers tend to win their first trophy at the biggest clubs in their leagues. Is that a surprise? Not at all, because it is much harder to win with a smaller team. The inability to win with a much smaller club should not be held against managers, if they are showing exceptional talent in getting their team to play exciting and effective football.

Potter should not be expected to win a trophy with Brighton. He should be judged on how he gets Brighton playing, which is very impressive considering the limited squad that he has there. They are surrounded by teams which have far better squads than they do, and a lot of that is to do with how Graham Potter has drilled them.

It is also a pointless assumption over whether he will be able to handle the atmosphere. If that is considered a major criteria, Manchester United would have to limit themselves to managers who have already been at big clubs, and that group is far too small. At the moment, the only ones available are Zidane and Conte. And Conte seems to be going to Tottenham, so it could be down to just Zidane.

I also don't understand the point of waiting for him to go to a Spurs size club. If he turns out succesful there, haven't we just wasted our time not getting him, beforehand? Also, he would be in the shop window for other big clubs, so his choices will be far greater and it will make our position far weaker in negotiations.

There can be too much fear in an appointment, which creates the classic merry-go-round of managers. You have to look forward at one point and choose an upcoming manager that shows promise. He could fail here, or he could be like one of those trophy-less managers above and get his first title at Manchester United. But I actually think he could be a very clever appointment.

 

[Wednesday at Stoke]

I rate Bruno Lage quite highly as well, and this has nothing to do with today's game. The way Wolves play is a night and day's difference from the constipation inducing shit Nuno put out until last season.

 

[Matt851]

Never managed a big club. Never managed elite players. Never won anything.

Absolutely no chance is he ready for this job. It would swallow him whole.

Talented coach he may be.....but this job isnt easy. Managing Brighton where expectations are to stay up is not the same as managing this club.

Do think he has the potential to make it to a big club one day but Brighton to Utd seems a bit of a fairytale to me.

Well he is certainly much more qualified for the job than ole ever was and personally i would rather go for a manager on an upward curve than one who has already gone stale (like mourinho or van gaal)

The idea that a manager moving from brighton to united is a fairytale smacks of the kind of misplaced arrogance that has got us where we are in recent years

 

[Nou_Camp99]

Well he is certainly much more qualified for the job than ole ever was and personally i would rather go for a manager on an upward curve than one who has already gone stale (like mourinho or van gaal)

The idea that a manager moving from brighton to united is a fairytale smacks of the kind of misplaced arrogance that has got us where we are in recent years

Same people talked up Eddie Howe like they are Potter. Where is he now?

Ole got the job on a technicality of being a club legend. Nobody denies this. He'd never have got it otherwise.

Potter would be a monumental gamble. It's not going to happen.

 

[Redfrog]

It would not be my first choice but I will definitely take him over Rogers or Poch. He plays good football on a budget. Would like to see what he could do with better players.
To never have managed prima donas can be a problem but if you have a good project and are doing a good job the players will eventually buy it and make the efforts to make it works.
Anyway, I can’t see the board go for him above Rodgers or Poch who are bigger names. But I will definitely as I would prefer to gamble on a talented unknown manager then the nearly man who is , at the end not good enough.

 

[Redfrog]

Same people talked up Eddie Howe like they are Potter. Where is he now?

Ole got the job on a technicality of being a club legend. Nobody denies this. He'd never have got it otherwise.

Potter would be a monumental gamble. It's not going to happen.

Never seen Howe’s team but getting a spanking against any big club. Potter is less naïve in my opinion.
But otherwise I agree, he would be a big gamble. Still, I would rather try that then Rogers or Poch who are not good enough in my opinion.

 

[sullydnl]

Same people talked up Eddie Howe like they are Potter. Where is he now?

Ole got the job on a technicality of being a club legend. Nobody denies this. He'd never have got it otherwise.

Potter would be a monumental gamble. It's not going to happen.

He would certainly be a big gamble. But all the possible options open to us in the medium term (Poch, Ten Hag, Rodgers, Potter, etc.) are gambles of one stripe or another. We're gonna have to take a risk on someone and we could probably do with plans b and c if they're not available too.

 

[The United]

I think you could find a few managerial examples to backup or criticise many different arguments in terms of choosing our next manager. For me, we’ve yet to give someone of his profile a go yet, so at the very least I’d be interested to see us try him. It would be nice to see us attempting to play a more modern, entertaining brand of football. Whether he can bring trophies with that is obviously a huge question mark.

I am not against that kind of appointment.

I just pointed out that it would be very different to do that at a club with superstar players in it.

 

[Foxbatt]

Never seen Howe’s team but getting a spanking against any big club. Potter is less naïve in my opinion.
But otherwise I agree, he would be a big gamble. Still, I would rather try that then Rogers or Poch who are not good enough in my opinion.

He certainly is a much better coach than Ole Gunnar.

 

[Matt851]

He would certainly be a big gamble. But all the possible options open to us in the medium term (Poch, Ten Hag, Rodgers, Potter, etc.) are gambles of one stripe or another. We're gonna have to take a risk on someone and we could probably do with plans b and c if they're not available too.

Exactly, the only 'safe' option is conte. One thing is certain, potter would be a huge upgrade on ole

Potter isnt comparable to howe, the only real similarity is thay both are english

 

[VanHaal'sRedArmy]

Olehomora*

Oleshutthefriggindoor

 

[BorisManUtd]

I rate Bruno Lage quite highly as well, and this has nothing to do with today's game. The way Wolves play is a night and day's difference from the constipation inducing shit Nuno put out until last season.

They've played some good football since season started, deserved to beat United as well. Their players are probably enjoying themselves after the football they played last season.

 

[pocco]

Same people talked up Eddie Howe like they are Potter. Where is he now?

Ole got the job on a technicality of being a club legend. Nobody denies this. He'd never have got it otherwise.

Potter would be a monumental gamble. It's not going to happen.

Honestly what has Eddie Howe got to do with anything? Because they're both British?

People also talked down Tuchel when he was suggested. People talk crap.

 

[passing-wind]

Agreed.

The man went to the 4th tier of Swedish football in 2011 to make a name for himself and ten years later he's outplaying Klopp's Liverpool in the PL. Sometimes, it's obvious when managers are good enough and you either take a chance on them or keep waiting for the perfect manager.

This is such an important aspect. Nothing can beat analysis of the eye. I consider Potter tactically to be an absolute force. I heard pundits alike being unable to recall Brighton being totally outplayed. Something Potter has in the mould of Klopp is getting players of lower level to play beyond their capacity. This is what SAF had accomplished throughout the years. These are traits definitive of successful leaders.

The biggest aspect with United's next manager is not relevant to the level of where United is (as the club is below par coming up to 10 years) but rather how the new manager contrasts with the current management. I consider Potter to be miles above Solskjaer as a manager despite one spending near 500 million and the other having a relegation zone team.

The issue with Ole is that under his tenure the club is aimless, he's coasting through his career with no defined goals. When I consider the level that Brighton play at, the limitations, low resources and lack of quality I see more criteria in Potter being a winner because he himself is raising the bar for that club beyond anything anyone would comprehend, compared to the survival element that precedes Ole's management.

Potter might lack the experience to show his attitude to winning but it comes down to the core functions of a football team he ticks all the boxes. It's a risk for the club but for me keeping Ole longer term does more damage than good. I state the same after the Liverpool results Ole's position is untenable.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

Honestly what has Eddie Howe got to do with anything? Because they're both British?

People also talked down Tuchel when he was suggested. People talk crap.

It has everything to do with it. Walking into Old Trafford from Bournemouth (Howe) or Brighton (Potter) is one hell of a step up.

Not as simple as 'he's a decent coach, he will do'.

Potter would drown here under the expectation. He's nowhere near ready for this job. Look what it did to Moyes, LVG and Jose for example.

One day he might be an option but not yet.

 

[Caesar2290]

It has everything to do with it. Walking into Old Trafford from Bournemouth (Howe) or Brighton (Potter) is one hell of a step up.

Not as simple as 'he's a decent coach, he will do'.

Potter would drown here under the expectation. He's nowhere near ready for this job. Look what it did to Moyes, LVG and Jose for example.

One day he might be an option but not yet.

We literally have a coach from Molde as our manager who's last honor was a cup in 2013. Up until this season 80% of the posters were saying that he's doing a good job.

In the case of Moyes - fired the coaching staff and replaced them with bellends with antiquated ideas

LVG - going full 100% possesion while severly being let down by his recruitment

And Jose being Jose.

Out of all the top clubs United is the least demanding job. Period. Your own fans are going to want to sign autographs with you even if the dippers stuff 5 past you at OT and the board will publicly back you after this. This is the level of pressure at United. Poor old Potter, how will he cope.

We had this saying under SAF: if you're good enough, you're old enough refering to youth players ready to make a step up. The same thing can be said about the managers. And Potter is good enough.

 

[Mickson]

I'm a fan of Potter, and the way he gets his teams playing football.

When he was managing in Sweden, I was recommending him to mates who support a few different clubs at the top of league one or the championship. None of whom really fancied him as they'd never heard of him or the team he was managing! But he fully deserved his chance over here and I'm pleased for him at how well he's taken it.

I think, with his style of play, he's one of the few British managers doing well at unfashionable clubs who's suited to a top 6 side - unlike the likes of Warnock, Pulis, Dyche, whose pragmatic style suits the level of club they've managed at.

I definitely think Potter deserves a chance at a bigger club, but it'll be a gamble for them as he's never managed players of that ability, or clubs with that level of expectation or media scrutiny, so only time will tell whether he's capable of success at the very highest level. But I'd love to see him get that chance as he deserves it.

Did an insane job in Sweden. And I'm not talking about winning a league title (as Ole did in Norway), but transforming a nothing club and taking them to Europe when Sweden almost never gets any team whatsoever to play in Europe. Probably the best manager in Sweden in the last 20 years. I don't think people in UK realize exactly how impressive he was.

 

[Water Melon]

This is such an important aspect. Nothing can beat analysis of the eye. I consider Potter tactically to be an absolute force. I heard pundits alike being unable to recall Brighton being totally outplayed. Something Potter has in the mould of Klopp is getting players of lower level to play beyond their capacity. This is what SAF had accomplished throughout the years. These are traits definitive of successful leaders.

The biggest aspect with United's next manager is not relevant to the level of where United is (as the club is below par coming up to 10 years) but rather how the new manager contrasts with the current management. I consider Potter to be miles above Solskjaer as a manager despite one spending near 500 million and the other having a relegation zone team.

The issue with Ole is that under his tenure the club is aimless, he's coasting through his career with no defined goals. When I consider the level that Brighton play at, the limitations, low resources and lack of quality I see more criteria in Potter being a winner because he himself is raising the bar for that club beyond anything anyone would comprehend, compared to the survival element that precedes Ole's management.

Potter might lack the experience to show his attitude to winning but it comes down to the core functions of a football team he ticks all the boxes. It's a risk for the club but for me keeping Ole longer term does more damage than good. I state the same after the Liverpool results Ole's position is untenable.

Well said. Seconded.

 

[reelworld]

I hope he's in our radar if the board wanted a British manager.
The comparison with Moyes and Howe are lazy tbh. Moyes teams isn't even close playing the kind of football that Potter teams have. And Howe wasn't as good in coaching defense as Potter not to mention a better attacking scheme.
When Ole fecked up his next match, I hope they take a good hard look at Potter

 

[Skills]

This is such an important aspect. Nothing can beat analysis of the eye. I consider Potter tactically to be an absolute force. I heard pundits alike being unable to recall Brighton being totally outplayed. Something Potter has in the mould of Klopp is getting players of lower level to play beyond their capacity. This is what SAF had accomplished throughout the years. These are traits definitive of successful leaders.

The biggest aspect with United's next manager is not relevant to the level of where United is (as the club is below par coming up to 10 years) but rather how the new manager contrasts with the current management. I consider Potter to be miles above Solskjaer as a manager despite one spending near 500 million and the other having a relegation zone team.

The issue with Ole is that under his tenure the club is aimless, he's coasting through his career with no defined goals. When I consider the level that Brighton play at, the limitations, low resources and lack of quality I see more criteria in Potter being a winner because he himself is raising the bar for that club beyond anything anyone would comprehend, compared to the survival element that precedes Ole's management.

Potter might lack the experience to show his attitude to winning but it comes down to the core functions of a football team he ticks all the boxes. It's a risk for the club but for me keeping Ole longer term does more damage than good. I state the same after the Liverpool results Ole's position is untenable.

Yeah I'm kinda ready to jump on this train tbh. I think he's the the closest British manager to the German crop of coaches who seem to be all heading to the European top jobs.

I don't think they struggled making the step up. I'm hoping the structure with Murtough/Fletcher allows us to take a punt like this, because the 'foundations' are already in place

 

[Nickelodeon]

He's the managerial equivalent of Lamptey atm. We can look at him and be impressed, but nobody could say that whether he can replicate this potential at a club like United. But to me, he is a very, very impressive coach who I would love to see at United because his team may not be raising too many eyebrows with their results, but their performances are superb with the limited talent that they have. I mean, he got Dan Burn playing as a LWB in a possession based scenario. The man management part at a big club may be a limitation given the size of clubs he's managed but his tactical knowhow seems to be on point. The people who are dismissing him have not seen Brighton play and naturally lump him in with the likes of Palace and Newcastle. My guess is that had he been a different nationality, people on here might've given him a bit more credit. I'm certain that he will be a big team manager in the near future.

On a separate note, the "would you take xyz as manager?" template is fairly ridiculous given that we have a manager right now who's the worst (not one of the worst) tactical coach in the league right now. I would personally take any of the PL managers over Ole right now so my answer to every such poll is yes. The real question is in one of threads asking which one we would prefer. And Potter is second for me only after Ten Hag purely because I believe that we have quality players, who would first and foremost, not be outplayed in every facet of the game against the big boys. Even in our victories against the likes of City, we are outplayed or park the bus in almost every game. So its important for us to target a coach with focus on performance and not results, which is the opposite of what we did with Ole.

 

[Skills]

I hope he's in our radar if the board wanted a British manager.
The comparison with Moyes and Howe are lazy tbh. Moyes teams isn't even close playing the kind of football that Potter teams have. And Howe wasn't as good in coaching defense as Potter not to mention a better attacking scheme.
When Ole fecked up his next match, I hope they take a good hard look at Potter

I don't really get why Eddie Howe's being looked down upon? He's another really talented coach, but he just overstayed at Bournemouth. Bournemouth haven't exactly pulled up trees since he's left, and his team played great football in the PL for a few years.

His transfers were shit, but that's the difference between the way Bournemouth and Brighton are run as football clubs. However, I do think Potter might be a level up from him though. Just seems to have something extra.

 

[Cascarino]

I agree with this mindset and have felt like this for years. I hope the club do grow a pair and appoint someone on the basis of their ability to coach a proactive brand of football.

Yeah I was being a bit tongue in cheek with the shackles stuff, but I really do think he’d be transformative.

I don't really get why Eddie Howe's being looked down upon? He's another really talented coach, but he just overstayed at Bournemouth. Bournemouth haven't exactly pulled up trees since he's left, and his team played great football in the PL for a few years.

His transfers were shit, but that's the difference between the way Bournemouth and Brighton are run as football clubs. However, I do think Potter might be a level up from him though. Just seems to have something extra.

I like Howe a lot too, as you said I also think Potter has more about him, and I’m more confident in Potter going to the top where I see Howe as more of a solid manager who can play good football, but I like Howe and he’s a good manager and I hope to see him back in management soon

 

[reelworld]

I don't really get why Eddie Howe's being looked down upon? He's another really talented coach, but he just overstayed at Bournemouth. Bournemouth haven't exactly pulled up trees since he's left, and his team played great football in the PL for a few years.

His transfers were shit, but that's the difference between the way Bournemouth and Brighton are run as football clubs. However, I do think Potter might be a level up from him though. Just seems to have something extra.

I'm not looking down on him, I just thought that Brighton played better football than Howe's Bournemouth and as you said have something extra that I think would translate well in bigger clubs. I just don't see that Howe. I do hope Howe gets another chance. Progressive manager who played good football deserves to get them

 

[JustAGuest]

I hope he's in our radar if the board wanted a British manager.
The comparison with Moyes and Howe are lazy tbh. Moyes teams isn't even close playing the kind of football that Potter teams have. And Howe wasn't as good in coaching defense as Potter not to mention a better attacking scheme.
When Ole fecked up his next match, I hope they take a good hard look at Potter

Good point regarding Howe.

Howe:
15/16: 67 goals conceded (18th best in the league)
16/17: 67 goals conceded (16th best in the league)
17/18: 61 goals conceded (18th best in the league)
18/19: 70 goals conceded (18th best in the league)
19/20: 65 goals conceded (18th best in the league)

Potter:
19/20: 54 goals conceded (11th best in the league)
20/21: 46 goals conceded (7th best in the league)
...and so far this season they have the 5th best defensive record while having faced both Liverpool and City.

I don't think there should be any serious comparison between the two.

 

[The Boy]

I don't really get why Eddie Howe's being looked down upon? He's another really talented coach, but he just overstayed at Bournemouth. Bournemouth haven't exactly pulled up trees since he's left, and his team played great football in the PL for a few years.

His transfers were shit, but that's the difference between the way Bournemouth and Brighton are run as football clubs. However, I do think Potter might be a level up from him though. Just seems to have something extra.

I agree Eddie Howe deserves a lot of respect for what he did at Bournemouth, but it might be my bias, but I think Potter is by far the better manager.

As for the transfers, Brighton are pretty good at this and though Potter certainly deserves some credit, Dan Ashworth is a huge influence and Tony Bloom's statistic driven approach is also key. As a threesome they wok together incredibly well and are the reason Brighton is in such a good place right now.

Personally I think Potter would be fine at United, I don't agree with this wilting under the pressure line, tbf the one good thing that most agree on with Ole is his man management and he certainly never had the big name club CV. Potter can match that and he is in my mind one of the most innovative coaches I have ever seen anywhere, let alone at Brighton!

I hope he never leaves us, but if he came to you and signed Bissouma and Lamptey, I have no doubt you'd be challenging for the biggest trophies.

 

[Conor]

I don't think any manager that isn't a big name with past credentials is going to be successful with our crop of players. If you bring someone like Potter in, he would have to gut the squad just to get a team that would be willing to listen to him, and he won't have the time to do that.

 

[Skills]

I like Howe a lot too, as you said I also think Potter has more about him, and I’m more confident in Potter going to the top where I see Howe as more of a solid manager who can play good football, but I like Howe and he’s a good manager and I hope to see him back in management soon

How is he as a personality from what you saw at Swansea?

From the little I've seen of him in the media, he seems like a fairly grounded guy. One of the issues we've had at OT is that managers come in trying to be Billy big bollocks - they try and control the dressing room through clichés, cringy interviews/press conferences & trying to leave a mark. While Potter seems like a quietly confident guy. I can see him just slotting in at the club, earn the players respect on the training ground and then work from there.

 

[Skills]

I don't think any manager that isn't a big name with past credentials is going to be successful with our crop of players. If you bring someone like Potter in, he would have to gut the squad just to get a team that would be willing to listen to him, and he won't have the time to do that.

What about the cultural reset that Ole just completed?

 

[Bondi77]

He would get my vote as our next manager and if he gets any attitude from the players he just gives them a bit of Expelliarmus and then it will be sorted.

 

[Skills]

I agree Eddie Howe deserves a lot of respect for what he did at Bournemouth, but it might be my bias, but I think Potter is by far the better manager.

As for the transfers, Brighton are pretty good at this and though Potter certainly deserves some credit, Dan Ashworth is a huge influence and Tony Bloom's statistic driven approach is also key. As a threesome they wok together incredibly well and are the reason Brighton is in such a good place right now.

Personally I think Potter would be fine at United, I don't agree with this wilting under the pressure line, tbf the one good thing that most agree on with Ole is his man management and he certainly never had the big name club CV. Potter can match that and he is in my mind one of the most innovative coaches I have ever seen anywhere, let alone at Brighton!

I hope he never leaves us, but if he came to you and signed Bissouma and Lamptey, I have no doubt you'd be challenging for the biggest trophies.

Would you take Howe if Potter was to leave?

Transfers is where I'd like a change in approach at the club. I'd prefer a training ground manager, rather than a recruitment focused one. Hopefully, the next change we do make means the managers role in recruitment is limited.

 

[Cascarino]

How is he as a personality from what you saw at Swansea?

From the little I've seen of him in the media, he seems like a fairly grounded guy. One of the issues we've had at OT is that managers come in trying to be Billy big bollocks - they try and control the dressing room through clichés, cringy interviews/press conferences & trying to leave a mark. While Potter seems like a quietly confident guy. I can see him just slotting in at the club, earn the players respect on the training ground and then work from there.

I wrote this last year, after hearing from people in various different roles (working alongside him, supporters etc) and it was all really positive. Pitch side he seems confident but not an egotist, has a belief in his system and not one to be fazed

I've spoken to a lot of people who have interacted with him and a couple who have worked with him, sounds like quite a decent bloke which endears him to me further. Hoping he does well.

 

[balaks]

Potter is excellent and is ready for a big club for sure.

 

[pascell]

People talk as if he wasn't under pressure taking the Brighton job, there's expectations to meet at every club. I think the expectations at United wouldn't phase him and he'd have us playing good football on the eye, whilst winning games also.

There's no denying he's a hard worker, look at where he's come from until now, if he brought that work ethic with him to United, he'd have people worried about us again.

 

[Ibi Dreams]

I think he needs a stepping stone first, going from Brighton to Man United is a huge transition. Clubs like Spurs and Leicester should be keeping tabs on him

 

[sullydnl]

I don't think any manager that isn't a big name with past credentials is going to be successful with our crop of players. If you bring someone like Potter in, he would have to gut the squad just to get a team that would be willing to listen to him, and he won't have the time to do that.

I don't get where this idea that our squad of all squads would be so unwilling to listen to a manager who isn't a big name comes from. They've just spent three years under someone with no real pedigree as a manager and have been relatively supportive of him throughout. They're not that egotistical a bunch.

 

[altodevil]

He's getting the Leicester job once we take Brendan.

 

[Skills]

I think he needs a stepping stone first, going from Brighton to Man United is a huge transition. Clubs like Spurs and Leicester should be keeping tabs on him

I'd argue the stepping stones do more damage to their careers than help them.

I feel like managers either develop bad habits there which don't translate well to the top clubs, or often just get caught in a limbo where the team is good but not good enough to win a trophy. So that hole stigma sticks around and starts to effect them.