"It has been a pleasure and honour" - Graham Potter posts heartfelt message to Brighton fans after Chelsea departure
New Chelsea manager Graham Potter has asked Brighton & Hove Albion fans to forgive him for his decision to leave the club and join the Blues following the sacking of Thomas Tuchel earlier this week.
Potter, who was appointed Brighton's manager in the summer of 2019, had grown into a fan-favourite during his successful three-year stint at the Amex. He leaves the Seagulls in fourth place in the 2022-23 Premier League standings, with 13 points after six games.
After Chelsea triggered his £15 million release clause, Potter penned a five-year deal at Stamford Bridge on Thursday (September 8).
Graham Potter and his coaching staff are in the building ✅ https://t.co/3N2O2lOtrF
In his letter on Brighton's official website, Potter expressed his gratitude to his former club's fans and also the owners. He wrote:
"This has been three wonderful years with a club that has changed my life, and I want to take a moment to say goodbye to all of you who have made it such a special period of my career. I bid farewell to a great club and one that will always mean so much to me and my family."
He continued:
"For some, I recognise that the change that comes so suddenly in football can be hard to accept. I may not be able to persuade you all to forgive my departure – but I would at least like to take the chance to say thank you. I hope that you will understand that at this stage of my career, I felt I had to grasp a new opportunity."
Potter added:
"All good clubs need great owners and great fans. Brighton & Hove Albion have both. I will cherish the relationships I built in all aspects of the club. My players went above and beyond. My staff gave everything. At the heart of it were the Albion fans. On every matchday at the Amex, the connection with the team was strong."
He concluded:
"To everyone at Brighton & Hove Albion: thank you. It has been a pleasure and honour to serve the club over the last three years. I wish you every success going forward."
Potter's first game in charge of Chelsea is scheduled to be against RB Salzburg at Stamford Bridge on matchday two of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday (September 14).
Graham Potter has already held a series of one-on-one talks with senior Chelsea players. He’s stressed the importance of leadership and dressing room unity and spoken of his open door policy. He’s been keen to listen and ensure he quickly understands the culture of the club.
The Blues lost 1-0 at Dinamo Zagreb in midweek, which cost their erstwhile manager Thomas Tuchel his job.
Chelsea interested in hiring Luis Campos as next sporting director
According to The Times, Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has held talks with PSG's Luis Campos for the role of sporting director. The new ownership are said to be unhappy with the structure of the current Blues squad and are keen to invest heavily in the winter transfer window.
For most of the summer, Boehly acted as the interim sporting director for the west London outfit after Marina Granovskaia's exit.