"Some of your questions are stupid" - Chelsea manager Graham Potter hits back at media criticism
Under-pressure Chelsea head coach Graham Potter has hit back at media criticism.
Potter is under fire after the Blues have registered just one win in eight Premier League games. Chelsea are tenth in the league and are now out of the FA Cup after their 4-0 loss to Manchester City in the third round on Sunday (January 8).
The manager said in the aftermath of the defeat:
"There are times when you get cross, and you get angry. But my responsibility is to speak (to the media) in as respectful a way as I can, even though some of your questions are stupid," Potter said.
He added:
"I have got to answer them as best I can and as respectfully as I can, because I represent a fantastic football club, and I have got that job to do."
The Blues have four defeats in their last six games across competitions, including consecutive losses to Manchester City.
"There are some challenges that we face" - Chelsea manager Graham Potter
Graham Potter only arrived at the Chelsea helm midseason after Thomas Tuchel faced the sack following an uninspiring start to the campaign.
He made a bright start to his tenure, but recent results have been underwhelming. On the mounting criticism on him, Potter said:
"I do not know. I do not read the newspapers. I stay away from social media. I am not naive to know that when you are having the results that we have, there is not going to be criticism and negativity - that would be strange for me to think that. And, again, I am not sitting here as some egomaniac that has all the answers and gets everything right - of course, that is not the case.
Potter added that the Blues are in a transition phase with new owners coming in, and player injuries haven't made his task easier. He said:
"There are some challenges that we face. There are some margins in the Premier League that are difficult. We have had a massive transition (with new owners at Chelsea), problems in terms of injuries do not make it easy to be stable.
Nevertheless, he added that he has the support of the Chelsea management and players for now, saying:
"I know the responsibility we have here, but also I know that I am capable, and I know the quality that I have, and I have the full support of, certainly, the owners, the players and the staff here."
The Blues next travel to Fulham on Thursday (January 12) in the Premier League, where they will hope to return to winning ways.