Tottenham 2-0 Chelsea: lessons learned for the Blues

While a large number of fans have been calling for Todd Boehly to “set aside his pride” and “admit his mistake”  in appointing Potter in the first place, I personally do not see a clear benefit in sacking the manager at this stage of the season. For one, there are currently no clear options out there that would (a) represent an immediate upgrade on Potter and (b) be open to taking up the Chelsea job with the club and squad in the state that it is right now. Moreover, Boehly’s investment in Potter goes beyond just the manager himself. It has manifested itself in the types of players that the club have bought and has undoubtedly influenced the recruitment process of higher-level decision-makers. On the recruitment side of things, for example, Paul Winstanley’s arrival from Brighton was clearly intended to further bridge the gap between the player recruitment and the player management side of things.

To get rid of one end of the equation now could prove to have far-reaching consequences for Boehly’s long-term vision for the club. In addition, there is some validity in the claims that Potter has yet to have a pre-season of his own where he can conduct a proper assessment of the squad. With Chelsea already out of all the domestic cups, the race for the top four in the Premier League and 90 minutes away from securing their European exit, this season is shaping up to be a complete write-off. There is nothing more to lose with keeping Potter around until the summer and allowing him more time to work with the squad.

As much as everything seemingly points to an early managerial grave for Potter at CFC, let us let cooler heads prevail and recognise that nothing much can be changed from removing Potter from his post. The time to swing the axe is not yet upon us.