Graham Potter is emerging as a candidate to manage Stoke City in the English Championship (second division).
Potter took over at Chelsea last September. He began his managerial career in the Nordic country of Sweden and worked his way up through the ranks at Swansea City before landing at Brighton & Hove Albion. He spent four years at the helm, leading the team to a 9th place finish. He then decided to take over from Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea. Although he had never managed a big club before, he was highly recommended by owner Todd Boeli.
The results were not good. Chelsea began a steady downward spiral. Porter was heavily criticized by fans who lost patience. The team began to slip below the top 10, winning just seven games, drawing seven and losing eight in 22 matches. Within seven months, Potters was forced to leave Chelsea.
He was then linked with several clubs again. Fulham and Saudi Arabia began to make offers, but no final decision was made. Leicester City, Olympique Lyonnais, and Rangers were also interested in him, but he turned them down. Reports suggest that Porter is looking forward to returning to a team that can qualify for the Champions League or has the clear potential to reach Europe’s highest level in the near future.
Still without a job, Porter is once again being linked with a new team. Manchester United have recently been linked. The Red Devils have been plagued by poor results and controversy both on and off the field. It has also been reported that new owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who is preparing to take over the club, wants to appoint Porter.
He has also been linked to Bae’s former club Stoke City. British media outlet ‘Tribal Football’ reported on Thursday (June 14) that “Potter was included in a list of candidates drawn up by Stoke’s board of directors. He spent three years as a player at Stoke,” Tribal Football reported.
Stoke recently sacked their manager following a poor run of form. After seven games, the team had drawn three and lost four. Coach Paul Gallagher is currently serving as interim manager. As the club searches for a new manager, they’ve been interested in Porter.
Bae made his first European appearance in a Stoke shirt last summer. He made his debut as a substitute against Preston North End in round five. He made his English debut in the ninth round against Bristol City, providing his first assist. Since then, he has been a regular in the starting lineup.