Graham potter

Graham potter
Potter as coach of Östersunds (2017)
Personnel
Surname	Graham Stephen Potter
birthday	May 20, 1975
place of birth	Solihull ,  England
position	External defense offensive (left), midfield (left)
Juniors
Years	station
1989-1992	Birmingham City
Men's
Years	station	Games (goals) 1
1992-1993	Birmingham City	25 (2)
1993	→  Wycombe Wanderers  (loan)	3 (0)
1993-1996	Stoke City	45 (1)
1996-1997	Southampton FC	8 (0)
1997-2000	West Bromwich Albion	43 (0)
1997	→  Northampton Town  (loan)	4 (0)
1999	→  Reading FC  (loan)	4 (0)
2000-2003	York city	114 (5)
2003-2004	Boston United	12 (0)
2003	→  Shrewsbury Town  (loan)	5 (0)
2004-2005	Macclesfield Town	57 (8)
National team
Years	selection	Games (goals)
1992	England U18	1 (0)
1996	England U21	1 (0)
Stations as a trainer
Years	station
2011-2018	Östersunds FK
2018-2019	Swansea City
2019–	Brighton & Hove Albion
1 Only league games are given.

Graham Stephen Potter (born May 20, 1975 in Solihull ) is an English football coach and former player. From 1992 to 2005 Potter played a total of 320 league games in the English league system for eleven different clubs, mostly in the lower-class professional leagues. From 2011 to 2018 he coached the Swedish club Östersunds FK , leading them from fourth to first division, to their first national cup triumph and to the knockout phase of the UEFA Europa League . In the summer of 2019, he took over the coaching position at the Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion .

Player career

Potter came to Birmingham City while he was still in school in 1989 and received a contract as a trainee in 1991 . A year later he signed his first professional contract with the second division club and made his debut as a 17-year-old on November 1, 1992 in a 0-0 draw against Charlton Athletic under Terry Cooper . During the entire season, the young talent made 18 league appearances, mostly as a left full-back with an offensive urge, but sometimes had problems in positional play. The following year he came at the start of the season only in the English-Italian Cup and was awarded a month later to the fourth division Wycombe Wanderers .

In December 1993, Potter moved to Stoke City within the Football League First Division, with Birmingham receiving Kenny Lowe plus a transfer fee of £ 75,000. During the rest of the season he only made five competitive appearances and in the following season he did not get past regular Lee Sandford and the versatile John Butler . In the 1995/96 season Potter experienced his breakthrough at Stoke after he was pulled forward by coach Lou Macari on the left offensive flank, where he convinced with his speed and well-struck crosses. He made a total of 51 competitive appearances over the course of the season and landed with the team in fourth place in the final standings. In the subsequent play-offs for promotion to the Premier League , the team narrowly failed in the semifinals to Leicester City .

The reward for a strong season at Stoke was not only a move for £ 250,000 to first division club Southampton FC , but also a call to the squad of the England U-21 team , where he was part of the U-21 qualification in August 1996. Euro 1998 participated in a 2-0 victory in Moldova . At Southampton Graeme Souness had taken over the coaching office, and Potter was on the recommendation of assistant coach Terry Cooper the first signing for the 1996/97 season . Potter did not manage to establish himself at Southampton, until his departure in February 1997 there were only three starting eleven appearances and seven other competitive appearances by substitution, including the 6-3 league win over Manchester United .

The left wing player's services were worth £ 300,000 for second division West Bromwich Albion , where Ray Harford had only recently taken on the coaching post. After several missions, an injury in March 1997 caused the season to end prematurely. Potter was also not included in the episode, in October 1997 he was awarded for two months to the third division club Northampton Town , but only came to four missions there. Not until the spring of 1998 did Potter play a few games as a left-back as a replacement for the doping-banned Shane Nicholson , but towards the end of the season he lost this place again to Jason van Blerk . At the beginning of the following season 1998/99 behind van Blerk substitute player, he came increasingly to missions from the middle of the season - a total of 22 season appearances in the league - and harmonized well on the left with Kevin Kilbane . Time was again rare for Potter in the 1999/2000 season , in the meantime he was awarded for a month to the third division FC Reading , which had a shortage of players for the left half of the game. Since Potter was not eligible to play for Reading in the FA Cup, he was only of limited use for the club and a permanent commitment did not come about. West Bromwich signed more players in the course of the season who were in competition with Potter, and at the end of the season his contract was not extended after 47 competitive appearances in three and a half years.

Potter found a new employer in July 2000 with the fourth division club York City . There he initially had difficulty adapting to the rustic style of play, but after a break from injury he established himself in the team and not only impressed as an attacking full-back, but also in the execution of free kicks and corner kicks. In February 2001 York was after a 3-0 home defeat to Exeter City on the bottom of the table, with only two defeats in the remaining 16 league games, the crash in non-league football could be averted. Potter secured relegation at Torquay United on the third last matchday with a corner that was converted directly into stoppage time to a 2-2 draw. Potter was also in the following two seasons regulars at York City and was occasionally also a goalscorer; so he met among other things in the FA Cup 2001/02 against the higher-class clubs Colchester United and Reading FC , when the fourth main round was reached for the first time since 1986, in which the first division FC Fulham (final score 0: 2) proved to be too strong.

In the summer of 2003, Potter joined league rivals Boston United , having previously rejected an offer to extend York City's contract. At Boston he was called up on the left side in both midfield and defense, but he could not conquer a regular place. After he had already been released for transfer in November 2003, he was awarded a month later to the fifth division club Shrewsbury Town , a permanent commitment failed for financial reasons.

Potter finally found a new club within the league in February 2004 with Macclesfield Town . Macclesfield was on the relegation ranks for a long time, only under Brian Horton succeeded with four wins in the last seven days of relegation. In the 2004/05 season Potter was still a regular player, often in his favored position as an attacking full-back, and was with six league goals third-best goalscorer of his team. In contrast to the previous season, they played for promotion and qualified as fifth in the table for the play-offs. Potter missed the last few weeks of the season due to an Achilles tendon injury and was therefore not involved in the narrow end in the semifinals against Lincoln City . Despite these achievements, he received no new contract offer at the end of the season from coach Horton and then ended his active career.

Coaching career

University football

Following his playing career, Potter graduated from the Open University with a degree in social sciences , which he had already begun while playing and supported by the Professional Footballers' Association , and became Football Development Manager at the University of Hull . In 2007 he traveled to the World Cup in China with the Ghanaian women's national team as Technical Director . Potter himself called his job title "a little embarrassing", mainly he stood by the coaching team in an advisory capacity and participated in training units. He published his impressions during his six-week stay with the national team in the form of a diary on the BBC. The contact came about when the Ghanaian team was preparing for the final round at the invitation of Hull University.

For the 2008/09 season he was appointed assistant coach of the English university national team. In mid-2008 he also moved to Leeds Metropolitan University , where he was employed as a football coaching manager and also completed a master's degree in “Leadership and Emotional Intelligence ”. Potter himself later described his coaching years at the two universities as an opportunity "to learn, develop and make mistakes in a fairly safe environment."

Östersunds FK

Through his former teammate Graeme Jones , he came into contact with Daniel Kindberg around 2009 , at that time sports director of the Swedish club Östersunds FK . After the club was relegated to the fourth Swedish league at the end of 2010 , Kindberg, now club president, brought Potter to the club as head coach. Potter succeeded with the club in 2011 the direct rise and 2012 the march through to the Superettan . After three years in the second division, the team rose to the Allsvenskan for the first time in 2015 as second in the championship . The first season in the top Swedish division ended Östersunds in 8th place in the table and was never on a relegation place during the entire season. Potter sparked a certain enthusiasm for football with the success of his team in the 50,000-inhabitant city, which is traditionally more inclined to winter sports, the average number of spectators rose from 600 when he started to work to over 5,000. Comparisons with Roy Hodgson are regularly drawn, especially in the English press, who also started his coaching career in Sweden, won several championships and cup victories and, together with Bob Houghton, also tactically revolutionized Swedish football.

In the 2016/17 Swedish Cup competition , Potter led his team to the first national title in the club's history with a 4-1 final win over IFK Norrköping . In addition, the club qualified for a European cup competition for the first time. There the team eliminated Turkish record champions Galatasaray Istanbul , CS Fola Esch and PAOK Saloniki in the qualifying rounds for the 2017/18 UEFA Europa League and surprisingly qualified for the group stage of the competition. The team also started successfully in this with victories over Sorja Luhansk and Hertha BSC and finally qualified for the knockout phase of the competition as runner-up behind Athletic Bilbao . There the team failed after a 3-0 home defeat and a 2-1 away win at the English representative FC Arsenal .

When selecting players, Potter follows a clear plan to play “attractive, offensive possession-oriented football”, which he himself explained on the club's website in 2012: “Players must have the necessary technical quality and have character, attitude and the desire to play for OFK [Note: Östersunds FK] to play ”. There were numerous commitments by players with atypical biographies: team captain Brwa Nouri played in the third division after being expelled from AIK, England's Curtis Edwards was brought out of the Swedish fifth division, and Jamie Hopcutt was signed by an English ninth division club .

Away from the football field, Potter and President Kindberg tread rather unusual paths for a football club. The Östersunds FK Kulturakademie was founded in 2012 , since then a cultural project has been professionally prepared and carried out every year, the players are contractually obliged to participate. In the first few years a play, a book project and an art exhibition were realized. After the first division promotion in 2015, the players and the coaching team performed an interpretation of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake in front of 428 spectators in the sold-out city theater , and a year later a music revue was celebrated in the exhibition hall in front of 1,800 fans .

Potter himself describes the measures as an attempt to "improve the person, not just the player" by the players "stepping out of their comfort zone, testing their limits and thereby becoming more self-confident and moving together as a community". Kindberg clearly defined the aim of the campaigns: "To win more football matches".

Swansea City

In June 2018, Potter was introduced as the new coach of Premier League relegated Swansea City . Swansea paid Östersunds a transfer fee for the move, while assistant coach Billy Reid and player analyst Kyle Macaulay also came to the Wales-based club from his coaching staff in Sweden .

For the 2019/20 season he was head coach in the Premier League at Brighton & Hove Albion .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Jack Rollin (Ed.): Rothmans Football Yearbook 1993-94 . Queen Anne Press, London 1993, ISBN 0-7472-7895-4 , pp. 898 .
2. ↑ barryhugmansfootballers.com: Profile Graham Potter , accessed June 25, 2020
3. ^ ^{A b} Gary Chalk, Duncan Holley, David Bull: All the Saints: A Complete Players' Who's Who of Southampton FC . Hagiology Publishing, Southampton 2013, ISBN 978-0-9926864-0-6 , pp. 79 .
4. ↑ ^{a b} Tony Matthews: The Blues Who's Who . Britesport Publishing, Cradley Heath 2003, ISBN 1-904103-02-2 , pp. 159 .
5. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The 1995-96 Official PFA Footballers' Factfile . Stanley Paul, London 1995, ISBN 0-09-180854-5 , pp. 170 .
6. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The 1996-97 Official PFA Footballers' Factfile . Queen Anne Press, Harpenden 1996, ISBN 1-85291-571-4 , pp. 196 .
7. ↑ ^{a b} Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The 1997-98 Official PFA Footballers' Factfile . Queen Anne Press, Harpenden 1997, ISBN 1-85291-581-1 , pp. 218 .
8. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The 1998-99 Official PFA Footballers' Factfile . Queen Anne Press, Harpenden 1998, ISBN 1-85291-588-9 , pp. 241 .
9. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The 1999-2000 Official PFA Footballers' Factfile . Queen Anne Press, Harpenden 1999, ISBN 1-85291-607-9 , pp. 241 .
10. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The 2000-2001 Official PFA Footballers' Factfile . Queen Anne Press, Harpenden 2000, ISBN 1-85291-626-5 , pp. 238 .
11. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The 2001-2002 Official PFA Footballers' Factfile . Exxus Ltd, London 2001, ISBN 0-946531-34-X , pp. 245 .
12. ^ David Batters: York City - The Complete Record . Breedon Books, Derby 2008, ISBN 978-1-85983-633-0 , pp. 95 f .
13. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2002/2003 . Queen Anne Press, Harpenden 2002, ISBN 1-85291-648-6 , pp. 331 .
14. ↑ bbc.co.uk: Boston sign Potter (July 8, 2003) , accessed September 30, 2017
15. ↑ bbc.co.uk: Smith agrees York contract (July 8, 2003) , accessed September 30, 2017
16. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2004/2005 . Queen Anne Press, Harpenden 2004, ISBN 1-85291-660-5 , pp. 327 .
17. ↑ bufc.drfox.org.uk: Transfer, Tickets (Nov. 12, 2003) , accessed October 1, 2017
18. ↑ thefootballnetwork.net: Silkmen Sign Potter (Feb. 13, 2004) , accessed on October 1, 2017
19. ↑ manchestereveningnews.co.uk: Potter still in demand (Dec. 12, 2004) , October 1, 2017
20. ↑ Barry J. Hugman (Ed.): The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2005/2006 . Queen Anne Press, Harpenden 2005, ISBN 1-85291-662-1 , pp. 328 .
21. ↑ bbc.co.uk: Nine released by Macc boss Horton (May 26, 2005) , accessed September 30, 2017
22. ↑ silkmenarchives.org.uk: Player Profiles - PQ , accessed September 30, 2017
23. ↑ givemefootball.com: Careers After Football: Graham Potter used 'the old gray matter' to get his degree - thanks to the PFA! (Jan. 18, 2006)
24. ↑ bbc.co.uk: Diary of a World Cup coach (Sep. 20, 2007) , accessed October 1, 2017
25. ↑ hull.ac.uk: Hull football star scores national coaching role (Apr. 14, 2008)
26. ↑ ^{a b} independent.co.uk: Graham Potter: The last English coach in Europe making a name for himself with Swedish side Ostersunds (27 Sep 2017) , accessed October 1, 2017
27. ↑ ^{a b c} espn.co.uk: Ostersunds FK, the tiny Swedish team that believe they can rule Europe (Sep 14, 2017) , accessed October 1, 2017
28. ↑ ^{a b} telegraph.co.uk: Ostersunds manager Graham Potter looking to emulate England coach Roy Hodgson in Swedish football (Jan. 12, 2014) , accessed October 1, 2017
29. ↑ ostersundsfk.se: Graham: "Whoever came to the club had to have a real desire for ÖFK" (Sep. 2012) ( Memento of the original from September 29, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed October 1, 2017 
30. ↑ ^{a b c d} 11 Friends : Big Stage - Östersunds FK and its unique cultural program (Nov. 9, 2016) . Retrieved October 1, 2017.
31. ↑ ^{a b} nguyenjohansson.com: Cultural integrity , published in When Saturday Comes , Issue 351, May 2016
32. ↑ dailymail.co.uk: Forget Liverpool… Ostersunds are the real 'Culture Club' as manager Graham Potter celebrates title by making his players perform a modern dance set to Swan Lake (Jan. 18, 2016) , accessed October 1, 2017
33. ↑ bbc.com: Graham Potter named new Swansea City manager (June 11, 2018) , accessed June 15, 2018
34. ↑ theguardian.com: Swansea's Graham Potter: 'Pep's been influenced by Cruyff. I had Brian Horton '(March 15, 2019) , accessed May 20, 2019
35. ↑ theguardian.com: Graham Potter to leave Swansea for Brighton manager's job (May 18, 2019) , accessed May 20, 2019