Graham Potter was heavily linked with Manchester United throughout the summer (Picture: Getty)
Graham Potter remained coy when asked whether he had spoken to Manchester United as he made his return to the limelight this evening, a year-and-a-half on from his sacking at Chelsea.
The 49-year-old was dismissed just seven months into his tenure at Stamford Bridge and has since been out of a job, instead opting to keep a low profile over the last 17 months.
However, Potter’s future has been the subject of intense speculation in recent months, with the former Brighton head coach heavily linked with a string of jobs, including Manchester United and England.
Potter’s name was high up on United’s shortlist of managerial candidates at the start of the summer, before Old Trafford bosses decided to keep faith with an under-pressure Erik ten Hag.
It’s understood Dan Ashworth held talks with Potter over the prospect of managing United before he had even been appointed sporting director, with the pair still close after working together at Brighton.
The topic was raised as Potter joined David Jones and Jamie Carragher in the Sky Sports studio on Monday Night Football for Bournemouth’s clash with Southampton – and Potter decided to keep his cards close to his chest with his response.
Asked whether he had spoken with United, Potter replied: ‘I think what I’ve read so far in the media, a lot of it is untrue and false.
Potter gave his thoughts on the situation at United on Monday Night Football (Picture: Sky Sports)
‘I think I’m the only coach in world football that has been linked with Stoke City and Napoli in the same week!
‘So I take what the media say with a pinch of salt.
‘I’ve had lots of conversations with lots of people and I think for the respects of everybody, it’s best that I keep those private.’
Ten Hag still has the backing of United bosses despite the club’s woeful start (Picture: Getty)
Potter has some sympathy for Ten Hag, though believes the pressure the Dutchman faces is a ‘just the reality of life’ for elite-level managers the English top flight.
Asked whether he felt managing United was the ‘impossible job’, Potter replied: ‘I don’t think anything is impossible but obviously jobs are difficult, that’s just the reality of life in the Premier League.
‘If you’re a big club like Manchester United and you’re not in the top six then there’s always going to be scrutiny.
‘Sometimes you have to look past the results and performances, they’ve missed a lot of chances, maybe they haven’t quite got the points they think they could have got.
‘Sometimes teams go through that. You think can perform your xG but you don’t and then you get a bad day like they did yesterday and all of a sudden the clouds come over pretty quickly and that’s what they have to face.’
Ashworth was appointed as United’s sporting director in early July (Picture: Getty)
Potter is confident United’s new sporting director Ashworth has the perfect …read more
Source:: Metro
