Graham Potter 'proud and excited' to be appointed new Chelsea manager

Chelsea have announced the appointment of Graham Potter as their new manager on a five-year contract.

Potter, who joins the Blues less than 48 hours after the sacking of manager Thomas Tuchel, guided Brighton to their highest finish of ninth in the Premier League last season.

Potter said: “I am incredibly proud and excited to represent Chelsea FC, this fantastic football club.

“I am very excited to partner with Chelsea’s new ownership group and look forward to meeting and working with the exciting group of players and to develop a team and culture that our amazing fans can be proud of.

“I would also like to place my sincere thanks to Brighton & Hove Albion for allowing me this opportunity.”

New Chelsea owner Todd Boehly believes Potter fits his vision for the future at Stamford Bridge.

“We are thrilled to bring Graham to Chelsea. He is a proven coach and an innovator in the Premier League who fits our vision for the club,” Boehly said.

“Not only is he extremely talented on the pitch, he has skills and capabilities that extend beyond the pitch which will make Chelsea a more successful club.

“He has had a major impact at his previous clubs and we look forward to his positive impact at Chelsea. We look forward to supporting him, his coaching team and the squad in realising their full potential in the coming months and years.”

The Seagulls sit fourth in the Premier League having won four and drawn one of their first six matches, despite the big-money sales of Yves Bissouma and Marc Cucurella over the summer.

Chairman Tony Bloom said: “I am very disappointed that Graham will be leaving us. He has done exceptionally well over the past three-and-a-bit seasons, he is an exceptional head coach and an exceptional person. He will be hugely missed at our football club.

“He leaves an excellent legacy for his successor with the club in its highest ever position, and on the back of leading us to our highest finish in the club’s history last season.”

Dinamo Zagreb v Chelsea - player ratings

Brighton Under-21s coach Andrew Crofts will lead the first team as interim head coach.

Potter’s first game in charge of Chelsea will be Saturday’s Premier League trip to Fulham.

Chelsea are understood to have made initial contact with Mauricio Pochettino and Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim, as well as considering Zinedine Zidane and even Leicester’s Brendan Rodgers.

Tuchel was sacked by Chelsea on Wednesday morning, amid mounting discord with the new board and growing issues with the players.

Former Paris St Germain coach Tuchel led Chelsea to the 2021 Champions League title, then the 2022 Club World Cup crown.

But the German paid the price for disharmony with the Blues’ new owners, who were left feeling unable to see Tuchel at the centre of their revamp.

Potter is understood to have asked for assurances about the new Chelsea owners’ plans to fashion a set-up for managers to make long-term plans that they then actually also carry out.

The former Swansea boss was impressed with what he heard in face-to-face meetings, paving the way for the deal to be wrapped up quickly.

Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush

Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”

A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.

“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”

Graham Potter 'proud and excited' to be appointed new Chelsea manager

Former Brighton manager announced as replacement for sacked Thomas Tuchel

Dinamo Zagreb v Chelsea - player ratings

Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush