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Football London
Football London
Sport
Kieran Horn

Graham Potter sends defiant message to Chelsea sack claims ahead of major Tottenham clash

Graham Potter believes he deserves to be Chelsea manager after calls for him to be dismissed increased following a damaging defeat to Southampton. Since his appointment in September, Potter has endured a mix run of results with the Blues winning just once this year after the former Brighton boss went on a nine-game unbeaten streak after his arrival.

Following a £323million spend in the January transfer window, Chelsea have won just once in 2023 with a defeat to Saints following a Champions League loss against Borussia Dortmund and two London derby draws against West Ham and Fulham.

Despite a poor run of form, which saw claims for Potter be sacked heighten, Todd Boehly and co. look to be backing their man that they identified to lead a major club overhaul.

READ MORE: Graham Potter handed Chelsea sacking warning amid Todd Boehly meeting and Tottenham clash

"Yes, I've spoken to them and it's the same as it's always been," Potter told the media when asked if he has spoken to the Chelsea board. "There has always been support. I've been under pressure here for four months from you guys. Have you spoken to the owners? Do you have their support?

"That continues and they've been great, brilliant. They also see where we're at but at the same time are frustrated because the results are what they are and we have to do better."

Facing an uphill task alongside claims he is not cut out for the job, Potter has sent another defiant response insisting that he will continue to use similar methods that have worked for him in previous roles.

"I've been doing this for 12 years, he told Sky Sports via Football Daily. "I've had the same approach which is I have to support the club, take responsibility, articulating what I think is happening and be honest with that. It's served me well so far.

"It would be silly if I was just doing the same thing I was doing at Ostersunds that I'm doing now. I've gone from Ostersunds to Swansea to Brighton to Chelsea. The principles I think are still the same you just have to apply them to the bigger context which is Chelsea.

"I still think you can be yourself. I still think you can be respectful to the media and act how you want to act. At the end of the day we're playing football that no one can control and that's why we love it so much and results can go a way we don't like."

Potter did discuss the possibility of him being removed from his position at Stamford Bridge, but he was quick to point his methods as a manager that place him a position where he deserves to be.

He said: "If the worse case scenario happens, I have to make sure I've acted well and in a way that I'm proud of that is reflected of me as a person.

"I don't look down anybody else if they act different or think I'm better than anybody else but I just want to make sure that I'm me. I've got a right to feel proud of that. I deserve to be here, I've earnt the right to be here and I'm capable enough to be here."

READ NEXT:

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