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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
George Flood

‘Ridiculous decision’ - Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly mocked by Jamie Carragher over Graham Potter saga

Chelsea have been savaged by Jamie Carragher over the sorry Graham Potter saga after opting to sack another manager.

Potter exited Stamford Bridge after less than seven months in charge on Sunday night, just over 24 hours after a woeful 2-0 home defeat by Aston Villa.

The 11th loss of a dismal reign left Chelsea sitting 11th in the Premier League and a full 12 points adrift of the top four with only 10 matches left to play this season, five behind the top six.

Bruno Saltor - one of the coaches that followed Potter from Brighton to west London after the latter was hired as Thomas Tuchel’s expensive replacement in September - has been named as the new interim head coach ahead of Tuesday’s high-profile home clash with Liverpool in the top-flight.

The Seagulls legend will be supported by the likes of first-team coach Bjorn Hamberg, though assistant manager Billy Reid has followed Potter in departing and another assistant in Anthony Barry is currently staying away from Chelsea as Bayern Munich attempt to reunite him with Tuchel in Germany.

End of the line: Graham Potter has been sacked by Chelsea after less than seven months (REUTERS)

While the decision to dispense of Potter‘s services has been met with relief by many Chelsea fans that had long since lost faith in his methods, it has also led to stinging criticism of Todd Boehly and the Clearlake ownership regime.

Chelsea have had to pay off both Tuchel and Potter now having paid a considerable sum to lure the latter and his staff from Brighton, having already lavished a record-breaking £600m on new players under two different managers in the first two transfer windows of the new era - with more major surgery expected under their next boss in the summer both to reduce the size of a bloated squad and also to further address remaining problem positions, most notably up front.

Many feel the approach taken on both the manager and transfer fronts is at odds with the initial messages that came from ownership after their takeover was completed last May, that appeared to herald a departure from the ruthless - albeit successful - and big-spending nature of the Roman Abramovich reign.

Liverpool legend and Sky Sports pundit Carragher is one of those to slam that decision-making, criticising Boehly’s approach and the decision to hire Potter in the first place.

“Todd said he would be different to Roman,” Carragher mocked on social media. “I feel for Graham Potter, but it was inevitable.

“You don’t change Tuchel for Potter. Ridiculous decision to start with.”

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