Chelsea head coach Graham Potter has outlined what he wants from his team as he prepares for his first game since being confirmed in his new role.
Potter was announced as Thomas Tuchel’s replacement last Thursday and will take charge of his first ever Champions League game on Wednesday against RB Salzburg.
Ad He says he wants to build a team where players trust and respect being focal points of his squad. Premier League'A special place in my heart' — Tuchel 'devastated' at Chelsea sacking21 HOURS AGO “It's about creating a team that competes, that has respect for each other, that is honest, that works together,” Potter told Chelsea’s official website. “It's a combination of, I would say, football and human values that we try to work with. “I think that you have to understand that they're human beings first, and the key thing is to try understand them, understand what motivates them and understand what they're like as people. «Then, from that, try to come to some common ground, try to build relationships, to try to communicate effectively on a daily basis and build.” Potter reflected on his career so far which included a seven-year coaching spell at Swedish side Ostersunds, before returning to English football.
He says his starting point “would always be the person first” when it comes to interaction with players. “I had a football career that I was very fortunate to have that gave me loads of opportunities, loads of experience and then my education, after retiring, I suppose gave me a chance to put that into some theory, to put some context to the experiences,” added Potter. “Challenges abroad meant that I could widen my thoughts on myself, on life, on football, which was a fantastic experience for me, so all of those.