Graham Potter has claimed he prefers the ‘day-to-day’ work of club management amid links to the England manager’s job.
The Three Lions have named Lee Carsley as interim boss following Gareth Southgate’s decision to stand down at the end of Euro 2024, with the search ongoing to find a permanent replacement.
Carsley did his chances of getting the job full-time no harm by overseeing 2-0 wins against the Republic of Ireland and Finland during the September round of UEFA Nations League fixtures.
Beyond Carsley, Newcastle United’s Eddie Howe and out-of-work Potter have been tipped to at least take an interview with the FA in regards to the permanent position of England manager.
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Potter admitted he has a preference to return to management in the club game, though didn’t rule out taking an international job in future.
“I like the day-to-day and the building process of club management,” Potter said. “International management is a different rhythm and there are pluses for that. It’s more intense when it’s on, but you’ve got a bit more breathing space in between.
“It’s nothing that I’ve ruled out, but at the same time I do like the day-to-day bit of working with the players and being in at the club and trying to build and make a difference.
“Making a difference to people is why you do this. When you look back at the players you’ve helped in some way. That’s the most rewarding part.”
Potter was sacked by Chelsea in April 2023 only seven months after taking the head coach’s job at Stamford Bridge. He had been brought in after an impressive three-year stint with Brighton & Hove Albion.
After parting company with Roberto De Zerbi this summer, Potter was linked with a return to Brighton, but he explained why that wasn’t an option for him at this time.
“My thoughts were always that it wasn’t the right thing to go back,” Potter added. “It wasn’t the right time for that.
“Who knows in the future because I’ve got a lot of friends there and I’ve got a lot of time for Tony [Bloom] and Paul [Barber], and there are great people.
“But in my head the next step is to do something else. It might not be as good as that opportunity because I know how good a football club it is, but at the same time I think I need to go on a different path.
“That was my thoughts, irrespective of whether they wanted to speak to me or not.”
