Potsdan Conference

MANCHESTER UNITED’S incoming sporting director Dan Ashworth has met with Graham Potter as pressure grows on Erik ten Hag.

Ex-Chelsea boss Potter is the favourite of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his assistant Sir David Brailsford to become Old Trafford boss if the new Red Devils part-owner fires Ten Hag.

Ashworth and Potter worked closely at Brighton and it is understood the pair got together last weekend.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/26302...otter-ten-hag/

Could change my stance on Erik very quickly if INEOS think that Potter is the right appointment. Come on there is better options out there and hope Ashworth is keeping an open mind on this.

I want to keep an open mind on this, but whatever his skills as a coach, I doubt Potter has the personality to manage a club of this size.

Originally Posted by TreeFiddy

I want to keep an open mind on this, but whatever his skills as a coach, I doubt Potter has the personality to manage a club of this size.

My thoughts exactly. Willing to give anyone a chance, but my expectations wouldn't be sky high if Potter comes in.

Originally Posted by TreeFiddy

I want to keep an open mind on this, but whatever his skills as a coach, I doubt Potter has the personality to manage a club of this size.

Bit too similar to Ten Hag then?

Originally Posted by TreeFiddy

I want to keep an open mind on this, but whatever his skills as a coach, I doubt Potter has the personality to manage a club of this size.

I don’t think Jim’s looking for a personality. Quite the opposite. We are entering the era of a technician following orders from above:

“We’ll decide, that team of people, it’ll be us, plus the CEO, sporting director, probably the recruitment guys what that style of football is and that will be the Manchester United style of football. And the coach will have to play that style of football. We’re not going to oscillate from Mourinho style to Guardiola style. That’s not the way we will run the club. We'll decide what the style of football is and then we'll want coaches who can play that type football. Otherwise you’re changing everything all the time, you change your coach, you’ve got the wrong squad, the wrong trainer, we won’t do that. In modern football you need to decide what’s your path and you stuck to your path and build your organisation.”

It’s clear that Ineos want a mouthpiece whose sole focus will be coaching the team that is selected for him. I actually think Ole would be more preferential than Porter, it would be a perfect scenario for him,

Originally Posted by avocado

I don’t think Jim’s looking for a personality. Quite the opposite. We are entering the era of a technician following orders from above

I know. And I’m fine with having a solid structure in place above the first team coach - that’s absolutely necessary and been neglected at United for too long.

But I’m struggling to think of examples of a manager who lacks that presence/personality (call it what you like) delivering success at any of the biggest clubs.

Originally Posted by TreeFiddy

I know. And I’m fine with having a solid structure in place above the first team coach - that’s absolutely necessary and been neglected at United for too long.

But I’m struggling to think of examples of a manager who lacks that presence/personality (call it what you like) delivering success at any of the biggest clubs.

It’s a very vague thing to say though. People who win things get “presence” anyway as a result of their success.

Sean Dyche arguably has presence. I don’t think he’d do too well at Real Madrid.

Pep has the personality of Rain Man. Klopp has the personality of a divorced dad double dropping in Ibiza.

Wenger had all the personality and presence of a wet newspaper. Ferguson naturally had both by the bucketload.

I can’t stand Southgate, but he’s done better than previous England managers who had personality and presence.

I think it’s pretty much irrelevant tbh.

Originally Posted by Ethers

It’s a very vague thing to say though. People who win things get “presence” anyway as a result of their success.

Sean Dyche arguably has presence. I don’t think he’d do too well at Real Madrid.

Pep has the personality of Rain Man. Klopp has the personality of a divorced dad double dropping in Ibiza.

Wenger had all the personality and presence of a wet newspaper. Ferguson naturally had both by the bucketload.

I can’t stand Southgate, but he’s done better than previous England managers who had personality and presence.

I think it’s pretty much irrelevant tbh.

all of this.

off topic slightly, but Southgate has done a great job.

We will be appointing a first team coach and not a manager. In this way potter stands a chance (as ETH would if he came in now but he’s been tainted by the past 12 months of a lack of leadership and direction as a whole)

Originally Posted by elhombre

all of this.

off topic slightly, but Southgate has done a great job.

A great job would have resulted in a trophy given the gift of the draws he's had.

Originally Posted by Coracao

A great job would have resulted in a trophy given the gift of the draws he's had.

that's a bit disingenuous

Originally Posted by elhombre

that's a bit disingenuous

It really isn't.

Southgate has done a bad job imo. Obvs don’t pay too much attention but hasn’t he got one of the best England squads of all time? Under performed if anything.

Anyway, the thought of Potter sends me cold.

Originally Posted by Ethers

It’s a very vague thing to say though. People who win things get “presence” anyway as a result of their success.

Sean Dyche arguably has presence. I don’t think he’d do too well at Real Madrid.

Pep has the personality of Rain Man. Klopp has the personality of a divorced dad double dropping in Ibiza.

Wenger had all the personality and presence of a wet newspaper. Ferguson naturally had both by the bucketload.

I can’t stand Southgate, but he’s done better than previous England managers who had personality and presence.

I think it’s pretty much irrelevant tbh.

Those are fair points, particularly the first one but I suppose that’s a bit chicken and egg.

When I say personality, I’m not talking about being good company over a few pints. There is a winning mentality, a confidence in their own approach that consistently delivers success for people like Guardiola and Klopp, that seems to be missing in someone like Southgate.

I don’t know much about Potter tbh. Never paid close attention to him. I’ll keep an open mind as I said, but he does feel a bit ‘small-time’. Vague, but I’m also sure you know exactly what I mean.

Also, the fact that Brighton look just as good if not better since Potter and Ashworth left the club, makes me wonder just how special they are. If we’re going for Potter then why not De Zerbi?

Originally Posted by Ethers

I can’t stand Southgate, but he’s done better than previous England managers who had personality and presence.

the what the who?

you can essentially only compare him to el tel and robson, both of whom were unlucky not to win trophies, as opposed to undermining their own success through caution.

Originally Posted by TreeFiddy

Those are fair points, particularly the first one but I suppose that’s a bit chicken and egg.

When I say personality, I’m not talking about being good company over a few pints. There is a winning mentality, a confidence in their own approach that consistently delivers success for people like Guardiola and Klopp, that seems to be missing in someone like Southgate.

I don’t know much about Potter tbh. Never paid close attention to him. I’ll keep an open mind as I said, but he does feel a bit ‘small-time’. Vague, but I’m also sure you know exactly what I mean.

Also, the fact that Brighton look just as good if not better since Potter and Ashworth left the club, makes me wonder just how special they are. If we’re going for Potter then why not De Zerbi?

I know what you mean - we need someone that can command the respect of the players we have and I’m not sure Potter would do that or De Zerbi. Players like Rashford and Bruno are not going to play for every manager that comes - that’s pretty self evident imo. Prefer to get rid of players that are content to stink the place out if they don’t like the manager but let’s see if that happens.

Managing United is a tough gig and you need to be a fairly imposing character to do it.

Potter or Southgate as realistic options?

What’s going on here?

Mass hysteria?


Could imagine both as over eager salesmen in Currys, really not cut out to be manager of Manchester United

Originally Posted by jem

the what the who?

you can essentially only compare him to el tel and robson, both of whom were unlucky not to win trophies, as opposed to undermining their own success through caution.

Allardyce. Capello. Sven (RIP)…… Hodgson.