Football management might not be like any other profession, but the old saying still rings true: the cream rises to the top.
In an industry growing more obsessed with star power and brand identity while fetishising over celebrity status, Graham Potter's appointment as the new manager of Chelsea Football Club signals that all hope in the beautiful game isn't lost. The 46-year-old has emerged as one of England, if not the world's, most exciting coaches after a decade under the radar.
He's now a household name after saying goodbye to Brighton & Hove Albion this week, handed the top job at the most expensive club in football history. While the glitz and glamour of west London will quickly render him a big name in the business, Potter's humble roots are relatable for anyone involved in the sport, from grassroots to the elite level.
Although he didn't have as prestigious a playing career in comparison to some of his fellow Premier League gaffers, the Solihull-born left-back still made 320 appearances for the likes of Birmingham City, West Bromwich Albion, Southampton and most prominently, York City.
Potter, who also earned one cap for England's under-21s in a 1996 European Championship qualifier, hung up his boots at Macclesfield Town in the summer of 2005 when he was only 30 - and still fit. "I just felt that I was coming to the end," he admitted in an interview with the Athletic.
"The enthusiasm, the enjoyment, wasn't what it was. I was released from Macclesfield — I could probably have signed for other clubs and there were other options — made my way around the lower leagues but I always felt I would be waiting for the game to kick me out then.
"So I decided to take the proactive step, work out what I was going to do for the rest of my life, the rest of my career. I didn't want to be one of those guys that would get a manager the sack because I wasn’t able to be professional enough or give my best. Lots of people were saying, 'Stay in the game, play as long as you can' but it was the right thing for me to do. A tough moment, though."
Having already begun his coaching badges and completed a degree in social science through the Open University, Potter took charge of the football team at Leeds Metropolitan University - Leeds Carnegie - while studying for a Master's degree in leadership and personal and professional development.
But his Uni coaching career wasn't solely restricted to the Northern Counties East League, as during his previous role at the University of Hull, he was made Ghana's technical director for the 2007 Women's World Cup in China. Then came a job in Sweden, where Potter would truly make his name.
Recommended to Ostersunds FK chairman Daniel Kindberg by an ex-Boston teammate - current Newcastle coach Graeme Jones - in December 2010, Potter headed to Scandinavia with his family. His son, Charlie, was only 11 months old and the Potter clan faced a host of challenges settling into icy territory.
"It was the fourth tier in Swedish football, so it wasn’t so much higher than the ninth tier in the UK," he explained. "It wasn't about that for me. I met this chairman and philosophically, we connected on a good level. I liked his idea of what he wanted to do, spoke around doing something different and wanting to create an environment, play a certain type of football."
Rarely enjoying the sunshine he'd eventually get on the sunny south coast of Brighton, Potter's team had to train indoors during the winter due to the freezing temperatures. But it'd all be worth it for Ostersunds, who enjoyed record success under his command.
Potter's seven-and-a-half-year reign saw the club promoted three times and win the Swedish Cup, booking them a place in the 2017-18 Europa League qualifiers. Turning over Galatasaray, Hertha Berlin and PAOK Salonika before winning a group which contained Athletic Bilbao, their 14-match run ended with a defeat to Arsenal - but it wasn't all bad.
While a 2-1 victory in the second leg in north London wasn't enough to prevent a 4-2 loss on aggregate, Potter's side stunned the Emirates and the result put his name on the map. Swansea came knocking a few months later and it was an emotional decision to leave the Swedish town behind.
"Stopping playing football at 30 years old was a tough one but leaving Ostersund was even more traumatic," Potter, who happily confessed that he shed a tear amidst his departure, declared. "My eldest was upset, crying, leaving his school. My wife was really happy there.
"When we moved to Sweden, it felt like a bit of a journey and it felt as if we were always going to come back to the UK. But it was our home. We had friends there. It was a special place in terms of our young family. You feel that you might not go back there and that's sad."
Swansea had just been relegated from the Premier League and their squad bloated, as financial trouble dawned on the Liberty Stadium. Bringing back the Welsh side's fluid style of football for which they'd earned plaudits under predecessors Roberto Martinez, Brendan Rodgers and Michael Laudrup, Potter led them to a 10th-place finish and stabilised the club after a fall from their top tier.
Brighton had monitored his work at Ostersunds and pounced after sacking Chris Hughton in 2019, despite leading the Seagulls to safety during their first two seasons in the Premier League. Initial 15th and 16th-place finishes weren't anything to shout about from Potter's point of view, but he was building.
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Last term, his third at the helm, he led Brighton to their highest-ever rank, finishing ninth on 51 points - only seven behind Manchester United. It's not just the dizzy heights to which he took the south-coast club that garnered widespread acclaim for Potter, but his progressive principles and attractive playing style, catching the eye of fans and pundits alike.
A 4-0 triumph over United in May was a peak result and even after losing who many would believe to be their two best players - Yves Bissouma and Marc Cucurella - this summer, Potter leaves Brighton fourth in the table after six matches. Transfermarkt value the Seagulls' squad as the fourth-cheapest in the division which typifies Potter and co's marvellous achievements.
Brighton's ability to adequately replace the likes of Bissouma, Cucurella and Ben White with ease has been lauded in recent months, but now they'll have to do the same in the dugout. And for whoever succeeds Potter, they've got big shoes to fill.
