What went wrong with Graham Potter — was it the players, the tactics, or just the wrong club at the wrong time?
Was Graham Potter Just the Wrong Man for West Ham?
Paul Brand (PB): A little bit of everything I suspect. Potter’s best work seems to have been done at clubs with relatively low expectations, where he had time to develop a culture without constant distractions and ego-free players all buy into it. And that’s not West Ham.
Meirion Williams (MW): Part of me feels sorry for Potter but then again, he will walk away with a substantial sum for what was pretty much an abject failure. I do feel that it was the wrong club for him. I don’t believe even he could imagine the clear input from certain board members into the running of the club.
David Meagher (DM): I really thought his appointment would be a success. He made me think of John Lyall / Ron Greenwood – calm and astute. However, the squad was simply not suited to his style of play and a toxic doom descended. We are a club in flux – or turmoil if you prefer. I think he was unlucky with the timing but after two failures, I suspect his attractiveness for future clubs is pretty low.
West Ham Rambles (WHR): A few things appear to be coming out now, about issues in the squad, lack of leaders etc. That said, it just didn’t work for him, and he didn’t change tactics or personnel when he should have done. I was really disappointed with Potter. He needed this to work as much as we did, and he got it massively wrong.
Did Potter Ever Feel Like a West Ham Manager?
PB: I like Potter’s old-fashioned decency so I wanted it to work, as I do with every manager, but there was never a spark or connection with fans. Which makes me sound worryingly like a lovelorn woman seeking the right man, so sorry about that.
MW: He didn’t feel like a West Ham manager to me. It never felt like the right fit at a club aspiring to be back in European places. Potter’s appointment seemed very much uninspiring. It felt like only a matter of time before it all came to a crushing end, which of course it did.
DM: I disagree with Meirion. I thought we might get back to playing more attractive and expansive footy but we just couldn’t sort out a leaky defence and midfield that lacked bite. It’s hard to get a decent flow if you are constantly chasing games and fearful of set pieces.
WHR: I liked how he would show emotions, and it seemed to matter, but not sure he quite ‘got us’ – the comments where he wished Tottenham good luck in their European game show that.
Is Nuno Here to Build or Just Keep the Ship Afloat?
PB: There’s never a masterplan but similarities between Nuno and Moyes have already been noted so hopefully he’ll lift us beyond mediocrity, but then we’ll probably be back to square one with regards to playing style.
MW: It was a shock move to me for Forest to get rid of Nuno and I do feel that he’s probably the best out there currently who’s not assigned to a club. Nuno‘s tenancy all depends on what happens not just on the field but in the boardroom. If a board change happens then they may want to bring in their own man. There’s no way Sullivan will want to pay out for another manager again in such a short period.
DM: I am unsure how well this will work out. Nuno likes to do things his own way and may struggle to work effectively with our interfering board. He has great Premier League experience so with support, he can get us back into top half status but this is West Ham.
WHR: We will lurch from one disaster to the next with Sullivan and Brady in charge. Nuno has a history of falling out with owners, so what could possibly go wrong? I think it will go well initially, then he will not be backed in January, and the wheels will fall off.
Excited About Nuno, or Just Relieved Potter’s Gone?
PB: Change is often exciting just because of the promise of something better, and that’s about all the excitement I can muster at the moment.
MW: Definitely relief. There was only one way we were heading this season and that was into the Championship. The club is badly damaged at the moment… Potter was a lost cause, Nuno can do no worse, he can only improve things.
DM: I think it’ll be fun and even during our first two performances, we looked hungrier. The joy had gone out of Potter’s reign. Nuno offers something more exotic and he’s a very likeable guy. I’m already booking flights for games ahead, which is a good sign.
WHR: I am looking forward to seeing how Nuno does, but also slightly concerned about his style of football. That said, Forest was a decent watch last year, so if he can replicate that, there will be no objections. I also like his personality – we need a strong hand in charge of that squad.
Is Sullivan Still Making Decisions for the Club’s Good?
PB: The two things go hand in hand in that the better place the club is in, the more it will be valued at. He’s in his dotage so surely it can’t be much longer before Sullivan retires… That’s the change everyone’s waiting for.
MW: Sullivan and she who cannot be named are still pulling the strings. Nuno‘s appointment is Sullivan trying to turn the tide with events on the field. A competitive team will result in a greater figure for his shares. I do not believe it has been done for the good of the team, more the good of his bank balance.
DM: I have always felt that Sullivan have had a hard time from fans… I think he really does care about the club but has a shrewd business sense that prevents him from splashing cash in what is a ludicrously inflated market… That said, I’ll be relieved when we transition to new ownership.
WHR: Sullivan does things for Sullivan – he is stubborn and continues to make poor decisions. We can all only pray he sells, eventually.
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