Leicester City begin their search for a new head coach. There are plenty of options, but here is why newly single Graham Potter would be the right choice.
Breakups are never easy. Being together for four years, though great highs and devastating lows creates a certain kind of connection: especially when your other half snubs better projects to stick by you. The King Power club is the longest Brendan Rodgers has ever stayed at a club, and it could have gone on longer had results turned for the better.
Now though, the Foxes are hunting for a new face to liven the dressing room, have faith in the players, and bring back exciting progressive football to the King Power. At the same time however, we cannot throw ourselves headfirst into a completely different brand of football: possession is important. My pick is Graham Potter.
Leicester City must get Potter
Graham Potter was relieved of his duties at Chelsea in what is not particularly a shock. Like the Foxes, Chelsea was far lower in the league than the strength of their squad would have suggested, and so the time came for a change of face.
I have several reasons why the English coach would be the right pick for Leicester. Firstly, Potter is known for a patient possession-based system which aims to create a number of key chances on the opposition goal while equally preventing major turnovers. This was the style of prime ‘RodgersBall’ so a bit of stylistic continuity should provide stability and maintain a similar long term vision for the club.
Additionally, we know that Potter does something that Rodgers did not: micro instructional changes. Within matches, the Northern Irish coach was known for not making many changes to personnel or specific instructions aside from at half time. Potter does not wait: if a change is needed without substitution, the Englishman will make an instructional change to either positively impact the game or to disrupt opposition space exploitation.
Beyond this, Potter took too large an expectation at a fairly young age despite working well with the brilliant Brighton & Hove Albion recruitment team and their overall squad. Leicester are in a similar situation to where Brighton have previously been: a good head of recruitment, a decent senior squad, strong academy. The Foxes merely need a consistent vision and continued refreshment to improve: that experience would be greatly appreciated at the King Power.
Finally, I would argue that at his age, the managerial candidate offers a medium to long-term option that can be built around, similar to how we had conducted some activity around Rodgers. With a major shakeup coming in the summer, having a fresh yet consistent face could help us progress massively.
I do not feel Leicester City will end up getting Graham Potter. It is more likely that we bring in either Rafa Benitez or Ralph Hasenhuttl on till the end of the season, then being reevaluated ready for the next campaign. To be fair, before either of them had their own downfalls, either of those coaches would have been great options as well.
There is of course those who would like us to splash the cash and get Mauricio Pochettino, and back in the day there were those calling for Frank Lampard. Now, I do not think Lampard would be great, but ‘Poch’ would be an extremely strong shout if the Foxes can offer him a wage he would be happy with.
Who do you think Leicester should sign to replace Rodgers? We have a list of possible suitors here. Let us know your thoughts on the Foxes of Leicester Twitter or Facebook pages. Whoever we get, it is going to be quite the nervous ride early on.