Danny Murphy details Graham Potter’s “greatest challenge” as the new manager of Chelsea

Danny Murphy believes Graham Potter can win trophies at Stamford Bridge but has revealed the new Chelsea manager’s ‘biggest challenge’ following his move from Brighton.

Highly-rated English boss Potter was unveiled as Chelsea manager on Thursday, shortly after Thomas Tuchel’s eyebrow-raising sacking.

The Blues have only won half of their Premier League matches this season and suffered a 1-0 defeat to Champions League rivals Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday.

Tuchel leaves west London with Chelsea sixth in the Premier League, with Potter now the man responsible for taking the club up the table.

Potter enjoyed a superb spell at Brighton – the Seagulls are currently fourth in the English top-flight – and former England midfielder Murphy believes he can continue to impress at Stamford Bridge.

But Murphy insists it will be a ‘challenge’ for Potter to deal with the ‘egos’ of Chelsea’s ‘star players’ and says he will need to be ‘strong’ as he begins his tenure in the capital.

‘My first reaction to Thomas Tuchel’s sacking at Chelsea was that it was too hasty – he’s an intelligent football manager who conducted himself well, and won the Champions League,’ Murphy told the Daily Mail.

‘But on reflection, if new owner Todd Boehly has a different vision on how he wants the club to be run, best get the change done quickly.

‘Based on Boehly’s time with the Los Angeles Dodgers, stability will be important to him. He’s had the same manager in America for seven years and long-term contracts already given to the likes of Reece James indicates a long-term plan.

‘So Graham Potter knows he has a proper chance and I’m delighted the job has gone to an English manager – one with broad horizons having also worked abroad.

‘No English manager has won a major trophy since Harry Redknapp with Portsmouth in 2008, far too long, but Potter has the coaching ability and squad of players to end that run and bring silverware to Stamford Bridge.

‘Funnily enough, I think transferring the tactical knowledge he showed us at Brighton will be relatively easy, and he has the humility and calmness that will bring some stability to Chelsea.

‘The difficult part will be dealing with the egos of those star players who knock on his door and demand why they’re not in the team.

‘It’ll be his biggest challenge and something he will have to learn quickly. I know from playing at Liverpool compared to clubs like Charlton and Fulham, the status of the players can be so different. The manager needs to communicate and have those strong conversations.

‘Most of the Chelsea lads are internationals with plenty of trophies on their CVs. It’ll be more demanding explaining the situation to them than it would have been with an unhappy player at Ostersunds, Swansea or Brighton.

‘On the training pitch, Potter will be fine — his Brighton team played good football but his teams also showed a variety in their play dependent on the opposition.’

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