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Bruno Saltor admits ‘frustration’ over the sacking of Graham Potter.
Bruno Saltor, the interim manager of Chelsea, has expressed “frustration” over Graham Potter’s departure after just six months of a six-year contract, suggesting that the former manager should have been given more time to complete the long-term project that has just begun.
The 2-0 loss to Aston Villa at home over the weekend, which sent Chelsea into the bottom half of the Premier League standings, served as Potter’s resignation’s final straw.
Even though they were making progress in the Champions League, Chelsea had only won seven of their 22 Premier League games under Potter’s leadership since early September after being held at home by relegation-threatened Everton in their final matchup before the March international break.
But being new to the club and dealing with 14 new players who were all playing at Stamford Bridge for the first time made it difficult enough to merely understand the game.
“Obviously there is a frustration because processes take time,” Bruno said ahead of Tuesday night’s huge Premier League clash against a similarly underachieving Liverpool.
“We all know the situation here. But it is what it is and we need to focus on Liverpool. Thinking about the past is not going to help me now. I don’t know exactly what the promises to Graham were. It is a sad day…it’s been a difficult 24 hours for all of us, the staff, the families.”
In an effort to “attempt to keep the process continuing,” Chelsea kept assistant Bjorn Hamberg from the former coaching staff and Bruno, who spent seven years becoming into a cult icon at Brighton before joining Potter in west London.
“I think Graham did an amazing job. [The players] know the level of human being that Graham is. They will take responsibility as they have done since day one. I just expect them to be next to us and supportive. Chelsea are trying to do a long project, as everyone knows. Graham was part of it and we were part of it. I don’t think the position of the club has changed.”