Celtic are on their way to achieving a treble as Neil Lennon hasn’t put a step wrong since he took over the reins in February. The interim manager is said to be the favourite to take over the top job at Parkhead, but Swansea City manager Graham Potter has emerged (The Scottish Sun) as a new contender to take over the mantle in the summer.
Graham Potter is being considered as an outsider for the job, but he is said to have an agent who can influence Celtic’s decision makers. The English manager is known for his work done with Swedish outfit Ostersunds. When he took over at the club, Ostersunds were playing in the fourth tier of the Swedish league.
The rise of Potter
He guided them towards successive promotion and brought them to the Swedish top flight by 2015. This was the first time that Ostersunds were playing at such a level as they had never secured promotion to the Swedish top flight. In his first season in the top flight, Ostersunds finished 8th, and they were applauded for their impressive passing game.
By 2017, Potter guided his side through the Europa League qualifiers to enter the main draw. Shockingly, they even cleared the main group stage to enter the round of 32. His side’s highlight came when they defeated English heavyweights Arsenal 2-1. However, the fairytale run ended as they lost 4-2 on aggregate.
All in all, Potter guided them from the Swedish fourth tier to the round of 32 in the Europa league in 7 years, and that put him on the map as one of the best emerging young managers.
Why Potter can be a better option than Lennon?
Potter is someone who can reinvent this Celtic side with his new ideas. The home supporters would also like his brand of football. With Ostersunds, he was used to competing as an underdog in the big competitions. Celtic might be doing well domestically, but they have failed to go on an impressive run in Europe for quite a few years now. Potter has shown before what he can do with a Swedish fourth tier outfit with a limited budget.
The manager was able to bring the best out of his players, and his refreshing ideas set him apart. His first season at Swansea City has been slightly underwhelming, but they are known for playing a good brand of football.
Under Lennon, the club has looked out of ideas on various occasions. However, with Lennon, the club knows what they would get. But if they are looking to experiment, then Potter can be an interesting pick for the top job.
