According to a recent report by Sky Sports, Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion have given their manager Graham Potter a two-year contract extension, that will see his stay at the club until 2025. The Englishman was brought on board from Swansea City in the summer and had initially committed to the club until 2023 before this new extension added further security.
Along with the former Ostersund manager, his three-man backroom team of Billy Reid, Bjorn Hamberg and Kyle Macauley, have all been issued the same contract extensions as well. Brighton chairman Tony Bloom went on to say that the board were extremely pleased with the progress that the manager has made since taking over from Chris Hughton in the summer, and has confirmed that they were committed to the cause.
What Made Brighton And Hove Albion Target Graham Potter?
Graham Potter rose to prominence as a player while plying his trade for clubs like Stoke City, West Brom and even Northampton Town. Although he had a decent playing career, it was once he began coaching that he really hit unexpected heights. Ostersund are a club that rose to such high levels in recent years, all under the guidance of the aforementioned Englishman.
He carried the Swedish minnows to two second-place league finishes and even surprised everyone by winning the Swedish Cup with the club as well. His impressive displays in Sweden prompted an approach from Swansea City, and soon made a move to manage in the EFL Championship. Although the Swans finished tenth in the table last season, Potter was able to create a good brand of football.
How Has Graham Potter’s Start To Premier League Life Been?
Since taking over the reigns from Chris Hughton, who left the club on the periphery of relegation last season, Potter has gone about his job in an extremely professional and composed manner since the start of the campaign. His confident looking Brighton and Hove Albion side have gone on to pick up 15 points from 13 matches already this season.
With four wins under the belt at this early stage as well, the Seagulls currently find themselves in a rather comfortable 12th position in the league table. With that said though, Potter’s men do sit just five points clear of the dreaded relegation zone – a factor that is sure to motivate both the Brighton players and the manager on their upcoming adventures this season.
Did Brighton Make A Smart Decision?
The fact that the Englishman was already contracted to the club until 2023 makes this sudden extension rather unexpected. Moreover, even though the board wants to reiterate their ‘long term commitment’ to the manager, four years would’ve been a ‘long’ enough time to assess the situation. Whether or not he’s able to sustain this quality in the long-run is a question worth asking, but considering the way things have gone so far, this does indeed seem like a positive step for the future.
