Former Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot has claimed the club should be making a change in the managerial dugout. Despite admitting to feeling sorry for head coach Graham Potter, Melchiot believes Todd Boehly should be looking for a new manager following an extended spell of poor form for his old club.
The 46-year-old, who played at Stamford Bridge 130 times between 1999 and 2004, insisted the current manager would not have survived during his time at the club. “In my time, Potter would not last — that’s all I can say,” Melchiot told ESPN FC.
“I feel sorry for him. I know everybody’s talking about the great manager he is, but with results like these, I have to be sorry and make a change.”
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Despite increased pressure on the hierarchy to pull the trigger, Boehly continues to stick by the man he appointed back in September. Further calls for the ex-Brighton manager to be relieved of his duties came after his side slumped to a third straight defeat against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.
This continued a prolonged period of poor results, as the Blues have now suffered 10 losses in their last 17 matches. Goals have also been in short supply, having scored just four in 11 outings in 2023.
While the board remain intent on being patient, a recent report in the Telegraph claimed the next two matches, against Leeds United and Borussia Dortmund, could be “make or break” for Potter. Chelsea have become renowned for hiring and firing managers, as Melchiot alluded to, with previous owner Roman Abramovich often profiting from a lack of tolerance.
Most notable among these were the Champions League successes of 2012 and 2021, when victorious managers Roberto Di Matteo and Thomas Tuchel took over mid-season, replacing Andre Villas-Boas and Frank Lampard respectively. However, this is a new dawn for the club, and Boehly will be keen to keep the faith in the long-term project.
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