Graham Potter is excited by Chelsea's developing recruitment department ahead of the January transfer window, with the Blues boss appearing set to only play a supporting role.
Chelsea have announced the additions of Laurence Stewart as technical director to focus on football globally from AS Monaco, having worked for Red Bull Soccer International and Manchester City in the past, and Joe Shields as co-director of recruitment and talent, who joins from Southampton, having previously worked at Manchester City.
They are not the only significant figures expected to join, with the likes of Christopher Vivell set to join as technical director, while Brighton's head of player recruitment Paul Winstanley is also believed to be heading to Stamford Bridge. Potter himself brought Kyle Macaulay with him when joining Chelsea. Macaulay has been with the Blues head coach since his time in Ostersund and his role is to act as a conduit between recruitment and the coaching staff.
READ MORE: Every word Graham Potter said on Brighton vs Chelsea, Kovacic, Koulibaly and Laurence Stewart
Potter believes the structure being put in place, after Todd Boehly took on the role of interim-sporting director over the summer, will be crucial to Chelsea's long term success.
"Essentially it’s a collaborative approach with the people you just mentioned," said Potter. "My job, again, as head coach is to support that process. It’s the early stages. The club are still appointing and getting everything organised but I’m really excited. It’s a key part of how we can be successful because you can have all the resources in the world but if they’re not aligned you can waste a lot of money in this league. That’s an important part of our future and how we want to try and develop."
The 47-year-old coach is hopeful that the team being put in place can be successful but conceded the pending January transfer window will always be difficult. The condensed schedule that Chelsea have undertaken in October has ensured that Potter has only had time to focus on preparing his team, which is where he likes his focus to be. The discussion of strategy and options Chelsea could take advantage of is still to come, and the Blues will be prepared for that with their emerging structure.
He said: "You have always got to look at January as a complicated window and then as we get closer to January we sit down and discuss strategy and options. My job as head coach is to focus on the matches — we’ve had nine, ten matches in October, six away ones, so the focus is on preparing the team and the players that are here. Thankfully we’ve got a good recruitment department emerging, so they can focus on that and my job can be to help the team but also support that area as well."
The difficulty of success in a transfer window is perhaps highlighted by some of Potter's final business at Brighton before making his move. Levi Colwill departed Chelsea for the south coast on loan, while Billy Gilmour made the same trip on a permanent transfer and soon found themselves with a new coach, and have just 17 minutes between them in the Premier League this term.
"We don't know if anything would have changed in minutes either way because the team was fourth and doing well," said Potter.
"Webster, Dunk and Veltman are very good players and Levi would have to battle to get in there. Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo are both two very good players and Billy will have to [fight for his place]. I think both knew their role but clearly, the timing of me leaving was not great for them.
"But clearly, that's part of life and not something I should say sorry for but I acknowledge that it is not great from their perspective. I said the timing is not ideal but in life sometimes the opportunities come up and come up at times that are not ideal. But they are both good young players with a bright future, at a good club, and with good people who look after them and we will see how they go."
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