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Under-pressure Chelsea head coach Graham Potter says he has to be respectful to “stupid” questions from the media and insists he retains the “full support” of the club’s owners.
Potter, who left Brighton to replace the sacked Thomas Tuchel in September, has come under scrutiny in recent weeks after overseeing just one win in eight Premier League games.
Chelsea’s sixth defeat of the season at the hands of Manchester City on Thursday evening – a fourth loss in six league games – has left them in 10th place, but the 47-year-old came out fighting as he prepares to face the Premier League champions again in the FA Cup third round on Sunday.
“There are times when you get cross and you get angry. But my responsibility is to speak [to the media] in as respectful a way as I can, even though some of your questions are stupid,” Potter said.
“I have got to answer them as best I can and as respectfully as I can, because I represent a fantastic football club and I have got that job to do.”
Asked whether there has been too much negativity around Chelsea in recent weeks, Potter replied: “I do not know. I do not read the newspapers. I stay away from social media.
“I am not naive to know that when you are having the results that we have, there is not going to be criticism and negativity – that would be strange for me to think that. And, again, I am not sitting here as some egomaniac that has all the answers and gets everything right – of course, that is not the case.
“But, at the same time, there are some challenges that we face. There are some margins in the Premier League that are difficult. We have had a massive transition (with new owners at Chelsea), problems in terms of injuries do not make it easy to be stable.
“But it is sort of blah, blah blah, isn’t it? People want to see results and say ‘shut up Graham, what are you talking about? We need to win.'”
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The Soccer Saturday panel discuss whether Chelsea’s recruitment is to blame for their poor recent form
Chelsea’s prospects of winning silverware this season were damaged when they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by City in November, although they remain in the Champions League and will face Borussia Dortmund in the last 16.
Potter highlighted the beginnings of Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Mikel Arteta’s managerial reigns at their respective clubs before insisting the Chelsea board remain supportive of the work he is doing at Stamford Bridge.
“I think Pep was there a year before they won anything, and then obviously Mikel and Jurgen took a bit of time,” Potter said. “Obviously, it is maybe different for me for some reason, but I do not put a timescale on it.
“I know the responsibility we have here, but also I know that I am capable and I know the quality that I have, and I have the full support of, certainly, the owners, the players and the staff here.”
When is the FA Cup fourth-round draw?
It will take place from 4.05pm on Sunday before Chelsea’s third-round tie against Manchester City.
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