Graham Potter: I wasn’t very good for West Brom!
Graham Potter has given a frank assessment of his playing career at Albion ahead of his first game against his former club.
“I had three-and-a-half years at West Brom,” said Potter. “I wasn’t a good player for them, I must say that, but it’s a good club with a lot of good people.
“The supporters are fair and I met a lot of good lads while I was there, both players and staff.”
Potter was an Albion full-back in the late 1990s when the club was in the second tier, but tomorrow night will be the first time he meets the Baggies as either player or manager since leaving in 2000.
Even though he played in the Premier League briefly for Southampton, the 43-year-old’s managerial career already looks like it will eclipse his playing days.
He famously took Ostersunds from the Swedish fourth tier to the Europa League before Swansea appointed him in summer.
Potter has impressed in South Wales, where he has implemented an attractive playing style despite being forced to deal with a number of departures following relegation.
He is also close friends with Albion assistant Graeme Jones, who he played alongside at Boston United.
“I have a lot of respect for the club, as I do for Graeme,” said Potter. “We played together towards the end of our careers and we got on – we clicked.
“We shared an interest in football and in coaching and we have been friends ever since.
“He has an FA Cup winner’s medal and a bronze medal from the World Cup, which not too many British coaches have.
“I have huge respect for him as a coach and as a person.”
After losing just two of their opening 11 games in the Championship, Swansea’s form has been a bit more mixed of late.
They’ve lost two of their last three, and were humbled 4-1 at home to league-leaders Norwich on Saturday.
They conceded goals playing out from the back, but that will not deter Potter from his style.
“You could just boot it up the pitch,” he admitted. “That cuts out those problems – but that’s not the way we want to go forward.
"For us it’s about responding to those mistakes and that’s what we’ll look to do.”
Baggies boss Moore is concerned about the wounded animal.
“We’ve got to be ready for a backlash,” warned Albion’s head coach. “In this league you suffer a defeat but you have a quick turnaround. And we’re the next opponents in town.”
But Potter believes it is his former club who are favourites.
“It’s going to be a really difficult game for us,” added the Swans boss. “They are a club who have ambitions to go straight back up and Darren has done a great job since being appointed.
“They have kept hold of their players following relegation from the Premier League and also added well. I think they will be right up there at the end of the season.”
