Potter turns down swift return to management five months on from Chelsea sack
Graham Potter has rejected the chance to return to management with French club Lyon, five months after his departure from Chelsea.
Potter was sacked by Chelsea in April after less than seven months in charge, with his ill-fated spell at Stamford Bridge following a highly successful three-year stint at Brighton. The 48-year-old has been out of work since leaving Chelsea and was approached by Lyon's American owner John Textor to potentially take over at the Ligue 1 club.
Current boss Laurent Blanc is under huge pressure, with Lyon currently bottom of the league after picking up just one point from their first four games and he is expected to be axed following their 4-1 loss to Paris Saint-Germain last weekend.
And the former Manchester United defender has admitted Lyon need to sack him if they want to improve their form. Speaking after another 4-1 defeat to Montpellier in Lyon's first home game of the season, Blanc was asked what the club could do to change their fortunes and simply replied: "Change the manager".
It now appears as though Blanc's sacking is imminent, with the Daily Mail reporting that Potter was offered the chance to replace him. The report states that Potter 'politely declined' the offer as he 'does not feel it is the right time to return to management'.
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It adds that he was 'intrigued by the challenge to coach abroad again', having enjoyed great success at Swedish club Ostersunds who he guided to three promotions and a memorable Europa League victory over Arsenal. However, the 48-year-old is said to be 'waiting for the right challenge' and Lyon will now have to turn their attention elsewhere, with Reims boss Will Still a potential option.
Following Lyon's loss to PSG, the players were confronted by the 'Bad Gones' ultras. After the game, the players stood in front of the main stand as one of the group's leaders gave them a dressing down.
Potter has rejected the chance to become Lyon's new manager (Getty Images)"To the Olympique Lyonnais 2023-2024 squad, this message is addressed to you," he said. "To those who assume the status of dressing-room leaders, the message is clear: If there are leaders in this dressing room, they no longer have the right to remain silent. You're wearing the Olympique Lyonnais jersey.
"You're the ones who wear the Olympique Lyon jersey. Others before you have worn it, glorified it. You don't have the right to tarnish it. Now that the transfer window is over, the squad is here. All we ask is to be by your side. But to do that, you're going to have to earn it. We love and respect this shirt.
"There's only one other thing we ask: to sing your names. Sing them with love, not like we sang the names of the little b*****s who have left our club in the last six months. We want to sing your names with respect, with love. Because we know you play with love. But we expect you guys to respect our jersey [...] and if we have to take our losses to do so with our heads held high. Go OL."
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