"I think they're all ahead of him" - Former Chelsea player says club hiring Graham Potter could cost them a top 4 finish 

Former Leicester City defender Robert Huth believes Chelsea's decision to appoint Graham Potter as manager could cost them a Champions League place this season.

The Blues appointed the Englishman after they dismissed Thomas Tuchel last month following a poor start to the season. Chelsea have won just three of their eight encounters so far this term and are currently seventh in the Premier League.

Owner Todd Boehly decided to poach Potter, who guided Brighton & Hove Albion to their highest-ever league finish last season (ninth) while implementing an attractive style of play.

However, Huth, who made 62 appearances for the Blues during his four years at Stamford Bridge, believes Chelsea made a rash decision in sacking Tuchel. He also cited the improvement of the Blues' Premier League rivals, as the German told Ladbrokes (as per The Express):

"How many times do we see these kinds of decisions being made, where a manager is losing their job a couple of days after the transfer window closing?"?

"Chelsea should really be close to the top four but I just think in terms of the other managers at the top end of the table - without being disrespectful to Potter whatsoever - the likes of Pep [Guardiola], [Jurgen] Klopp, [Antonio] Conte and [Mikel] Arteta, I think they're all ahead of him in terms of experience at this level."

Huth continued:

"I fear that Chelsea will miss out on the top four. Potter's not had to compete for prizes, for trophies and for Champions League football before - not at this level."

"The top five or six teams in the division are very close in terms of quality on the pitch, but when it comes to the dugout, there are at least four other sides with more experienced managers which will be a massive advantage over the course of the season."

---

Grahame Potter excited to take on the challenge at Chelsea

Potter is finally set to take charge of his first Premier League game for the Blues against Crystal Palace on Saturday (October 1).

The Englishman recently spoke about how his side will adapt to change under him. He stated (as per The Independent):

“I think the first thing to say is change is good and it’s bad and it’s challenging; it’s all those things. It’s how you deal with it, it’s how you work with it. So I think it’s well documented what’s happened, in terms of ownership, new coach, different people."

"That’s part of life sometimes, it’s just how we manage it. In terms of the challenge, maybe a bit more than a short-term challenge, it’s how you align the resources that you have, it’s how you align the football idea with everything you’ve got, to be successful.”