Potter shows some passion

In a way it's a good thing that Graham Potter showed some emotion after the Brighton match. He looked exasperated and told the media that was. "sick of talking about positives." It wasn't exactly a Kevin Keegan-style meltdown, but the normally mild-mannered Potter went on to say: “I'm going to be frustrated. I'm not a robot. I'm a human being as well.I stand there myself, give everything to this, what I'm doing of course, I'm gonna be upset. I have to come here and speak calmly to you guys, but that's not how I'm feeling inside. If you want me to swear, I can swear."

He's clearly fed up with players not carrying out instructions, though he must take some blame too for putting on Coufal as a left back when he could surely have left Emerson there or moved over Wan-Bissaka. The fans need to see that Potter can get angry as well as show emotional intelligence. He's not made the difference that Moyes has made at Everton or Pereira at Wolves and with a less bad bottom three he might in danger of the sack. Results are no better than under Lopetegui, even if we're now more competitive in matches.

But as it is we have a project manager and he needs time. West Ham played fairly well for 83 minutes at Brighton and a couple of the goals were long-range efforts that normally go wide. Potter must now be clearer about the players he can't rely on. Major work will have to be done in the summer but if there's a bad start to the season the manager will again be under pressure. Let's hope this is as low as it gets.

Forget Duran and go for wild boys who are hungry like the wolf

West Ham have made a second offer of £57million for Jhon Duran according to the Daily Telegraph. This seems to be pure David Sullivan, bidding for a player we won't get with money WHU surely don't have so that he can say at least we tried. West Ham could probably have had Duran for £40 million in the summer (he even crossed his arms in that infamous photo) but instead chose to go for Fullkrug and Guilherme for a combined cost of £47 million. 

That decision now seems likely to cost Tim Steidten his job. Aston Villa value Duran at a reported £80 million plus and don't want to sell. So let's forget about Duran and look at some wild boys who are hungry like the wolf. 

The Irons shouldn't be going for players who are the finished article, rather young players on the up. Better news on this front is that the Guardian reports Graham Potter has recruited his old Ostersund, Swansea, Brighton and Chelsea analyst Kyle Macauley, for compensation of around £1.5 million. Not sure if he can do a job up front, but new signing Macauley is likely to take a major role in recruitment if Tim Steidten is eased out. This is the team that recruited Brighton's Moses Caicedo on the cheap and then sold him to Chelsea for £115 million. Plus Brighton's other profitable sales of the likes of Trossard, Bissouma, Maupay, White, Burn, Mac Allister and more, so there's some cause for optimism. 

Reports now suggest West Ham are close to completing a deal to buy the OH Leuven midfielder Ezechiel Banzuzi. The Dutch midfielder is 19 so a good age and at around £11 million would be affordable. Let's hope there's some positive activity soon.

It's Potterball

So Graham Potter — Harry was unavailable — has finally been confirmed as West Ham's new manager. There were rumours he'd been offered an initial six-month contract but Potter was right to play hardball and hold out for a two and a half year deal.

It's a move that suits both Potter and the club. Like David Moyes Potter has something to prove after only lasting eight months at Chelsea — though with a 50-man squad of scattergun signings the Blues were hardly manageable. Already in his first interview Potter has seemed more inspiriing than half a season of Lopetegui.

He's a progressive coach who was a journeyman player, which is normally a good sign. In Sweden Potter took Ostersund from division four to the first division and a trophy, he had a mid-table season re-booting Swansea City and then stabalised Brighton from defensive relegation strugglers to an established Premier League club playing fluent football. Yes, he benefitted from Brighton's recruitment system, but also established the team that De Zerbi went on to take into Europe.

It's good that he's a bit different. Much of the modern game is about psychology and Potter has an MA in leadership and emotional intelligence, so should be able to understand both very angry geezers from Benfleet in the Bobby Moore Stand and the foibles of our modern superstars. Lopetegui had rows with Kudus and Todibo while other players apparently complained to Mark Noble, so Potter will have to employ all his man management skills.

In Sweden he once got his squad to put on a play in order to increase team bonding, so he might yet find a role for my fellow season ticket holder Michael the Playwright. Though any West Ham play would presumably be A Comedy of Errors. He's also had players trying ballet and rapping so it should be interesting. His former players speak highly of him so let's see what Graham can do with our lot. Encouragingly he likes to promote young players, which is good news for the Academy.

Praising the fans is always a good start, as Potter has just done, but he will face big challenges with the current squad. Initially the most important thing is that his arrival will lift the crowd as the London Stadium was drowning in apathy. It's a new start for both fans and players. Come on you Irons!