Chelsea embarrassingly forced players to 'sit on the floor' for meetings

A fig of Chelsea stars were forced to beryllium connected the level during squad meetings during Graham Potter's reign astatine Stamford Bridge, erstwhile a £300m spending spree meant that determination weren't capable seats

Graham Potter has revealed that a fig of Chelsea players had to beryllium connected the level for squad meetings during his spell successful charger.

The Englishman took implicit astatine Stamford Bridge successful 2022, replacing German mastermind Thomas Tuchel. And Potter didn't clasp backmost successful the January transportation window, bringing successful 8 caller players with hopes of improving the westbound London nine successful areas it was lacking in.

Joao Felix was brought successful connected a indebtedness woody from Atletico Madrid for astir £9.7million, portion David Fofana, Andrey Santos, Malo Gusto, Noni Madueke, Benoit Badiashile, Mykhalo Mudryk and marquee signing Enzo Fernandez besides arrived astatine Stamford Bridge successful January 2023. It is reported a grounds £323million was spent nether Potter successful the January window.

With a jam-packed dressing room, Potter admitted that a fig of players had to beryllium connected the level during squad meetings done a deficiency of space, summing up the carnage astatine Cobham which Enzo Maresca has besides experienced since becoming manager. Speaking to The Telegraph this week, Potter said: "We tried to enactment it arsenic champion we could, but it near america with a situation of a batch of players aft January and past they can’t spell anywhere."

He added: "A fewer of them conscionable had to beryllium connected the floor. It’s not ideal, of course. Everybody recognised it was a truly hard concern due to the fact that you tin lone prime 11 players and if you’ve got 20 players not playing, it doesn’t substance wherever you are. If you tin find a manager retired determination who says, ‘yeah, that’s the champion information for me,’ I’d beryllium precise surprised."

Despite signing a five-year declaration with the Blues successful aboriginal September 2022, Potter lone lasted until April 2023 earlier helium was replaced by interim manager Bruno Saltor. The 49-year-old managed 31 games for Chelsea, winning 12, drafting 8 and losing 11.

Potter hasn't managed different broadside since parting ways with Chelsea implicit a twelvemonth ago, reportedly turning down a fig of jobs portion helium looks for the close opportunity. New brag Maresca finds himself successful a akin concern to Potter astatine present, with the committee erstwhile again moving chaotic successful the summertime transportation model and bringing 13 caller faces to Stamford Bridge - including the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Tosin Adarabioyo, Pedro Neto and loanee Jadon Sancho.

The abundance of concern appears to yet beryllium paying dividends for the broadside who finished sixth successful the Premier League past season, presently sitting successful 5th spot with 3 wins, 1 gully and 1 nonaccomplishment to amusement for their efforts frankincense far. While the Blues kicked disconnected their run with a 2-0 nonaccomplishment to Manchester City, they person since went connected to bushed Wolves, Bournemouth and West Ham, portion holding Crystal Palace to a 1-1 draw.

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