Graham Potter: Mohammed Kudus’ New West Ham Coach Breaks Silence After Appointment

• Mohammed Kudus' new West Ham coach, Graham Potter, has broken his silence after his appointment
• Potter, a former Chelsea coach, will be Kudus' third manager since the latter's move to East London
• Meanwhile, the Englishman has outlined his aspirations for the Hammers as he takes over from Julen Lopetegui

Graham Potter has opened up for the first time since his appointment as West Ham United's new head coach.

Potter steps into the hot seat at East London after a period of unemployment following his departure from Chelsea in April 2023.

The 49-year-old replaces Julen Lopetegui, taking the helm at a pivotal moment in the club's season.

Potter speaks for the first time as West Ham boss

In his initial comments to the club’s website, Potter explained why he believes West Ham is the ideal club for him at this stage in his career.

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“I am delighted to be here. It was important to me that I waited until a job came along that I felt was right for me, and equally that I was the right fit for the club I am joining. That is the feeling I have with West Ham United.”

Potter, who has previous managerial experience at both Chelsea and Brighton, expressed admiration for the East London club, particularly their impressive victory in the 2023 UEFA Europa Conference League.

“West Ham United is a huge club, at the heart of London, with a tremendous fanbase and great support all around the world,” he said.

“I saw the scenes that followed their Europa Conference League victory in 2023, and it was clear that this is a club with everything in place to become consistently successful, both on and off the pitch.”

Potter shares his plans for West Ham

He went on to acknowledge the good work done by his predecessors while emphasising his own aspirations for the team.

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“The club has made a lot of good progress in recent years and ensured there are some very strong foundations in place to build on.

"You don’t win a European trophy by fluke – there has to be a good bedrock at a football club for that to happen.

"The challenge now is to take that on and build the next steps, to develop a team and a club that the supporters can be proud of.”

Potter's challenge ahead

West Ham, currently sitting in 14th place in the Premier League standings, find themselves just seven points clear of the relegation zone, as noted by Goal.

With a tough task ahead, Potter will need to get the best out of some of the club’s top attacking talents, including Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen, Crysencio Summerville, and Niclas Füllkrug.

Given his tactical acumen, Potter will be expected to bring a new sense of purpose and cohesion to the squad as they look to move up the table and secure their top-flight status.

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When is Potter's first game as West Ham coach?

He has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the Hammers, and his first challenge will come on Friday evening with an away trip to Aston Villa in the third round of the FA Cup.

Kudus' performances under previous coaches analysed

YEN.com.gh also analysed Mohammed Kudus's performances under his previous managers following Graham Potter's appointment as West Ham coach.

During his time with the two previous managers at West Ham, Kudus recorded an impressive 25-goal contribution in 62 appearances.

Source: YEN.com.gh