A number of Tottenham Hotspur players were impressed by Graham Potter's style of play and would be happy if the club pursued him in their attempts to replace Jose Mourinho ahead of next season, according to Alasdair Gold.
What is the latest Tottenham manager news?
Chairman Daniel Levy is believed to be chasing an attack-minded manager with an ability to develop young players and, according to a recent report in The Athletic, technical director Steve Hitchen is likely to draw up a short-list between three and five names.
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Indeed, Potter would likely fit that mould.
The Sun's Alan Nixon also suggested earlier this week that those behind the scenes were using Ryan Mason's interim period in order to assess whether or not managers currently in work would be keen to take the job.
What is Graham Potter's style of play?
A breakdown of Potter's preferred tactics by Total Football Analysis in 2020 shared some interesting details.
Indeed, they talked about Brighton's 'superb defensive structure' under his watch as well as their fluid attacking line being able to build upon their deeper build-play, with Potter preferring forwards who are 'mobile and quick' so he can coach them into pressing high.
Given the problems Spurs have suffered in defence this season, the idea of a manager coming in who can help take the pressure off of the last line by improving their ability to win the ball back higher up the field may be a welcome one indeed. According to FBREF, only Liverpool have a higher pressing success rate than Brighton this season with their 32.1% ranking far above Spurs' relatively lowly 27.6% (the seventh-lowest in the division).
UnderStat data shows that his Brighton side have the seventh-highest expected goals in the Premier League and, though much has been made about his team's inability to finish off chances, the likes of Harry Kane, Heung-min Son and potentially Gareth Bale would surely prove more prolific than his current attacking line.
In terms of youth players, Transfermarkt suggest the 45-year-old has handed Premier League debuts to 14 players already.
What is Graham Potter's record against Spurs?
During the four games Potter has managed against Tottenham while in charge of Brighton, the former Swansea boss has come away with two victories though he has lost the other two.
Still, one of those was a famous 3-0 win for the South Coast outfit in October 2019 and, interestingly, he's adopted three different formations in those meetings, using both a back four and a back three.
What did Jose Mourinho say about Graham Potter?
Speaking back in November, former Spurs boss Jose Mourinho praised the Brighton coach following a 2-1 win for the North London giants at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
"Yes, happy, but the opposition was really hard, really, really hard," he said to the BBC (via Sussex Live).
"I believe [Graham] Potter is a very good coach, the team is very well prepared and they can change the system during the game, they can make you think and rethink, and think and rethink."