“Football clubs are not prisons” – Brighton’s CEO on letting Graham Potter leave for Chelsea

“Football clubs are not prisons” – Brighton’s CEO on letting Graham Potter leave for Chelsea

After Graham Potter joined Chelsea last week, Brighton and Hove Albion’s chief executive Paul Barber said that the team would use the same approach with their next manager. Potter was given the opportunity to speak with the Blues by the Seagulls, in accordance with a rule that hasn’t changed at the South Coast club during Tony Bloom’s tenure there.

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Potter signed a five-year contract at Stamford Bridge, and Brighton would later get £20 million in compensation for him. Potter’s three-year tenure at the AMEX Stadium comes to an end after the 47-year-old led the Seagulls to their best-ever Premier League finish last year. Barber thinks they wouldn’t make any changes to their contract despite losing one of the most exciting English coaches in the league.

Barber told The Athletic: “Football clubs are not prisons. We are not in a position to hold employees against their will. What we try to do as much as we can is protect ourselves with contracts. Contracts, we hope, will always be respected, but where people have an outstanding opportunity and they feel that it’s better for them, their careers, their families, then we’ve got an open mind.”

Read More: Chelsea announces Graham Potter as new manager

Before Chelsea swoop for Potter, Brighton adopted the same approach for Sporting Director Dan Ashworth

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Dan Ashworth was put on gardening leave by Brighton from February to June while negotiations over a multi-million dollar settlement covering his notice period following his switch to Newcastle United were ongoing. Since then, as the Magpies strive for a top-six spot, he has overseen deals for Alexander Isak, Sven Botman, and Nick Pope to St James’ Park.

Barber replied regarding Dan Ashworth’s situation: “Obviously, we don’t want to lose our best people and we make it as difficult as possible for people to leave and for people to take our staff, but in certain situations, we have to be realistic that it will happen.”

“And in that scenario, we either protect ourselves with contracts that allow us to place people on gardening leave as we did with Dan, in order to protect our club or to guard against losing key people at key times, or protect ourselves financially. A combination of those at times is necessary,” he added.

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