Joleon Lescott column: Blues were a Bridge too far for Potter

Graham Potter's Chelsea reign is over — and you can hardly say it hasn't been on the cards.

I suppose some may have been surprised by the timing of the sacking, given how determined the Blues had been to stand by their man.

But results failed to improve and they've decided to act ahead of the Champions League quarter-final with Real Madrid, which is now effectively the club's sole remaining focus this season.

The only way Chelsea get into next season's comeptition is by winning it. While that seems a long shot, knockout football always gives you a chance.

You wonder whether the availability of available managers has also impacted their thinking.

Julian Nagelsmann has been strongly linked with the Tottenham job and it may be that Chelsea think they can pinch the German if they move quickly.

But at this moment, would you pick them over Spurs? 

A top-four finish is only in sight for the latter, while it's debatable how much a new boss would get to put their stamp on things at Stamford Bridge.

Poor Potter

Chelsea have acquired some world-class players since Todd Boehly and Co took over — but they've been quite naive.

To think you could just assemble a group of 33 senior pros and then expect it to be an easy job for the coach was a big presumption.

I feel sorry for Potter in that regard. With the greatest respect, he had no experience dealing with a squad of that quality.

At Brighton, his group was more compact and it's a lot easier to manage everyone's minutes and keep people happy. 

Top players expect to play. When they're not starting, they can become challenging. All that side of it was completely new to him.

Yet he remains a top coach and I wouldn't be surprised to see him pick up a new role very quickly.

If you're Potter, why wait until the summer? 

Managers don't tend to get sacked in the off-season now, so if there's a vacancy he fancies, there's no time like the present.

Over and out

Leicester could be where we see Potter pop up next after Brendan Rodgers' exit.

I must admit, Rodgers leaving was the more surprising departure of the two even though the Foxes are having a dire campaign.

The club described it as mutual consent, which suggests both parties were happy to call it a day. 

It makes me think Leicester may have a candidate in mind — and that Rodgers fancies his chances of getting another job elsewhere. 

Could he be in the running for the Tottenham vacancy? He's competed for the title with Liverpool and lifted trophies with both Celtic and Leicester.

I'm not sure how Spurs fans would feel about that appointment but I could definitely see Rodgers throwing his name in the hat. 

Klopp's conundrum

Jurgen Klopp joked that he is the "last man standing" after the sackings of Rodgers and Potter. 

The German reckons he's only still in charge of Liverpool because of his previous achievements — and I'd agree with him.

The Reds are run differently to a club like Chelsea. You get time to build and time to turn bad runs around.

But I do think the changes at Anfield need to be more significant than just signing a midfielder or two.

Klopp needs to sit down over the summer and analyse things, especially tactically. Too many times this season his team have been exposed.

I believe he'll still be in charge next season. But another campaign like this would surely force both the club and manager into a decision.

Joleon Lescott was speaking to Matthew Hill