Grateful Graham Potter believes his bruising Chelsea experience has left him a better manager. West Ham's new boss returns to Stamford Bridge tomorrow night unsure of what reception he will receive. But rather than carry a chip on his shoulder because of how he was harshly dismissed in a time of chaos at Chelsea, Potter, 49, insists he is thankful for his short time in West London. And asked if he feels the need to find a sense of closure from the away dugout, he said: “I don't think so. You know in a football life you're going to get ups and downs and it was a period of time that, of course, I would have wanted it to go better at the time. Absolutely.

“And I didn't want to lose my job. But at the same time I look back now and maybe it's the best thing that has happened to me and maybe the next 10 to 20 years is going to be great because of the experience I've had. “I just look at it as a learning experience. I've got no bad feelings towards Chelsea, I’ve still got a lot of good relationships with the people there. I wish them well apart from when we play them, of course.

“But I'm just looking forward to the journey I'm on now with West Ham at this great club and getting that connection with the supporters, working with the team and building something that we're really excited about and proud about here.”. Potter is certain that he has learnt lessons from seven months of tumult at Chelsea. He reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League but found it difficult to maximise the potential of a squad so bloated by the owners’ transfer excesses that some had to change in the corridors of the training ground.

“Sometimes the experiences that are more traumatic and the more tougher and the more intense, they're the ones that, if you can allow them to, can make the biggest difference in terms of growth and development,” he added. West Ham are not expecting a hectic deadline day despite being keen on adding a new striker. But their worries in attack have eased with Jarrod Bowen ’s quicker than expected return from a broken foot.

The captain could be part of tomorrow’s squad having returned to training last week, although Potter is still sweating on the fitness of Lucas Paqueta and Crysencio Summerville remains sidelined. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.