'Quite a few weeks' – Why Tony Bloom refused to speak to Graham Potter after last season

Brighton and Hove Albion chairman Tony Bloom is looking forward to this season's Premier League campaign with Graham Potter at the helm once more

Brighton and Hove Albion chairman Tony Bloom said it was important to give his manager Graham Potter some down time after last season’s Premier League campaign.

Potter steered Albion to ninth place in the top tier and achieved a record tally of 51 points.

Bloom is delighted with the progress his club is making with Potter at the helm but said he deliberately avoided him after the final match of last season against West Ham, as his head coach needed a break.

Bloom has since been in touch with Potter as the team started their pre-season last week with 0-0 draw against Bloom’s Belgian club Union SG.

“I deliberately didn’t speak to Graham after the West Ham game for quite a few weeks,” admitted the Albion chairman.

“He had a very well deserved holiday, switching off as much as he could from football, which is really important, but I’ve been back in touch this past week and everything’s going very well.

"It’s all positive, he’s got a smile on his face and he’s looking ready for the new season.

“We have had two weeks of pre-season training and by all accounts the players are looking sharp and very fit.

"This is the strongest squad we’ve ever had and the balance is really good.

"We don’t know quite what the final squad will look like but at this stage, from my point of view, it’s looking really promising. I’m extremely happy with them.”

Albion are next in pre-season action at Reading on Saturday, July 23.