Chelsea boss Graham Potter left his wife in shock with love for the gory Vikings TV drama to relax from Premier League pressures

GRAHAM POTTER has a unique way of dealing with the stresses of Premier League management – by watching gory Viking TV drama.

The Chelsea boss was in a relaxed mood ahead of his return to Brighton on Saturday, where he was manager for three years before taking charge of the Blues.

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The 47-year-old spoke about the psychological demands placed on players in the top-flight dugouts and the enormous pressure they are under.

And for a change, he dropped his vigilance and shared a glimpse into his private life, which is set on TV about “blood and guts” violence.

Potter, who used to train in Sweden, said: “I have friends, but to be honest I don’t socialize that much.

“I don’t leave my house, I just come here, do my job and go home. Then I see my family. It’s a boring life!

“My kids … I have twins who are seven years old and a 12 year old and they are fun. They give you perspective.

“You have these problems and then you talk to a seven-year-old and everything becomes a little bit easier.

“My young family, they give me energy, they give me perspective.

“I like to go for walks and do a bit of sport every now and then – but if you look at me like that, you wouldn’t believe it.

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“Read a little now and then, but not too much. A podcast here and there, and sometimes a brain dump while watching a Netflix series.

“The last thing I saw was Vikings: Valhalla. My wife went insane because it was all blood and guts!”

Given their high wages, few may have sympathy for Premier League bosses, but it would be wrong to say they don’t rise to their own challenges.

Potter recalls the six months in which he suddenly lost his mother Val – who suffered from dementia – in the summer of 2019 and father Steve to cancer in early 2020.

These terrible personal losses have given him perspective in difficult professional times.

The ex-West Brom and Stoke left-back said: “I don’t want to go the 24/7 route because that’s not helpful to anyone. People think you are the manager so you should be the first and be the last. But balance is the key.

“Otherwise it’s too intense and you can’t see the forest in front of the trees.

“We are part of a sport where we create pressure.

“Someone has to be under pressure, whatever it is, and it will be one at a time.

“In the world we live in, it’s difficult to feel sorry for a Premier League manager.

“But mental health doesn’t really discriminate with your status or how much money you make, I would say.”

Despite leading them to a record-breaking ninth place last season, Potter accepts he may have a mixed reception from Seagulls fans when he joined Chelsea last month when Thomas Tuchel was axed.

With nine games unbeaten to date, he is aiming to become the first England manager in Chelsea history to go unbeaten in his first ten games in all competitions.