So now we know what Neal Maupay said to Jon Moss at Molineux. The full extent to which Albion’s striker lost his cool after the recent defeat at Wolves was spelt out in an FA report this week.The Seagulls are working to help their striker control his emotions at all times. But boss Graham Potter has revealed it might take a while to be where they need to be. Asked whether Albion were working to help their striker keep his emotions in check,
Graham Potter said: “We are and it’s an ongoing process. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen overnight. You have got to make changes, you have got to do some work. You have got to understand there is a possibility that can happen. But then I think it is about how you manage everything daily. It’s competition, it’s emotions. Sometimes the blood is rushing and you’ve got adrenaline and things happen. That is part of football but it’s about managing it and keeping it under control. In fairness to Neal, he has done that quite well over a period of time. But, as he said and as we say, that time it wasn’t good and not acceptable and we had to accept the punishment and own up to it and try to improve.”
The FA report was published just two days after Potter himself suffered an unprecedented loss of cool in his celebration of Albion’s first goal against Manchester City. Potter has admitted he made a mistake but will at least be able to empathise with Maupay. But then can’t we all if we think back?
Graham Potter said: “You sometimes forget they are human beings, they are young guys. I don’t know what you were like when you were 24. When I was 24, I was a lesser version of what I am now, that’s for sure. You will make mistakes and it is just then how you respond to that. That’s the key. If you can respond and say ‘Yeah, that wasn’t good’, own up and then try to do something about it, it’s an ongoing process.”
Potter quickly apologised to Pep Guardiola for his own faux pas and revealed he has followed that up.
Graham Potter said: “We spoke after the game and I have got in touch through their guys to reiterate my apologies to them. It wasn’t a great action from me. Emotions got the better of me and caught up with me in the game. As I have proven, I am a human being, not a robot, who is capable of making mistakes. Hopefully they can judge me over a 46-year life, not a one-second action.”
