Graham Potter laughs off face-swap meme trend as West Ham pressure builds | OneFootball

Hammers boss accepts criticism and ridicule as part of being a Premier League manager

West Ham boss Graham Potter has laughed off questions about this week’s viral face-swap meme.

But despite a difficult period, Potter was in an upbeat mood as he insisted that the ridicule was all part of the pressure of being a manager in the Premier League.

"Well, it made my 15-year-old son laugh a lot," Potter said ahead of Monday night’s trip to Everton.

"So, as I said, you have to accept what comes with it, which is part of criticism. It's at times ridicule, but that's just the environment we're in, and it is what it is.”

Potter said he didn't have a favourite meme, candidly retorting that he had bigger things to focus on as West Ham try to move out of the relegation zone.

"No, not really (I don't have a favourite),” he said. “I haven't given it too much thought. You can imagine I've got a few more important things to think about than that. But as I said, it is what it is. You have to deal with those things."

West Ham head to Goodison Park in desperate need of a positive result after back-to-back losses at home to Tottenham and Crystal Palace.

Pressure is building on Potter to turn things around, and he says he accepts responsibility for his side's start to the season.

However, he is clear that while results have to change, his ideas will take time to bed in - a luxury he is aware that he might not be afforded.

"As I said, it's something we all sign up for,” Potter said. “We understand if results aren't good and you're not winning enough, then you have to face that. You have to own up to that, and you have to take that responsibility.

"There's also part of the job that you have to look at context. You have to look at where the club was, where the club has been, where the club's at and, realistically, what is needed to improve.

"We live in a world where we want things instantly. But whenever you do something meaningful and important, sometimes it takes some time.

"But at the same time, in the world we are, if short-term results aren't good enough, you understand what happens. But that's nothing I can control."