Graham Potter avoids Leicester City question while praising Jamie Vardy.
West Ham host Leicester City at the London Stadium on Thursday (8pm kick-off).
Graham Potter may feel he made the right decision by waiting for the West Ham job instead of taking earlier opportunities.
Last summer, Leicester City showed interest in Potter, and his name resurfaced when Steve Cooper was dismissed in November.
However, the Foxes opted for Ruud van Nistelrooy, while Potter, 49, took over from Julen Lopetegui at West Ham in January.
Since then, the former Chelsea manager has made an impact, leading the Hammers to a surprising victory over Arsenal on Saturday.
Now, he faces a struggling Leicester side, teetering on the edge of relegation.
“I’m in a position now at a club that I’m really happy with,” said Potter. “There were a lot of rumors, and I’m not going to confirm or deny any of them.
“The only thing I will say is that Leicester City is a fantastic club with a great history, particularly in recent years. I have full respect for them, but I’m delighted to be with West Ham.
“From day one, I emphasized that the right opportunity was key. For different reasons, this felt like the right one.
I’m very pleased with my decision, and everything else was just part of the process to get here.”
Thursday night’s fixture will feature two strikers who climbed from non-league football to the Premier League.
Leicester’s Jamie Vardy famously rose from Fleetwood Town to become a title-winning striker, while West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen, who dealt a heavy blow to Arsenal’s title ambitions on Saturday, started his career at Hereford.
Potter refused to draw direct comparisons between the two, saying, “I don’t think it’s fair to compare them—Jamie Vardy is unique.
He’s the best at what he does, and his achievements speak for themselves.
“Winning the Premier League, the FA Cup, and having that incredible journey from non-league football to the top—it’s an amazing story.
“But Jarrod is his own player. He’s our captain, a fantastic footballer. He may not be the same type of goalscorer as Jamie, but he brings so much to the team.
“I have the utmost respect for Jamie, but I also love working with Jarrod. He has been brilliant for us.
They share a similar path, coming through non-league and experiencing football at all levels.
“You can see that in Jarrod—there’s a humility, a respect in how he plays and conducts himself. Both players, in their own way, have been fantastic role models for different routes into professional football.”
As the two sides prepare to meet, Leicester find themselves in deep trouble, sitting 19th and five points adrift of safety.
Meanwhile, West Ham’s unexpected victory over Arsenal has lifted them to 16th place on 30 points, giving them a much-needed boost.
