Under-fire Chelsea manager Graham Potter has received emails threatening him and his family.
Potter revealed on Friday he has been targeted by an anonymous account after Chelsea’s dismal season hit a new low with a 1-0 home defeat against Southampton last weekend.
Chelsea are languishing in 10th place and have won only two of their last 14 matches.
Supporters called for Potter to be sacked throughout the Southampton debacle, with personal attacks towards him on social media also increasing.
But worryingly for Potter, threats are now being sent directly to the former Brighton boss, who succeeded the sacked Thomas Tuchel in September.
“You could ask my family how life has been for me and for them. It’s been not pleasant at all. I understand supporters go home and they’re annoyed because the team aren’t winning,” Potter said.
“I’ve had some not particularly nice emails come through, that want me to die and want my kids to die.
“That’s obviously not pleasant to receive. If you’ve been asked for four months if you’re under pressure, because (the media) need to sell stuff – what do you expect, in the end?
“You know there’s a problem when the email address it’s been sent from is ‘Potter bastard at Gmail dot com’.”
Despite the abuse, Potter is trying to remain positive ahead of the London derby at Tottenham on Sunday.
“I want to succeed here. There’s nonsense (being said) that I don’t care. Where does that come from? Where’s your evidence on that? Ask my family. People have a perception I don’t care – what’s that based on? How do you know?” he said.
“If you go to work and somebody’s swearing abuse at you, it’s not going to be pleasant.
“You can answer it two ways. I could say I don’t care, but you know I’m lying. Everyone cares what people think, because we’re hardwired to be socially connected.”
