Brighton boss Graham Potter insists it is important for managers to show some emotion after acting “like a bit of an idiot” as he celebrated his side’s thumping win over Manchester United.
Potter was filmed shouting “Seagulls” while being mobbed by jubilant fans outside the Amex Stadium following last weekend’s 4-0 thrashing of United.
Albion’s crushing victory was a first on home soil since Boxing Day and they will seek to add to their club-record Premier League points tally at relegation-threatened Leeds on Sunday afternoon.
Potter – who is usually far more reserved – says he was left with little option other than to join in with the revelry.
“I couldn’t get back to my car,” he explained. “That was the only way so I had no choice, essentially!
“I am actually an all right person, you know? I have got a bit of emotion and am quite good company if you spend it out of this situation, I’d like to think!
“My role is to help the team and I have to try and be myself to help the team in the best way I can.
“I’ve always said I don’t think it’s good to show no emotion at all, that’s a bit strange.
“I think I have shown emotion over the last three years – and sometimes not in a good way.
“But after you beat Manchester United 4-0 and play the way we did and you see the supporters and you feel their frustration over a season and the home record, sometimes it’s nice to walk through them and act like a bit of an idiot!”
Brighton have little to play for ahead of the trip to Elland Road, while 18th-placed Leeds are fighting to extend their top-flight stay to a third season.
The south-coast club – who have already accrued 47 points – are targeting a first top-half finish since promotion in 2017 and could yet end up anywhere between eighth and 14th position.
Having been made to sweat for survival in his first two seasons in Sussex, Potter insists Albion’s West Yorkshire opponents will not receive an easy ride.
“The guys want to finish as well as they can,” he said. “They’re young, ambitious, they want to do well.
“Everyone’s fighting for the points. That’s what the Premier League is. Leeds don’t expect us to turn up there and have a nice, relaxed game and get ourselves back down the road.
“They’ll know we are there to compete, to take the points ourselves, and that’s what makes the league so difficult.
“We’ve been down there and you don’t get any help from anybody, you’ve got to do everything yourself.
“We need to have that mentality at the weekend and look forward to finishing the season as strongly as possible.”
