Graham Potter smilingly side-stepped a question about Manchester United – as he confirmed he is keen to get back into management.

The former Albion head coach did not confirm or deny that he had been in contact with Old Trafford and Dan Ashworth.

He also spoke about his move to Chelsea two years ago and how different it was to working with the Seagulls.

While not expressing regrets, he said he had learned some important lessons from that move.

He suggested what he found at Stamford Bridge was not what he had expected.

Potter appeared on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football two days after his former clubs met at Stamford Bridge.

Ill-feeling still exists between the fanbases because of events two years ago.

Coincidentally, the appearance also came in the week of the fifth anniversary of his first win at the Amex – a 3-0 success over Tottenham.

Potter stunned Albion when he went to Stamford Bridge, taking his coaching staff with him, having taken the club to fourth place in the early standings and what was then a best-ever finishing position of ninth in the previous season.

He told the Sky audience: “After speaking with the (Chelsea) owners, they were very ambitious, they were very clear in terms of what they wanted to do.

“They wanted to challenge for major trophies again, change the culture, use some younger players.

“They were new though, in fairness, so as it transpired it wasn’t quite as simple, it wasn’t a straight road.

“But always the reason to go there was a sporting challenge, to try and compete for major trophies.

“The chance to have that opportunity to work with younger players, to change a culture, to build an environment and at the same time to sign some top players and to compete at the top end, that was the bit.

“Probably a mistake I made was thinking new owners means there’s a chance of a change of culture.

“But actually culture runs a lot deeper than that.”

Potter said he found a different world at Chelsea.

He added: “You can definitely feel the difference because the media scrutiny is more.

“I always look at it like this. If there’s a traditional six teams who are vying for the Champions League spots, there’s always two that are in crisis.

“There are always two you are going to go after in the media.

“It’s part of the story, it’s part of the game. To experience that…

“It’s a bit like when you go from the Championship to the Premier League. You see there is a difference.

“No, it can’t be that much of a difference. But there is because there is more scrutiny, more pressure.

“And I think is the same when you go from a Brighton, with the greatest respect, to a team that should be competing for the title, for a team that should be going for the Champions League.

“There is a step up but that is why you take the step.

“Life is about that, it’s about trying to push yourself and go out of your comfort zone.

“The only way you find out is if you experience it.

“I’m better for it but it’s different, that for sure.”

Potter referred to a defeat at the Amex without going into detail about how that 4-1 mauling knocked Chelsea’s season off the rails.

He said it was one of three defeats which meant the “world was closing in” by the time the 2022-23 season stopped for the World Cup.

He has yet to return to management after being sacked by Chelsea later that season.

Potter is easy to link with Manchester United given Ashworth’s involvement. The same happened when Ashworth was with Newcastle.

He often spoke about media noise or narrative during tougher times when he was in charge at Albion.

But he was always honest with reporters – on occasion too honest, like when he took exception to mild booing after a 0-0 draw with Leeds and probably gave it more attention than it merited rather than taking the easy way out of “they pay their money, they are entitled to their opinion” or claiming not to have heard it.

Equally, he remained dignified both before and away from the cameras during that horrendous return to the Amex with Chelsea.

And he was on good form on Sky last night.

Asked about the Old Trafford job, he handled the question skilfully and with a smile.

But, while he said there had been inaccurate reports about him in the media, he did not say whether that applied to links with Manchester United.

He said: “What I’ve read so far in the media, a lot of it isn’t true and false.

“I think I’m the only coach in world football who has been linked with Stoke City and Napoli in the same week!

“I take what the media say with a pinch of salt.

“I have had lots of conversations with lots of people and I think for the respect of everybody it is best I keep that private.”

In terms of returning to coaching, he said he was proud of his progress from the lower divisions in England and Sweden to the last eight of the Champions League with Chelsea.

But he made it clear he had learned valuable lessons from his move to West London.

Potter said: “It has to be the right opportunity, that is one thing I have taken from this whole experience.

“It has to be the right thing for me and, if it is, I will do my best.”