Inside Graham Potter’s plans to build a new culture at West Ham | OneFootball

Potter is overseeing a huge overhaul as he bids to rebuild the Hammers

There is a different feel around West Ham this summer.

It was full steam ahead for the Hammers, but it was not long before the bubble burst.

West Ham made a poor start to the season, Julen Lopetegui was gone by January and they were left treading water for the rest of the campaign, eventually finishing 14th under Graham Potter.

This year, though, the atmosphere is different as Potter methodically plans for the new season.

The West Ham squad is currently in Germany for a week-long training camp

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Potter has opted to strip back the club's approach as he attempts to build a culture based on respect, teamwork and second chances.

The first two weeks of pre-season have focused on setting standards as Potter tries to mould the squad in his image.

There have not been any double fitness sessions. Rather, Potter has had numerous conversations with staff and players to establish buy-in to an overarching culture.

West Ham travelled to the Black Forest in Germany on Saturday for a week-long training camp that Jarrod Bowen described as an "opportunity for everyone in the group to be part of it and spend time with one another."

Potter has the rare benefit of having everybody, bar midfielder Edson Alvarez who has been away with Mexico at the Gold Cup, back for pre-season at the earliest opportunity.

So, the team's trip to a remote location in Germany is seen as a good chance for the team to bond.

Afternoon and evening meetings have been set up for staff and players to spend time with each other, while quality over quantity is the priority when it comes to training.

West Ham kick-off the new season away at Sunderland on August 16

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Ahead of another busy season, Potter isn't trying to run his players into the ground to get his message across.

The Premier League Summer Series in America at the end of the month is more of a commercial opportunity for West Ham, so their week in Germany is viewed as fundamental to implementing Potter's ethos.

West Ham plan to be active in the transfer market this summer.

They wrapped up a deal for Slavia Prague left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf on Tuesday, but this summer their recruitment process will not be like an episode of television show Supermarket Sweep.

Potter believes there is a lot of untapped potential within his squad, and he wants to give those who struggled to make their mark last season a shot at redemption.

Among those are Fullkrug, who has continued to build up his fitness after an injury-hit debut campaign, and Summerville.

West Ham are trying to do things differently under Potter

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Summerville has travelled with the squad to Germany as he steps up his recovery from a hamstring injury that saw him miss the final 18 Premier League games of last season.

The 23-year-old, who has been doing individual training in Germany, is not expected to go to America, with the travel involved in the trip not going to be beneficial to his recovery.

His return to action will be managed with caution, and he will likely miss the start of the new season.

There will be opportunities, too, for some of West Ham's younger players, with Potter keen to take a look at George Earthy and Freddie Potts, who impressed on loan at Bristol City and Portsmouth respectively last season.

The club are not currently considering loan moves for the pair, with Potter looking to integrate them into the first-team squad.

West Ham are trying to do things a little differently under Potter.

His understated nature is reflected in the club's approach to a chaotic, Club World Cup-affected transfer window.

Wholesale, sweeping changes have too often been the order of play at West Ham.

Potter wants to build something stable and sustainable, and is willing to looking inwards for solutions.