What Graham Potter meant by ‘Hawaii football’ after Chelsea’s victory over Leeds

Graham Potter oversaw his first Chelsea victory in seven matches following a 1-0 home win over Leeds United in the Premier League on Saturday. 

Speaking after the match, Potter deployed the phrase “Hawaii football”.  

So what did Potter actually mean when he said it, The Athletic explains…

What did Potter say after the match? 

“We wanted to score the second goal but, at the same time, it was a game against one of the best teams in terms of high intensity in the Premier League. 

“So if the game becomes Hawaii football, up and down, then it can be a challenge. The boys stuck at it and the crowd were great. They want us to do well and win with more comfort. We all want that. But given the moment we’re in, it’s not so easy to do. But the boys gave everything today.”

What is Hawaii football?

In the football journalist Tom Williams’ book Do You Speak Football? the term is listed as a Norwegian word — hawaiifotball — to mean “chaotic, disorganised football”. It is possible that Potter picked up the term over the border in Ostersund, Sweden, where he made his name as a coach between 2011 and 2018.

The most common understanding of the term indicates that both teams in a match get many chances in front of goal, which makes it hard to predict the outcome or scoreline. 

So, what did Graham Potter mean by Hawaii football?

In the context he has given, Potter most likely used the term “Hawaii football” to describe the difficulties Chelsea would have faced had the game become chaotic. 

Potter referred to Leeds as “one of the best teams in terms of high intensity in the Premier League,” so using “Hawaii football” in the context he gave makes sense.

(Photo: Getty Images)