"Incredibly tough decisions to make when selecting a team for the World Cup. It's not something I take lightly. As a person, as a father, I know how tough it is to leave someone out. It's nothing personal, but I have to make decisions and I try to do it as respectfully as possible," he says.
Kulusevski was dropped due to injury. Hugo Larsson - at least officially - got the short end of the stick in a competitive situation. Potter had a harder time justifying the decision not to bring in the new Spanish league champion Roony Bardghji.
Experience important
He pointed out the importance of bringing experience to what he hopes will be a long football championship.
There, Barcelona's young star partly fell away in the fierce competition for the 26 seats on the chartered plane that takes off for Dallas on National Day.
Potter pointed out several times during the 40-minute press conference that he places great importance on group dynamics, player flexibility and, not least, personality and character.
A championship like the World Cup is different from a normal ten-day gathering. The players come in and then go home. You can be away for two months, be away from your family. How do you act? How are you? It's important how we handle it together.
Personality and energy
Ken Sema, 32, did not make the playoff squad, but made it to the World Cup squad.
It was a tough decision last time with Ken. In a championship, I think you need Ken's experience, his age and what he's been through. He had to deal with the situation in 2018 (not being selected for the World Cup in Russia). He brings his personality and his energy to the group and that's really valuable, says Potter.
He has a similar view of Alexander Bernhardsson.
He is flexible and has incredible charisma. He can understand his role in the team. A stable person.
Potter has the utmost respect for the fact that not everyone thinks the same way as he does. He sees this as an expression of the enormous interest in the national team and the upcoming World Cup summer.
Is it the best eleven or the best eleven players, is it the best 26-man squad or the best 26 players? Right or wrong, but my job is to pick the squad I believe in and I'm happy with these 26 players. It's been an exciting process to come up with, says Graham Potter.
