Graham Potter allowed himself to daydream that his first game in charge of Albion would be like this.

That all would go to plan and his team would sweep to a stylish away win.

Just like the 3-0 win at Watford with which his team opened the season.

The ‘as-live’ interview with Gary Lineker to be screened on Match Of The Day five hours later might not have figured in that daydream.

(Actually, the scale of the post-match media requirements for a Premier League boss seemed to be taking him by surprise as he went from interview to interview).

He might not have gone into too many details as he thought those nice thoughts.

But he briefly allowed himself to envisage a perfect day in the run-up to Watford. And then he snapped out of it. Quickly.

There was too much work to do, too much serious stuff to think about.

And, anyway, football can come back to bite you if you drop your guard.

The Argus:

While his chairman Tony Bloom speaks of himself as an optimist, Potter is a bit different.

He’s a pessimist, he admitted after the 3-0 success over Watford. Feet on the ground, be wary of the worst.

But also have a quiet, unshakeable confidence in what you are doing and a bit of bravery in the way you play.

Those will not be a bad attributes to have in the coming week when excitement and expectation outside the camp will start to rise on the basis of, mainly, what we saw on Saturday but also performances towards the end of pre-season.

“You don’t want to think too much about that,” he replied when asked whether he allowed himself to envisage such a successful first match.

“I’m a pessimist anyway, so I don’t think too positively. It’s in my nature.

“You may have a bit of a daydream, and think about how it could go well, but then you have to quickly get that out of the way.”

This was some way to open a new era and some turn around on the previous season.

A year earlier, Albion started their season with spirits quite high as they went to Vicarage Road.

By contrast, Watford were being widely tipped to struggle.

But the hosts looked a class above as they won 2-0 on their way to a flying start of 12 points from 12.

Albion will be the ones hoping to surprise a few people this year although Potter does not see it that way.

He said: “It’s not our business to worry about what people from the outside say or predict. That’s part of football, part of the industry.

“We just have to focus on our jobs, on our work.

“The players have been doing that, certainly since I have been here.

“They’ve done it to the best of their ability with their application and attitude.

“Their response to how we want to work has been fantastic.

“It worked perfect today. We scored three goals, kept a clean sheet and the players deserve credit for that.”

The credit Potter will receive is for coming up with a plan which best suits those under his command and the handful of additions the club have made.

He is at pains to point out that he is building on a strong base.

The XI who started at Watford were all on board last season, all part of a team who did not enjoy a win from early March onwards.

They have been asked to adapt to a new set-up. Reinvent themselves in the case of, for example, Solly March and Shane Duffy.

Or go back to a role they knew well and played to a high level before arriving at the Amex in the case of, for example, Martin Montoya and Jurgen Locadia.

If the plan brings them afternoons like this, they will buy into it.

Potter said: “Results help. If you don’t get results in my profession, then it is hard to convince people.

“Of course it helps. This was a good day. I’m sure there will be days that aren’t so good, or the result won’t be as positive.

“We just have to understand that will be part of the process and try to improve.

“That’s where we’re at. We’re at the start, but it’s been a good start.”

The process includes a team-building activity on Tuesday which was being kept under wraps on Saturday evening.

All Potter would reveal was it is not dependent on the weather.

He said: “They know there is something happening in the afternoon, and that’s it.

“So far it has always been about the football, and working with the group, seeing how they are, how they are every day.

“Their characters are fantastic. They are a real joy to work with.”

A false dawn or the start of something more sustained?

Potter will have confidence in his team ethos.

That is not daydreaming. It is belief based on the hard evidence of what he did at Ostersunds and Swansea and what he has so far developed with Albion.

But he will be wary of the false dawn scenario too, making sure he is on guard for tougher times.

It’s in his nature. And, in this league, that is no bad thing.

IT WASN’T quite Graham Potter’s debut in the Premier League.
That was pointed out to him in the post-match press conference when he was reminded of eight appearances for Southampton two decades ago.
Potter raised a laugh when he replied: “I didn’t make a particularly significant contribution to the Premier League.
“But it feels like a different life. It feels like a different person. It feels like it wasn’t me, it’s just a memory.
“Things have changed a lot since then. I’ve developed and grown as a person and I’m very grateful for the journey I’ve been on to this point.
“But it’s just about carrying on and trying to improve every day and focus on the next match.”
Potter’s big day was closely followed by the Swedish media.
And there was a reunion with his former Ostersunds player Ken Sema, who is now with Watford.
He said: “I bumped into Ken and we were just laughing. Eighteen months ago we were in Swedish football and we weren’t doing so well
“We had just come off the Europa League run but that just goes to show what can happen in football and in life.
“I was, of course, happy and proud to be here but I was more proud of the team and the supporters, the help they gave us.”