From Chelsea Blues To Swedish Gold: Graham Potter Lands National Team Job

Last Updated:October 20, 2025, 14:25 IST

Graham Potter is named Sweden head coach after Jon Dahl Tomasson’s exit, aiming to revive World Cup hopes with stars Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres in key qualifiers.

Graham Potter (X)

The Swedish Football Association has appointed former Chelsea and West Ham boss Graham Potter as head coach of the national team, following the dismissal of Jon Dahl Tomasson after a disastrous World Cup qualifying campaign.

Tomasson was sacked on October 14 after Sweden managed just one point from four matches, including three consecutive defeats, leaving them rooted to the bottom of Group B in qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

A Return to Familiar Ground

For Potter, 50, the move marks a return to a country where his managerial career first took off. Between 2011 and 2018, he transformed Östersunds FK from a fourth-division side into an Allsvenskan club that even reached the Europa League knockout stages.

“I am very humble facing this assignment, but also incredibly inspired," Potter said in a statement released by the Swedish FA. “Sweden has fantastic players who deliver week after week in the world’s best leagues."

Mission: Rescue Sweden’s World Cup Hopes

Potter’s immediate task will be to reignite a Swedish side that has failed to score in its last three qualifiers, despite boasting attacking stars Alexander Isak of Liverpool and Viktor Gyökeres of Arsenal.

The Swedish FA said Potter’s contract will cover the current qualifying campaign, including crucial fixtures against Switzerland and Slovenia in November, and a potential playoff in March. The deal will automatically extend through the 2026 World Cup finals if Sweden secures qualification.

“The goal is to create the optimal conditions to reach the World Cup in the summer of 2026," the FA said in its announcement.

Potter’s Road Back

Once hailed as one of England’s brightest coaching minds, Potter has endured a rocky spell in recent years. After earning plaudits for his tactical innovation at Brighton, he struggled to replicate that success at Chelsea, where he was dismissed in April 2023, and later endured a difficult nine-month tenure at West Ham, ending in September 2025.

(with AFP inputs)

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

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