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Journalism of Courage
Graham Potter who was sacked by West Ham United last month was on Monday given the managerial gig of an underperforming Sweden national team which has recently lost three straight World Cup qualifier games despite the presence of strikers like Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres and Liverpool’s Alexander Isak. The goal for Potter for the time being is to work his magic and help Sweden qualify for the upcoming World Cup set to take place in United States, Canada and Mexico.
“With Graham Potter, we are getting a strong and experienced leader who has been tested at the absolute highest level,” Swedish FA president Simon Åström said.
“When you’re a kid, you dream of the World Cup,” Potter said. “The opportunity to help a country that’s so close to my heart, that’s played an incredibly important role in my career and life … to have this opportunity to help and get to the World Cup is incredibly exciting,” Potter said.
This is not the first time Potter has managed in Sweden with the ex-Chelsea coach guiding Ostersund, who he coached from 2011-18, from the fourth tier to Sweden’s top division. After that, he managed in the Premier League for 6 years, first at Brighton where he made his name before taking short and unsuccessful stints at Chelsea and West Ham.
“For me, it’s very simple — there’s no talk of building or changing or philosophy or anything like this. It’s just to win games to get to the World Cup,” Potter said.
Sweden’s final World Cup qualifiers are against Switzerland and Slovenia next month. Potter will also coach Sweden in the World Cup playoffs in March, which Sweden is likely to reach by virtue of winning its most recent Nations League group. If Sweden qualifies for the World Cup, Potter will lead the team at the tournament being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Apart from Isak and Gyokeres, Sweden also boast of talents like Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall, and wingers Anthony Elanga of Newcastle and Roony Bardghji of Barcelona.
However, the team is in last place in its World Cup qualifying group on one point from four games, after successive humiliating defeats to Kosovo either side of a loss to Switzerland.
“From my experience of Swedish football, my respect of Swedish football and what I learned from Swedish football, the collective is the most important thing,” Potter said, adding: “We’ve clearly got some top players but football isn’t about the 11 best, it’s the best 11.”
(With agency inputs)
