Graham Potter's journey from last-chance saloon to World Cup redemption

Graham Potter has extended his contract with Sweden until 2030.

Published 7 hours ago

When Graham Potter arrived at Sweden's training session last week wearing a Stetson, it was a lighthearted way to embrace the World Cup spirit as they geared up for the tournament in Texas.

Some might have joked that the cowboy hat was appropriate for a manager who might have been running out of chances, having been fired from two consecutive jobs that lasted a combined 15 months.

But at Estadio Monterrey in Mexico, Potter's team demonstrated they are serious about this competition, following their head coach's playful training antics.

A clinical Sweden side netted five goals against Tunisia, tearing apart their Group F opponents.

For a manager dismissed by West Ham in September after a failed spell at Chelsea, few would have predicted he would be guiding a nation to a winning start at the World Cup this summer.

"You never know, that's the truth," Potter said after the 5-1 victory. "You never know how things are going to pan out. We were optimistic because we had faith in our preparation.

"But you don't know for sure until the game is played. That's the beauty of sport. We're thrilled with how we performed tonight, and it's an excellent start for us."

The five goals they scored against Tunisia exceeded the four they managed in the entire group stage of their qualifying campaign, which was largely overseen by Potter's predecessor, Jon Dahl Tomasson.

Under the Dane, Sweden's hopes of automatic World Cup qualification from their group became unattainable.

After his departure, Potter was appointed Sweden boss in October, but the damage was already done, and he could not prevent them from finishing at the bottom of the group behind Switzerland, Kosovo, and Slovenia without a single win in six matches.

However, they secured a spot in the play-off path thanks to their Uefa Nations League ranking (34).

That gave Potter the opportunity to lead Sweden to the World Cup while also proving to his doubters that he still possesses the ability to deliver on the big stage.

They defeated Ukraine and Poland in those play-offs to reach the tournament, and now, after this rout of Tunisia, they will feel confident about advancing to the knockout stages.

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Gyokeres and Isak score as Sweden put five past Tunisia

This was not part of Potter's original plan, of course. He started the season as West Ham head coach but was dismissed in late September.

Potter had won only six of his 23 Premier League matches in charge of the Hammers. It followed a disappointing stint at Chelsea, where the role seemed too demanding for him after his impressive work at Brighton.

The Solihull-born coach had become irritable with the media during his time in England in high-pressure roles.

But he appears refreshed and rejuvenated in the Sweden job. He is back in the country where he truly honed his managerial skills, taking Ostersunds FK from the fourth tier to the top flight, winning the domestic cup, and guiding them into their first European campaign.

That is why, before the tournament, he told BBC Sport about how he feels Swedish.

"I feel very Swedish when I'm working," he said. "I even look a bit Swedish. Two of my children were born in Sweden. I had seven unforgettable years at Ostersunds, with memories that will stay with me for life.

"I came from the fourth tier of Swedish football, which is quite low, and worked my way up through the system to the Allsvenskan.

"You almost become Swedish in a coaching sense because of the experiences you have. I think it has definitely helped.

"Now I'm working for the Swedish FA as head coach of the national team, so I feel very Swedish."

On his Instagram account, Potter has shared images of himself exploring the country's natural landscapes with his family, reading Nordic literature, and participating in cultural events.

Yet he has clearly not only been a tourist but has also worked hard to prepare his team for this tournament, and they could not have started better.

Sweden's five goals against Tunisia are their second-most in a World Cup match, behind an 8-0 victory over Cuba in the 1938 quarter-final.

The return to full fitness of Liverpool striker Alexander Isak is undoubtedly a major positive, and how the £125m player linked up with Arsenal forward Viktor Gyokeres will be a delight for Potter to see.

The pair assisted each other for their goals, which will please their manager.

That is an expensive yet formidable attack for the country back on international football's biggest stage after missing the 2022 tournament in Qatar, and they can cause problems for any nation if they are in form.

Potter must blend the rest of the squad together, and given that only Victor Lindelof has played in this competition before—goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt was an unused substitute in Russia in 2018—they will need guidance if they are to defy the odds and go further than many expect.

But given this format, they are already well-positioned to reach the last 32.

Of course, tougher tests than Tunisia, ranked 56th in the world, lie ahead. That will come against the Netherlands on Saturday (18:00 BST).

"We just focus on what we can do, we focus on our performances," Potter added in his post-match press conference.

"It doesn't matter what people think from the outside or their opinions.

"That's the beauty of the World Cup—everyone has predictions and forecasts, but we have to focus on our job and how we play as a team.

"We will meet another top team at the weekend who are one of the favourites for the competition."

Sweden's best performance in this tournament came 68 years ago, when as hosts they finished as runners-up to a Pele-inspired Brazil.

The manager of that 1958 team was another Englishman, George Raynor.

Sweden finished third in 1994 when the competition was staged in the USA.

Good omens for Potter? It is certainly looking more positive for the cowboy hat-wearing manager.