Graham Potter named Sweden head coach on short-term deal

Graham Potter has been appointed head coach of Sweden on a short term contract, the Swedish Football Association said on Monday, as the country seeks to revive a faltering campaign to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The 50 year old Englishman will take charge for November qualifiers against Switzerland and Slovenia and, if Sweden progress, the March playoff phase, with the deal set to extend automatically should the team secure a place at the finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Swedish FA said the appointment follows the dismissal of Jon Dahl Tomasson on October 14 after Sweden took just one point from their opening four qualifying matches and suffered a 1-0 defeat to Kosovo that left automatic qualification out of reach. Sweden sit bottom of Group B behind Switzerland, Kosovo and Slovenia and have not scored in their last three matches. The association described Potter’s remit as creating “optimal conditions” to reach the World Cup.

Potter, who was sacked by West Ham in September after a brief spell in charge, returns to a national setup he knows. He coached Ostersund in Sweden from 2011 to 2018, a period that included promotion to the country’s top league and...