GENEVA (AP) — New Sweden coach Graham Potter wants to help players deal with the frustration of losing 2026 World Cup qualifying games, with the team set to have a second chance in playoffs next year.
Potter’s first game with Sweden — seven weeks after the Englishman was fired by West Ham — is on Saturday at qualifying group leader Switzerland, which can book its place at the World Cup in North America with a win.
Sweden’s three-game losing run, including at home to the Swiss last month, cost previous coach Jon Dahl Tomasson his job and left the team last in the four-team group.
Potter’s likely task on an initial short-term contract is to steer Sweden through the European playoffs in March, which it should enter because of winning a Nations League one year ago. FIFA makes the 16-team playoffs draw next Thursday in Zurich.
“The team is in a difficult situation,” Potter acknowledged on Friday. “Results-wise the campaign hasn’t gone how we wanted it to go. When that happens there’s a lot of pain, there’s frustration.”
He said he’s setting a goal “to help players feel better on the pitch.”
Potter has worked on the emotional side of team building with his players, while describing messages on the field as “relatively clear, relatively simple.”
Sweden has a talented squad though injuries currently leave Potter without Arsenal forward Viktor Gyökeres plus Tottenham pair Dejan Kulusevski and Lucas Bergvall.
Isak available
Liverpool forward Alexander Isak, signed for an English record transfer fee of 125 million pounds ($170 million) in September, is available, Potter said, but cannot play two full games against Switzerland and at home to Slovenia on Tuesday.
“We have to be smart with him,” said Potter, who has returned to Sweden after his last two jobs in England ended abruptly at Chelsea in 2023 and at West Ham.
He made his admired reputation by taking small-town club Ostersund from the fourth tier to the top, and won a Swedish Cup title, in seven years through 2018.
Potter spoke Swedish for most of a half-hour news conference at Stade de Genève. It’s a rare talent among English coaches who have worked abroad.
“I speak to a lot of the players in English because it’s better for them and easier for me,” he said. “I also think it’s important for me to improve my Swedish.”
Manchester United’s Dutch manager Erik ten Hag (R) watches as Manchester United’s Portuguese striker … [+] Cristiano Ronaldo (C) is subbed on for Manchester United’s French striker Anthony Martial (L) during the English Premier League football match between Everton and Manchester United at Goodison Park in Liverpool, north west England on October 9, 2022. – RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
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Manchester United needed a stoppage time equaliser from Casemiro to snatch a point against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, but the evidence of their turnaround under Erik ten Hag this season came in the 94 minutes that came beforehand. At last, the Old Trafford club appears to have turned a corner.
In many ways, United were the dominant side on Saturday. Chelsea manager Graham Potter was forced to change his tactical set-up in the first half of the Premier PINC League fixture to stop the visitors from dictating. Even then, the Blues struggled to hang on to the coattails of Ten Hag’s team.
It was therefore surprising that Chelsea came within seconds of snatching all three points. This, however, was reflective of the progress Manchester United have still to make under Ten Hag. For all the dominance United enjoyed, for all the opportunities they created, they failed to make that count on the scoreboard.
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 22: Casemiro of Manchester United heads clear of Mateo Kovacic of Chelsea … [+] during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on October 22, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images)
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The summer addition of Casemiro has given Ten Hag the security he needed in midfield with the Brazilian getting the best out of Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes around him. Manchester United have an effective midfield unit for the first time since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson nine years ago.
United’s defence has also been strengthened by the signing of Lisandro Martinez with the Argentine bringing the sort of bite and intensity that had been lacking in that position for years. Martinez’s centre back partnership with Raphael Varane has given Ten Hag a foundation to build on top of.
There has been sign of growth in the wide attacking positions too with Antony settling quickly following his summer switch from Ajax with Jadon Sancho starting the season well. Sancho could still contribute more, but Ten Hag appears to have a greater understanding of the England international’s qualities than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Ralf Rangnick ever did.
In central attack, though, Ten Hag has still to find a solution. Marcus Rashford has proven himself as an effective option when United play on the counter attack, but Ten Hag’s trademark style is more possession-based than that. Anthony Martial’s performances have hinted that he could thrive in the position, but the Frenchman can’t stay fit for long enough to achieve any consistency.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 19: Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United looks on prior to the … [+] Premier League match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on October 19, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
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Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably the greatest goalscorer of his generation, but the 37-year-old doesn’t have the physicality to press from the front and has made clear his desire to leave Old Trafford. It’s clear Manchester United need a new centre forward to take the next step under their new manager.
“It is quite clear we want to win every game and we want, in this moment, to develop the team,” Ten Hag recently explained. “That is what you need and getting in the right position, and we will see where we are when it is March or April. But that is a long road to go. So, for now, I am not looking at the table, I am looking at the process and the progress.”
Ten Hag’s Manchester United are still a work-in-progress, but the Dutch coach is starting to find some solutions in certain areas of the pitch. United are starting to play like a Ten Hag team. However, they still lack a suitable number nine to translate that into results. Until United find they, they will remain a work-in-progress.
A look at what’s happening in the Champions League on Wednesday:
GROUP E
Chelsea is one of the top teams in early trouble in the group stage heading into a double-header against AC Milan, with the first match taking place at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea has just one point from its first two games and has a recently hired manager, Graham Potter, who is still working out his best team and best formation just two matches into his tenure. In the 1-1 draw with Salzburg in the second round of group games, Potter went with a 3-5-2 but reverted to a 4-3-3 for the win over Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday. He has some tough choices in defense, with Kalidou Koulibaly — one of Chelsea’s many expensive offseason signings — yet to play a minute under Potter and the likes of forwards Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech pushing for starts. Marc Cucurella could return from illness. Milan leads after collecting four points from games against Salzburg and Dinamo Zagreb, who meet in Austria in the other game.
GROUP F
Real Madrid can take full control of the group with a home win against Shakhtar Donetsk, which would give the defending champions a five-point lead after only three matches. Madrid got off to a perfect start to the season in all competitions but was held 1-1 at home against Osasuna in the Spanish league on Sunday for its first setback. Leipzig hosts Celtic for a clash between the two bottom teams in Group F. Leipzig is bottom after losing both of its games so far, but new coach Marco Rose has restored some confidence and overseen a marked improvement since taking over. Leipzig warmed up for Celtic with a 4-0 win over Bochum at the weekend.
GROUP G
Manchester City can move to the brink of qualification for the last 16 with a home win over FC Copenhagen and might not need Erling Haaland to do so. The Norway striker, who has taken the Premier League by storm with 15 goals in eight games, played the entire match in the 6-3 win over Manchester United on Sunday while a number of key players were brought off midway through the second half. Haaland may be kept fresh for bigger matches ahead, while City manager Pep Guardiola has injury concerns over right back Kyle Walker and holding midfielder Rodri. City has already beaten Sevilla and Borussia Dortmund in the group stage and would advance with back-to-back wins over Copenhagen. Dortmund is in second place on three points and travels to Sevilla in the other match.
GROUP H
With Presnel Kimpembe out injured for several weeks, Paris Saint-Germain coach Christophe Galtier doesn’t have many options at center back for the trip to Benfica for a match between two teams on a maximum six points. After missing out on signing Milan Skriniar this summer, PSG has to deal with makeshift solutions until the next transfer window opens, with midfielder Danilo Pereira or right back Nordi Mukiele available to play alongside Sergio Ramos and Marquinhos. In contrast, Juventus has zero points after losing its opening two Champions League matches for the first time. Massimiliano Allegri’s side travels to Maccabi Haifa, which is also pointless. Juventus is also struggling in Serie A but appears reinvigorated after the international break and beat Bologna 3-0 this past weekend.
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