3 hours ago When Graham Potter strode retired to Sweden grooming past week donning a Stetson, it was a spot of amusive to get into the World Cup temper arsenic they prepared for the tourney successful Texas.
Some mightiness person quipped that the cowboy chapeau was fitting for a manager who was possibly drinking successful last-chance saloon pursuing back-to-back sackings successful his erstwhile jobs lasting a combined 15 months.
But astatine Estadio Monterrey successful Mexico, Potter's broadside showed they mean concern successful this contention aft the amusive astatine grooming from their caput coach.
A ruthless Sweden broadside stuck 5 past Tunisia arsenic they tore their Group F rivals apart.
For a manager who was dismissed by West Ham successful September aft failing astatine Chelsea earlier that, few would person expected him to beryllium steering a federation to a winning commencement successful the World Cup this summer.
"You ne'er know, that's the truth," said Potter aft the 5-1 win. "You ne'er cognize however things are going to go. We were optimistic due to the fact that we felt assured successful the work.
"But until the crippled is played you don't cognize for sure. That's the quality of sport. We are delighted with however we performed contiguous and it's a large commencement for us."
The 5 goals they scored against Tunisia was much than the 4 they scored successful the full radical signifier of their qualifying run - mostly overseen by Potter's predecessor Jon Dahl Tomasson.
It was nether the Dane that Sweden's hopes of automatic World Cup qualification from their radical became impossible.
After his dismissal, Potter was appointed Sweden brag backmost successful October but the harm was done and helium could not halt them finishing bottommost of the radical down Switzerland, Kosovo and Slovenia without a azygous triumph successful six games.
However, they reached the play-off way courtesy of their Uefa Nations League ranking (34).
That gave Potter the accidental to assistance Sweden to the World Cup but besides amusement those doubting his managerial credentials that helium inactive has what it takes to present connected the large stage.
They bushed Ukraine and Poland to get to this tourney successful those play-offs and now, aft this thrashing of Tunisia, they volition beryllium assured of progressing to the knockout stages.
English (US)·