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Sweden boss Jon Dahl Tomasson has been fired after leading his side to a dismal run of form that has left its World Cup hopes hanging by a thread.
Despite starting Liverpool striker Alexander Isak and Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres against Kosovo on Monday, Sweden drew a blank as it fell to a 1-0 defeat. It was the third time in four World Cup qualifiers that Tomasson’s side had failed to score, having picked up just one point so far after also being beaten by Switzerland at the weekend.
Sweden cannot qualify directly for next year’s tournament now, and its hopes of reaching the play-offs by finishing second in its group are all but over, with its only realistic hope now lying in its Nations League finish.
As a result, Tomasson has been relieved of his duties, with the Swedish Football Association confirming the decision on Tuesday - just hours after the defeat to Kosovo.
“The decision taken by the Swedish Football Association is based on the fact that the men's national team has not delivered the results we hoped for,” SFA chairman Simon Astrom said in a statement.
“There is still a chance for a playoff in March and our responsibility is to ensure that we have the best possible conditions to be able to reach a World Cup final. In this regard, we believe that new leadership is required in the form of a new national captain.”
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Liverpool star Isak was left fuming after his side’s latest defeat, with the 26-year-old unable to kick-start his country’s qualifying campaign, despite playing the full 90 minutes on Monday.
"It's a bit of a crisis situation and that's clear," Isak said. "I don't know what we're going to do. But it's all too bad."
Sweden must now win its final two qualifiers against Switzerland and Slovenia next month, and hope Kosovo loses its remaining games if it is to have any hope of reaching the play-offs via its qualifying group.
Despite his clear frustration over his side’s current predicament, Isak refused to be drawn on his manager’s future when he spoke after their latest defeat.
"We players are so f------ dissatisfied," he said. "And as I've said before, we take a lot of responsibility ourselves.
"We look at ourselves in the mirror. And no one is approved. Not us players, not us as a team. And that of course includes the coach and everything around, but those questions [about calls for Tomasson to be fired], we don't get involved in them."
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