Graham Potter: Swansea City agree terms with Ostersund FK manager

Last updated on 4 June 2018.From the section Swansea98

Swansea City are set to name Englishman Graham Potter as their new manager next week after agreeing personal terms and a compensation package.

The Swans have agreed a deal with Ostersund for 43-year-old Potter and his assistant manager Billy Reid.

They have been seeking a manager since Carlos Carvalhal left following their relegation from the Premier League.

Ostersund recruitment analyst Kyle Macaulay will also move to south Wales as part of the deal.

Potter has guided Ostersund from the regional tiers in Sweden to the top-flight Allsvenskan with three promotions, winning the Swedish Cup along the way.

A statement from the Swedish club said: "The club wants to congratulate all three as they face new challenges."

Analysis

Former Swansea City player and coach Alan Curtis

"From the outset Graham was the number one choice and we are all delighted now.

"We all agree, and it was fairly apparent, that we lost our way in terms of style of play in the last couple of years but that is the difficulty when you're at the bottom end of the table.

"We kept chopping and changing managers with managers being brought in to fire fight.

"But Graham will have a good pre-season to work with the players and get his ideas over, including a lot of players who were there through the rise of the club, so they will know the style we are all looking to play.

"I am sure he will be a terrific appointment. It smacks of what we did years ago with Roberto Martinez.

"To some people he was a strange choice when he came in, while Brendan Rodgers was another one that was met with a little bit of trepidation.

"They both went onto be fantastic managers for the club."

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98 comments

Comment posted by NickC, at 16:15 4 Jun 2018
Hope this works out. Great to see new (to UK management), British talent get a chance. Give him time guys.
Comment posted by Michelle21, at 16:22 4 Jun 2018
Great to see a coach who when denied the opportunity in the UK went and cut his teeth successful overseas and now gets a great opportunity in the UK.
Comment posted by Barley, at 16:32 4 Jun 2018
Getting millionaire players to buy into the same philosophy as the mish-mash of under achieves he turned into a force to be reckoned with in Sweden will be key. His ideas work but will mean a total change of emphasis and a lot of hard work for the squad he inherits. Good luck to him but I've a feeling he will need it.
Comment posted by Lotsadogs, at 16:28 4 Jun 2018
Well done Swansea and good luck to Graham. I hope he now gets the support of Swansea fans.
Comment posted by cv96, at 16:37 4 Jun 2018
Really glad they went for him rather than these typical managers in the merry go round. Give him time to put his stamp on the club/team and im sure it will work out. Nice to see someone who has worked there way up rather than a name who hasnt achieved anything in management being handed a top job. Good luck
Comment posted by Simon, at 16:36 4 Jun 2018
Welcome to Swansea Graham!

Given the time and money I think he'll do a great job.
Comment posted by iananddebbie, at 16:15 4 Jun 2018
At last a bit of good news. Now, let's get rid of Jenkins and move forward again.
Comment posted by BoingBoingRich, at 16:22 4 Jun 2018
Funny when one club gives someone new a chance then the fear factor lifts and there is now a flood of new young talent being recruited across the board. I really liked the idea of him getting the Albion job, but once Moore had those 6 games, it felt like he was the right man for the job. Good luck to Swansea and Stoke next season! But not as much luck as us!
Comment posted by Relax and Chill, at 16:55 4 Jun 2018
Glad to see a manager who's earned his corn get a job up the ladder. The work he done is Sweden was quality
Comment posted by JimBobJr, at 16:43 4 Jun 2018
Brilliant Appointment
Comment posted by benjobd, at 17:35 4 Jun 2018
Stoke Fan Here.

I really hope this works out for you. Nice bloke and i remember him playing left back at Stoke at 21. Glad Both Us and you have taken a risk on up and coming managers. We could of ended up with McCarthy and McClaren!
Comment posted by Moggs, at 17:17 4 Jun 2018
Well done Swans' for not taking on board any of the usual suspects who are looking for another easy ride and a huge payday when they get sacked. I refer to the likes of Allardyce, Pardew, Mcclaren, et al.
Brave move by Mr. Potter, uprooting from his Swedish comfort where he is highly regarded. Hopefully, he can do a Martinez, Rodgers, Laudrup, and get The Swans' playing with style again.
Comment posted by Rhys Roberts, at 16:52 4 Jun 2018
Great appointment. The Board MUST give him time and support if he hits a sticky patch though.
Comment posted by Mordor Tourism Board, at 16:48 4 Jun 2018
Potter has spent quite a few years in Sweden and has raised a family there during that time. Ostersunds is a club very much connected to the community and I'm sure it will have been a really tough decision to move.

Most managers have ambitions and I'm sure he wanted to try himself at another club. Best of luck to him. It's going to be a tough job.
Comment posted by User0891035997, at 17:13 4 Jun 2018
Please, please, please give him time. With Potter it feels like there's a chance for football to regain a slight bit of dignity if he can show there's a new way forward. Really hope this works out.
Comment posted by footyfan94, at 00:22 5 Jun 2018
This is a guy who in 6 years took Ostersunds from the 4th Tier of Sweedish Football to 5th in the Sweedish top division and won them the Sweedish equivalent of the FA Cup, their 1st major trophy in their history, before going on to top a group including Athletic Bilbao and Hertha and then beating Arsenal away. If I was a Swansea fan I would be very excited at this appointment.
Comment posted by hammertime, at 17:26 4 Jun 2018
@25 Knavesmire

Couldn't agree more. Good luck Jacks & good luck Graham. How nice to have someone who can communicate like a normal human being instead of the clichéd cringeworthy tripe usually spoken by football sorts. Would be lovely to see you come back up playing the football that got you there in the first place.
Comment posted by Janner, at 16:20 4 Jun 2018
Very good coach.
Comment posted by CrispyClarkes, at 17:36 4 Jun 2018
Good appointment saw him tactically out do Wenger, last season
Comment posted by ValleySE7, at 17:24 4 Jun 2018
What a great appointment. All the best to Swansea