Jon Dahl Tomasson Under Pressure: Can Sweden's Coach Bounce Back?
Sweden coach Jon Dahl Tomasson faces intense scrutiny after his team's 2-0 loss to Switzerland. Will he lead the team against Kosovo?
“As a coach, you can't sleep, it's a long night after a loss...”
Swedish football fans and pundits have been vocal about their discontent with national team coach Jon Dahl Tomasson, especially after Friday's 2-0 loss to Switzerland. Sections of the Swedish support booed him off the field at the Strawberry Arena, and there's growing pressure on him to step down.
A loss wouldn't mathematically eliminate Sweden's World Cup hopes, but the odds of overcoming the deficit would be extremely low. Despite this, coach Jon Dahl Tomasson remains unfazed, saying the pressure comes with the territory.
Tomasson acknowledged the stakes, but emphasized that his team is focused on the present moment. “We can't control what happens in other games,” he said. “Our focus is on securing a positive result against Sweden."
“As a coach, you can't sleep, it's a long night after a loss, but then you think about the next match. There's always pressure, but it's football.”
The coach acknowledged the fans' frustration, recognizing that high expectations often lead to intense emotions, especially after a tough loss. He emphasized the team's focus on the upcoming match and their determination to bounce back.
“I understand that the fans are disappointed. Football is emotions and the audience wants the best for us. It's also black or white. You have to handle it.”
Sweden sits at the bottom of Group C with just one point from three matches, earned through a draw with Slovenia in September. Kosovo is in second place with four points, while Switzerland tops the group with a perfect record of three wins from three matches, having not conceded a single goal.
Matchdagspromenad i Göteborg ☀️🚶♂️ pic.twitter.com/7eo3uEWtjQ
— Svensk Fotboll (@svenskfotboll) October 13, 2025
Sweden's star strikers, Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres, have yet to score in the qualification campaign. Both players faced the media scrutiny and took responsibility for their lack of goals, acknowledging the pressure and expectations surrounding their performances.
“We players are clear and self-critical after matches where we don't win or perform well. I only hear players talking about that we haven't done enough good things. We look at ourselves in the mirror,” said Isak.
Viktor Gyokeres emphasized that the team's struggles are a collective issue, and it's up to the players to step up and perform. He refused to criticize the coach's style, instead focusing on the team's responsibility to deliver results.
“In some of the matches, we haven't solved situations well enough and then I don't think it's about the way we play.”
Liverpool's Isak echoed those sentiments, “I believe in the playing idea of being offensive is the right way, but you can have two thoughts in your head at the same time. We can be dissatisfied with the results, but it does not necessarily mean that everything is wrong,” he outlined.
Viktor Gyökeres remains confident in Sweden's playing style, pointing to their recent success before this campaign. The team had won eight of their last 10 games and gained promotion in the UEFA Nations League, which suggests their approach can be effective. Gyökeres believes they just need to get back to that form.
“We saw last autumn that it worked. We created a lot and scored many goals.”
“We still have three matches left and we have to make sure to do it right and win those matches,” he added.
Upcoming Match
Sweden is set to face Kosovo tonight at Gamla Ullevi in Gothenburg, with a chance to avenge their surprise 2-0 defeat in Pristina last month. The match kicks off at 18:45 UTC, and fans can catch the live action on TNT Sports. Will Sweden bounce back under Tomasson's leadership?
𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗗𝗔𝗚
— Svensk Fotboll (@svenskfotboll) October 13, 2025
🆚 Kosovo 🇽🇰
🏆 VM-kval
🏟 Ullevi
⏱ 20.45
📺 Viaplay Sport pic.twitter.com/zWRfz8hkTC
Sweden's predicted lineup features top players like Viktor Gyökeres and Alexander Isak, who will likely lead the charge against Kosovo. Kosovo, meanwhile, boasts talent like Vedat Muriqi and Albion Rrahmani, who will aim to cause an upset against the Swedes.
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