Graham Potter: Ostersunds boss fires up Roy Hodgson comparison

The most successful English manager working abroad today tells Chris Evans how his unusual team-building exercises have paid off in Sweden – where the England head coach first made his name

(Getty Images)

The walls of Graham Potter’s office are bare. There are no pictures of past successes or any hint of the inspirational mottos that normally adorn a football manager’s inner sanctum.

A scattering of family photos and a TV are all that decorate his desk in a compact working space that brims full of ideas rather than relics. But that’s all about to change. Five years after taking his first managerial post at Östersunds FK – a provincial club closeted away in the secluded Jämtland region of northern Sweden – the former England Under-21 full-back is finally ready to fill the blank space.

After winning their third promotion since Potter took the reins in 2011, Östersunds have earned a place in next season’s Allsvenskan, Sweden’s top flight. It is just two years after they embarked on their maiden campaign in the second tier.

“It’s the biggest sporting achievement that’s ever happened in Östersund,” says Potter, who turned out for Birmingham City and Stoke City during a 13-year playing career in the Football League. “When I started, we got attendances of 500 – now we’re getting 6,400 sell-outs, and next year we’ll be playing Gothenburg and Malmö, who have been in the Champions League. It’s some difference to where we were five years ago.

Graham Potter playing for York City in 2000 (Getty Images)

“It’s good to show that it’s possible. You hear a lot of people in the area saying they never thought they’d see us in the top flight, and a team based so north and inland has never been in Allsvenskan before. It’s been an incredible journey.”

This is not the story of a nouveau-riche club rising through the ranks. Potter has had to carefully assemble a patchwork of players from across the globe – from Nigeria and Comoros, to the United States, Bosnia and countless others.

Based in a remote location that can see bitter winter temperatures dip so low that cars can drive across some areas of the great Lake Storsjön that surrounds the area, Östersunds isn’t a club for everybody. Potter knows only certain personalities will thrive in the city, which is known by locals as the Vinterstaden (“Winter City”), so getting recruitment and the culture right is even more important.

“We get described as exotic over here,” jokes Potter. “That’s just the nature of the place though because there are less than 50,000 people here. We spend a lot of time and resources on making players feel comfortable in this environment. After all, players play football for a couple of hours a day and are human beings the rest of the time.

“From a football and person perspective, it’s about learning, trying to improve and making a difference in this small part of the world. If players are open minded enough, it’s a really good opportunity.”

The approach is working. Alongside the promotions, Potter and his coaching staff have helped several players take their next step to stardom, with Swansea City striker Modou Barrow and Ghana international David Accam the most notable alumni.

Whoever they are or wherever they may go, one thing’s for sure: no player will escape Östersunds’ notorious social activities.

Hodgson had numerous spells in Scandanavia

To integrate players into the small Swedish community, Potter and his squad take part in annual events that you wouldn’t normally associate with professional footballers.There was the Östersunds’ play that saw players dress up in everything from kilts to cow costumes, an art exhibition made up of players’ masterpieces and a dance show for fans.

“It’s all about developing the players as humans,” explains Potter. “We want to challenge them and get them to experience different aspects of culture. We do stuff as people and not just footballers – I’m proud to be part of it. I’m not sure how well the activities would go down in England though.”

Although Potter is the only English manager currently plying his trade in the Swedish league, he is following in the footsteps of a more well-known countryman who trod a similar path, Roy Hodgson.

The England manager is still remembered fondly in Sweden, where he started his illustrious career with the likes of Halmstads and Orebro. However, Potter believes any parallels between the two are far too premature.

“Hodgson is an inspiration in terms of how he started his career and what he’s done. His influence in Sweden is enormous,” Potter adds. “Everybody speaks very highly of him, so I’m embarrassed that my name is mentioned in the same breath.

“He’s someone I look up to very highly as an English coach working abroad. He’s a legend and I’m just a guy working in the north of Sweden.

“Being England manager one day is a million, trillion miles away from my thoughts. I have a long way to go before I’m anywhere near that.”

If he carries on along Hodgson’s trajectory though, Potter may soon find he’s running out of space on his office walls.

--

Flying the flag - Brits Abroad

Phil Neville Former Manchester United and Everton midfielder, who worked as a coach under David Moyes at United, is now Valencia’s assistant manager.

Gary White Since retiring from a modest playing career, White has managed the British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, and is now in charge of Guam.

Ian Ferguson Former Rangers midfielder managed Australian club Perth Glory from 2010–2013. After being sacked he initially struggled for work – even taking a job as a beach cleaner – before being hired by Australian semi-professional club Northern Fury.

Carl Robinson Former Wales international is MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps’ head coach, after initially joining as assistant coach.