OFFICIAL: Sweden sacked Tomasson after disappointing WC qualification campaign

Jon Dahl Tomasson has been sacked as Sweden manager after Monday's shock 1-0 defeat by Kosovo left their World Cup hopes hanging in the balance.

The former Blackburn boss, who enjoyed spells with the likes of AC Milan and Feyenoord during an illustrious playing career, won just nine of his 18 matches in charge of the side.

Defeat to Kosovo leaves the side bottom of their four-team group, winless from four qualifying matches and Tomasson even facing questions from within his own dressing room.

According to local outlet Radiosporten, Newcastle United's Anthony Elanga, left out of both his country's qualifiers this week, expressed his discontent in the tunnel post-match and cried: 'The damn system must go.'

On Tuesday, the Swedish federation confirmed the 49-year-old has been relieved of his duties with immediate effect.

'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,' said SvFF chairman Simon Astrom.

'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.'

While the Scandinavian nation are not among the big hitters on the continent, they still boast an enviable array of Premier League stars and a frontline, consisting of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres worth close to £200m.

Sweden have a solitary point from their first four clashes in qualifying and have found the net on only two occasions while leaking a concerning seven at the back.

On Monday, a first-half goal from Fisnik Asllani proved enough to seal the victory for the visitors, who have now completed the double over Sweden and sit second in their group.

Tensions unsurprisingly well and truly boiled over in the Swedish camp in the aftermath of the disastrous defeat, with the nation now on the verge of missing out on next summer's World Cup.

Local outlet SportBladet, reported that a number of stars were thought to be losing confidence in Tomasson after the loss.

Following his reported explosive outburst, Elanga told reporters later on: 'We have worked on a system, on how we are going to play. Then it may look a little different when you are on the field. It is also us who are on the field who have to take responsibility.'

The Swedes are also believed to have been left bemused by a strange method used by their manager in the build-up to the Kosovo clash in a bid to stop information leaking to the press.

Tomasson chose to reveal his starting eleven for the fixture just one hour before kick-off in a move which Tottenham Hotspur's Lucas Bergvall questioned.

'It may have happened at some point in my career,' he said, 'it doesn't have a big impact on me but I can't speak to everyone else.'

Bergvall, who's become one of Thomas Frank's first names on the team-sheet in north London this season, was withdrawn at half-time in the defeat to Kosovo, revealing afterwards that the manager's decision was purely a tactical one.

Sweden face Switzerland and Slovenia in their final two fixtures next month, but cannot obtain automatic qualification.  They are however likely to secure a play-off place after winning their Nations League group, providing six other winners qualify by other means.

In the statement announcing Tomasson's dismissal, head of the Swedish federation Kim Kallstrom added: 'We have a group of players that we believe in very much and want to create new opportunities for them to deliver.

'We have faith that this team can make it to the World Cup if the chance for the playoffs is there in March. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Jon for this period.

'Jon has been professional in his relationship with the players, the leaders in the national team staff and with SvFF. It is always sad to go our separate ways, but football is results-based and we have reached a point where results are not enough.'