Solihull has a fine reputation for producing elite footballers.
Jack Grealish, who was born in Birmingham but raised in Solihull, is often cited as the flagship figure, but there are also the likes of Will Grigg, Zat Knight, and Sean St Ledger – each an international player in their own right.
Graham Potter, born and bred in the town, only won one England Under-21 cap. But now he has a chance of qualifying for the World Cup in 2026 as the head coach of Sweden.
Could he join Grealish as the Solihull boys on the beautiful game’s biggest stage?
Big Ambitions
You suspect the Swedes will be underdogs in their play-off semi-final clash with Ukraine.
That will be confirmed when the live betting odds are launched nearer to March 2026, when the qualification play-offs under UEFA’s jurisdiction are played. In the pre-game pricing, Ukraine just shade favouritism at 2.63 – despite the clash taking place on neutral soil in Valencia.
The Ukrainians finished a solid second behind France in Group D to book their play-off berth, but the Swedes have gone through all manner of travails in their qualification campaign.
They finished bottom of Group B behind Switzerland, Slovenia, and Sweden, collecting just two points along the way and ending their six games with a cumulative goal difference of -8.
That poor form cost Jon Dahl Tomasson his job, with Potter – a free agent after his reign at West Ham came to an end – appointed as his replacement in October.
Graham Potter is set to accept the job as Sweden head coach 🇸🇪
The former West Ham manager has been offered the role on an initial short-term basis in an attempt to boost Sweden’s faltering World Cup qualification campaign. pic.twitter.com/ucH4E4bDvV
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) October 18, 2025
Potter has previous experience in Sweden, as it was at club side Ostersund that he announced himself as a coach of the highest calibre.
The Solihull lad took them from the fourth tier of Swedish football to the elite Allsvenskan, before winning the domestic cup which saw Ostersund then qualify for the Europa League group phase – a memorable victory over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium was an undoubted highlight.
He inherits a Swedish squad big on ambition but perhaps a little light on talent, with Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres, and Victor Lindelof the standout players. But if they can get past Ukraine, they will face a play-off final against Poland or Albania… a game that Potter, and Sweden as a nation, would be hoping they can win to guide them back to the World Cup stage.
Jack’s Back?
Who knows: Potter could yet be joined at the tournament in North America by another with Solihull connections.
Jack Grealish hasn’t featured much for England since Thomas Tuchel took charge, with a galaxy of attacking talent to compete with for a place in his squads.
But the 30-year-old will have fond memories of the last World Cup, when he featured in England’s squad and scored in a 6-2 demolition of Iran.
Welcome to Everton, @JackGrealish!
— Everton (@Everton) August 12, 2025
Grealish continues to perform nicely for Everton, where he finds himself on loan from Manchester City, but the Toffees aren’t – with all due respect – a fashionable club; it can be harder for a player to force their way into the international reckoning from such a position.
But Grealish won’t give up… and he could yet force his way onto the plane.
This is a submitted article written by Ben Spencer.
