Jason Levien has spoken to Wales On Line and we have briefly looked at some of his responses and statements as he and Steve Kaplan leave the club. It’s all a part of the leaving party, just as an invisible burning effigy floats over Mumbles heading towards the Atlantic.

We can draw a few points from this departure.

The first is there is clearly no ‘Shaddap You Face’ agreement in place, Levien, quick to bolster his departure with some clear omissions within his final words. The caveat there is we don’t believe they will be final, in fact anything but. His departure with soulmate Kaplan has numerous caveats, the ten million pounds a year for every season in the Premier League up until 2035 is one. To a maximum of forty million pounds of course. We enjoyed our time on the run up to this move becoming general news, and we are aware of two other quite eyebrow raising agreements, and they will come out in time. For now, we protect what we know and from whom (s) it comes from.

But it is still a time for a cautious analytical approach to what is being said. There has already been some statements made which should signal that caution. Appointments to the board are known but still not cast in stone, the announcement of Tyler Morse is one thing, getting that to a point of recognition is another. He brings valuable expertise and considerable wealth to the ‘new era’ that is referred to. Brett Cravatt and Jason Cohen work in tandem now within the club and outside, their contribution to these lengthy discussions that went on for some months cannot be underestimated. Anyone who has done business with Jason Levien, or has had first hand experience of him in what he perceives to be a ruthless game of oneupmanship will testify it’s like finding your footing on a wobbly jelly.

I know one person who now hates the Bowie song ‘Changes’ purely down to what always happened after any form of meeting with the American. That said, there cannot be any disputing his ‘Columbo’ style reaction to any last minute goodbye. ‘Just one more question sir’ and a scratch of the head. Regardless of what he said in the ‘WOL’ feature it was really more about what he didn’t say. No thanks towards anyone left from the partnership split which Swans Chairman Andrew Coleman had no choice in bringing to the fore this year. Otherwise the Swans would eventually be swallowed up in League one obscurity. It was coming you can be sure of that. The energy I now sense from the Chairman is pretty palpable.

We intend to talk again soon.

Of course, all was not well. Levien and Kaplan saw ‘gold in them there hills’ when they lumped together a majority shareholding at the club eight years ago. Huw Jenkins, then Chairmen was in his ‘can do no wrong’ phase as the inevitable we all could see happening eventually saw the club on the rocks. That first season back in the Championship held tremendous debt from what went on before. A debt that we can say now terrified the hierarchy at the club. So much so, with contracts making two players millionaires every three months, the investment made wasn’t so much recovered but stopped. Just seven million pounds handed to new boy, Graham Potter, and that money didn’t go too far, and where it did go was questionable.

Water under the bridge maybe, but it was fast flowing and at that point in the Swans history it needed some ruthless decision making to save the club. Yes, the investment was insufficient by a country mile, and that was the first sign Swansea City fans saw a tightening of the purse strings. A strategy which really never went away. We all saw that downward trend. And of course we all saw some remarkably odd decisions snatching away a season from Steve Cooper when all he wanted was a final shot at the Premier League.

A huge crossroads that possibly goes down as the worst decision that Levien and Kaplan made. Cooper went on and proved his point, as did Russell Martin, regardless of your thoughts. Of course when we read Levien’s version of his relationship with the Supporters Trust it does come across as simply that, a version. "We spent years mending and building the relationship with the supporters' trust that was damaged badly when we arrived. Stabilising that and finding a working relationship and resolution that ensures permanent shareholding for the trust in the club moving forward was critical in positioning the club for the future” Well, that was some years later, before that the trust as it was almost caved in on itself unable to deal with the constant changing of agreements which mentally had an affect on a few. Phil Sumbler then trust Chairman had to walk away, something he won’t mind me saying, the fans accusing the trust of freebies when all they wanted in Phil’s case was to sit with his mates in the East Stand. Faceless criticism from people who do nothing but complain and expect others to do the hard work.

Clealry seen as meddlers, the trust were cast aside, and some would say even before the agreements were in place for Levien and Kaplan to take a major hold on Swansea City. That cloud still remains, and it forever will. The many versions exaggerated with a wink towards my own belief that people on both sides need to be aware that when you say one thing, it has to be constant. It has to be right. I’ve heard numerous exaggerations from all sides, but then I’m told isn’t that what people do ?

Exaggerate. Or maybe protecting what they had in a sea they just didn’t want to be in ?

Personally when I read of the club being left in a better place than when Levien and Kaplan came in there has to be a wry smile. Levien states, “It's a bittersweet moment passing the controlling ownership over to Brett and Jason. After nine years, Swansea has a special place in our hearts. We certainly feel we are leaving the club in an overall better place than which we found it in upon our arrival” Well, If he is referencing those now involved, and he doesn’t mention other new investors just Jason Cohen and Brett Cravatt, and their ‘millions’ then yes they have left the club in a better place. A better place most certainly without them. Financially that’s the question, you cannot compare this club now with its status in 2016. That isn’t better, and can you really state the squad roll call in pounds, shillings and pence back then is the same as today ?

The thing is there are many ways an ex owner can claim betterment, but it won’t be the fans view.

Levien’s final swipe at Coleman came when he emphasised that Cravatt and Cohen were now the controlling partners, not Coleman. Now, some knew that already, but you sense a bitterness there because after all it was Coleman that drove this mission. It was he who collected together enough allies and money to oust Levein and Kaplan. And truly ? If the club was in a better state compared to 2016, then surely they were on the tip of something great ? Not claiming back their millions of losses over time in a hopeful agreement of Swansea City gaining promotion.

Sometimes it is best to sit back and watch the touch paper burn for a while, soak up the guttersnipes and comfortably relax as the things you know will happen actually do happen. Weighing up the moves that you know and analysing the ones you expect to occur. What we have now is the ‘potential’ for everyone making decisions at the club to be financially stable, and in some cases a lot more than that. We shouldn’t of course discount the profit and sustainability rules, as the Swans have worked hard to prevent further losses this past year. That was reported within these pages as a serious attempt to make the club look more desirable. It was blatantly obvious and for me personally was the first indicator things were happening. And it worked, some club business was sent back stage, but they shouldn’t now. News is coming on a possible new investor, and hopefully some positive news on players contracts.

I’m going to say this now, he may well be the loudest man in the room at times, and Andrew Coleman can be that man. However, for his strategy and dealings over the past eighteen months (say what you like) and especially since the early summer he’s played an absolute blinder. Talk of European football is resurfacing, but in the wrong way and by the wrong route. Surely now if there is so much to be done, and we are certain it will be tried. Then just get promoted to the Premier League and do it properly.

We have witnessed that before. With no back door key.

Artwork by Swansea Independent

Boundy added 09:51 - Nov 26 Excellent read , thanks
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ReslovenSwan1 added 12:24 - Nov 26 The Trust are not good for Swansea city. Their " cunning plan" was to cripple the club and give big money to their funders from over the dyke. All voted for by the dozy members. Bonkers.
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