A twenty five minute call to Swansea City Chairman this week has resulted in some disclosures we feel happy to report via Swansea Independent this weekend. A respected source has spoken to us as well.

First of all this is not a character assassination on the Swans Chairman, and it most certainly isn’t a personal attack, so we have to make that clear.

There are rumours that the club is up for sale / or there will be new investment. Well, first of all the club are always open to new investment and every club has a sale value. However, Coleman has now stated that ‘You will have to ask Jason or Steve, ( part of the majority ownership extended group) I have no idea” We have to question this as the talk went on to ask if there is going to be an end to him being Chairman at the club ?

Is there a time when he envisages leaving ?

The Swans Chairman wasn’t happy with that question. He responded that he had put an excessive amount of money into the club, he didn’t want to disrupt his children’s education and had no plans to leave Swansea. The only question that comes out of this has to be, if he has put millions into the club, why is he stating that Jason Levien or Steve Kaplan are the people speak to ? It has long been a coverall statement of Andrew Coleman that he is in charge and makes all the decisions. So why doesn’t he know anything about what seems to be an ever growing belief there are changes ahead ?

We understand why he would say this, but deflecting questions to the USA really does raise eyebrows. To us that says, yes there is something happening, but when or with whom is difficult at this moment in time to state. But we won’t be far away as time progresses. Let us be clear, your house is either up for sale or it isn’t.

Certain what’s app groups we have sight of insist that there will be changes this or next week. Well, nobody has told the Chairman it seems. He did respond by saying ‘How long will this all take if this is going to happen, two months three months ?’ He again, as he does often stated don’t believe social media. Well, it’s not on social media, many who form these what’s app groups have poor security and their desire to undermine websites, people or anything they don’t agree with - they prefer to disclose in that they think are private groups. That just doesn’t work.

The club has worked tirelessly to reduce outgoings, we can see that with lowering contracts, or in the case of Ben Cabango and Harry Darling no progression on them remaining at the club. Coleman has stated to us that ‘Talks are continuing and do so most days’ He refused to answer the question on if the club could afford to retain those particular players. He just reiterated that constant dialogue with ‘them’ (which again underlines our recent news we reported last week ) which indicates to us there have been contract offers, but both players are not going to sign at the salary offered.

That’s here —> ⚽️ Contracts update

And here —> ⚽️ Luke confirms talks

He reiterated his claim he has only been in charge at Swans since August 1st 2023, unfortunately reports and even the Chairman himself stated he was heading up the club on May 5th last year. That’s a weird one. We didn’t go to the LLC accounts in the USA as on several other attempts we have been knocked back on that subject. We do know that the Swans have spoken to potential new investors this year, current ones as well, and that will be Nigel Morris as an example.

The fall out from those discussions we also know was these ‘investors wanted a more stable and better run club financially before they took any interest further. Coleman and co have displayed this in the salary reductions, lack of ‘player investment’ away from the money they have received this year. That was a must do, and they have done that. In any event any newer investment would insist on the same. It’s without doubt they are displaying a far more viable club by reducing costs in many areas.

Andrew Coleman prefers to say he took over on August 1st 2023, the reason, or part of the reason ? The 2023/24 financial disclosures regards financial fair play etc … won’t happen until 2025. That will display a big drop in debt as a result of so many players leaving during that month, (Aug 2023) and he will of course claim the plaudits for that revelation next year. That’s our take on it and we remain to be convinced otherwise.

On Coleman’s announcement as club Chairman in May 2023 he stated. “I am honoured to take on the responsibility of being chairman of Swansea City. I have seen first-hand on my numerous visits to Swansea the passion and commitment of the supporters, and how much it means to this city” That was actually before the 2022/23 season ended and Russell Martin was still in charge at the club. Andy Coleman had already visited Swansea on numerous occasions. That appointment of Coleman as Chairman didn’t take a day, and wasn’t arranged on May 5th. Discussions between Coleman and the majority ownership would have taken a few months at least, and of course he was visiting Swansea well before that. Russell Martin left the club on June 21st 2023, forty six days after Andrew Coleman announced himself as Chairman. So, without doubt he knew of Martin’s departure, the cancelled trip to Washington at the end of May 2023, because he was the club Chairman. Is this also why he is deflecting his involvement as Chairman until August of that year ? Can you imagine any football club Chairman not knowing or being involved in hiring and firing at any professional level ? It really doesn’t make sense. Of course he knew, and as Chairman in his own words ‘I make the decisions, the buck stops with me’

You make your own mind up.

Recent speculation from independent websites regards the Swans salary structure (Grimes on £22,500 a week, Naughton on some £20,000, there’s more) was replied again with ‘Don’t believe anything you read on social media’ We agree to an extent, the only way anyone will know and be able to divulge basic contractual information is by developing long and trusted relationships with agents who will talk - but only after testing outlets such as this website over a long period of time. The wording of every feature on this we always word carefully, especially when we add context. In Harry Darling’s case and his ‘contract talks statement’ that they were not happening, we refuted that immediately. Two days later Luke Williams confirmed that Harry was inaccurate, Luke then gave examples of what contract talks actually are.

We’ve reported this on so many occasions. What are talks etc.

The Chairman was also asked about Luke Williams and would the Swans let him go to another club. The response was. ‘I can’t answer that’ When pressed about this, and is Luke happy in his work at the club the answer was ‘Luke loves Swansea’ Well, yes, and so do the vast majority of Swans fans, but that didn’t answer the question. We are aware that Luke is extremely annoyed on the Harry Darling and Ben Cabango contract situation, and has been for some time. This was clear in his Coventry City pre match interview. The Chairman is also aware of this. But no action yet on two key players future.

Our conclusion is that Andrew Coleman has a very good way of talking and saying not a lot. We know this, it has to be extremely difficult to juggle all the balls when it comes to running a football club that is known the world over. But inconsistencies do remain, however the Chairman does give you some gaps to explore, no matter what he says. There’s always someone to confirm or deny what is happening. For us, Andrew Coleman isn’t by a long way the worst Chairman in football, and he knows full well that there will be changes, whether they are as speculated in the next few days or a week nobody knows. However, with no outright denial, and with his deflections to Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien you have to think some form of planning in the immediate is occurring. This most certainly will convince people something is about to happen, we can only expect news and new faces at or investing in the club before the year ends.

Or maybe tomorrow …

Photograph Swansea Independent

ncswan added 17:12 - Sep 27 "Our conclusion is that Andrew Coleman has a very good way of talking and saying not a lot." Spoken like a "true-blue" American Democrat! Good at not answering the question at hand, deflecting it to others, and moving the discussion to other topics, especially personal ones.
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ReslovenSwan1 added 18:22 - Sep 27 Coleman is the chairman of Swansea city not the Chairman of the LLC for whom he works. The LLC will decide whether to sell their stake in the club not Coleman so the question is for Levien and Kaplan not him. This seems reasonable to me.
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KeithHaynes added 18:57 - Sep 27 The LLC is where all of Coleman’s money is. So, have to disagree this time.
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